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THE DIET, BANANA & STROKE CONNECTION
Diet, Bananas & Stroke Connection, Can Bananas Reduce Blood Pressure Thus Reducing Stroke Risks?
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This golden goddess is virtually fat free, contains vitamin B-6, vitamin C, a fair amount of fiber, is low in sodium and rich in potassium.
Health studies indicate that the banana may be beneficial in the prevention of strokes. The potassium content, combined with its low sodium content, may protect the body against high blood pressure - often referred to as 'The Silent Killer'. In turn, high blood pressure can lead to stroke.
If you are experiencing issues with high blood pressure this doesn't mean that you should rely on bananas to decrease the readings. You should always consult with your doctor about any issues related to high blood pressure.
And of course, implementing bananas into your daily diet may certainly benefit your health by lowering those too-high numbers. Odds are your doctor will suggest eating bananas to help cut stroke risks.
On the opposite side of the coin, if an individual is taking blood pressure medication that contains diuretics, potassium levels may drop to insufficient levels in the body, which in turn increase the risk for stroke. Incorporating foods high in potassium replace this important electrolyte.
Although most individuals work hard at getting enough potassium into the body, some suffer from high potassium levels that pose great health risks. Too much potassium in the blood is a serious situation and can stop the heart. This critical situation must be monitored by a physician and can be life threatening if not treated.
Potassium may also assist in quelling leg cramps in some individuals, so if you are experiencing these, check with your doctor about incorporating more of this golden beauty into your diet.
As to potassium supplements, please discuss use of these products with your doctor before taking. Too much may place you at risk for heart attack, irregular heartbeat and even death. If your current potassium levels in your body are adequate, you may create an imbalance - raising your potassium levels to critical areas. Once levels reach this stage they are difficult to bring down.
When the kidneys aren't functioning adequately, the potassium in the blood isn't being filtered out of the body. My father was a diabetic and was tested for potassium levels; unfortunately he had a very high reading nearing 6 (normal is 3.5 and 5.0 mEq per liter). This was an indication that his kidneys were not properly filtering his blood. If you feel weak, listless and have an irregular heartbeat please speak with your doctor to see if you should be tested - particularly if you suffer from diabetes or Addison's Disease.
Potatoes, avocados, cantaloupes, dark green leafy vegetables and orange juice are also excellent potassium food choices.
How much potassium does your body require each day? About 4,700 milligrams per day for adults over the age of 19.
So what about those bananas and the potassium count?
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Nutritional Facts Potassium in Bananas | Units |
1 extra small banana (less than 6" long) | 1 small banana (6" to 6-7/8" long) ------- 101g |
1 medium banana (7" to 7-7/8" long) | 1 large banana (8" to 8-7/8" long) ------- 136g | 1 extra large banana (9" or longer) ------- 152g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proximates | ||||||
| Water |
g
|
60.68
|
75.66
|
88.39
|
101.88
|
113.86
|
| Calories, Energy |
kcal
|
72
|
90
|
105
|
121
|
135
|
| Energy |
kJ
|
301
|
375
|
438
|
505
|
564
|
| Protein |
g
|
0.88
|
1.10
|
1.29
|
1.48
|
1.66
|
| Total lipid (fat) |
g
|
0.27
|
0.33
|
0.39
|
0.45
|
0.50
|
| Ash |
g
|
0.66
|
0.83
|
0.97
|
1.12
|
1.25
|
| Carbohydrate, by difference |
g
|
18.50
|
23.07
|
26.95
|
31.06
|
34.72
|
| Fiber, total dietary |
g
|
2.1
|
2.6
|
3.1
|
3.5
|
4.0
|
| Sugars, total |
g
|
9.91
|
12.35
|
14.43
|
16.63
|
18.59
|
| Sucrose |
g
|
1.94
|
2.41
|
2.82
|
3.25
|
3.63
|
| Glucose (dextrose) |
g
|
4.03
|
5.03
|
5.88
|
6.77
|
7.57
|
| Fructose |
g
|
3.93
|
4.90
|
5.72
|
6.60
|
7.37
|
| Lactose |
g
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
| Maltose |
g
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.02
|
| Galactose |
g
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
| Starch |
g
|
4.36
|
5.43
|
6.35
|
7.32
|
8.18
|
| Minerals | ||||||
| Calcium, Ca |
mg
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
| Iron, Fe |
mg
|
0.21
|
0.26
|
0.31
|
0.35
|
0.40
|
| Magnesium, Mg |
mg
|
22
|
27
|
32
|
37
|
41
|
| Phosphorus, P |
mg
|
18
|
22
|
26
|
30
|
33
|
| Potassium, K |
mg
|
290
|
362
|
422
|
487
|
544
|
| Sodium, Na |
mg
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
| Zinc, Zn |
mg
|
0.12
|
0.15
|
0.18
|
0.20
|
0.23
|
| Copper, Cu |
mg
|
0.063
|
0.079
|
0.092
|
0.106
|
0.119
|
| Manganese, Mn |
mg
|
0.219
|
0.273
|
0.319
|
0.367
|
0.410
|
| Fluoride, F |
µg
|
1.8
|
2.2
|
2.6
|
3.0
|
3.3
|
| Selenium, Se |
µg
|
0.8
|
1.0
|
1.2
|
1.4
|
1.5
|
| Vitamins | ||||||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg
|
7.0
|
8.8
|
10.3
|
11.8
|
13.2
|
| Thiamin |
mg
|
0.025
|
0.031
|
0.037
|
0.042
|
0.047
|
| Riboflavin |
mg
|
0.059
|
0.074
|
0.086
|
0.099
|
0.111
|
| Niacin |
mg
|
0.539
|
0.672
|
0.785
|
0.904
|
1.011
|
| Pantothenic acid |
mg
|
0.271
|
0.337
|
0.394
|
0.454
|
0.508
|
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg
|
0.297
|
0.371
|
0.433
|
0.499
|
0.558
|
| Folate, total |
µg
|
16
|
20
|
24
|
27
|
30
|
| Folic acid |
µg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Folate, food |
µg
|
16
|
20
|
24
|
27
|
30
|
| Folate, DFE |
µg_DFE
|
16
|
20
|
24
|
27
|
30
|
| Choline, total |
mg
|
7.9
|
9.9
|
11.6
|
13.3
|
14.9
|
| Betaine |
mg
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
0.2
|
| Vitamin B-12 |
µg
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin B-12, added |
µg
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin A, RAE |
µg_RAE
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
| Retinol |
µg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Carotene, beta |
µg
|
21
|
26
|
31
|
35
|
40
|
| Carotene, alpha |
µg
|
20
|
25
|
30
|
34
|
38
|
| Cryptoxanthin, beta |
µg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Vitamin A, IU |
IU
|
52
|
65
|
76
|
87
|
97
|
| Lycopene |
µg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Lutein + zeaxanthin |
µg
|
18
|
22
|
26
|
30
|
33
|
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) |
mg
|
0.08
|
0.10
|
0.12
|
0.14
|
0.15
|
| Vitamin E, added |
mg
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
| Tocopherol, beta |
mg
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
| Tocopherol, gamma |
mg
|
0.02
|
0.02
|
0.02
|
0.03
|
0.03
|
| Tocopherol, delta |
mg
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.02
|
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) |
µg
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
| Vitamin D |
IU
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) |
µg
|
0.4
|
0.5
|
0.6
|
0.7
|
0.8
|
| Dihydrophylloquinone |
µg
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
| Lipids | ||||||
| Fatty acids, total saturated |
g
|
0.091
|
0.113
|
0.132
|
0.152
|
0.170
|
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g
|
0.026
|
0.032
|
0.038
|
0.044
|
0.049
|
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g
|
0.059
|
0.074
|
0.086
|
0.099
|
0.111
|
| Cholesterol |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Phytosterols |
mg
|
13
|
16
|
19
|
22
|
24
|
| Amino acids | ||||||
| Tryptophan |
g
|
0.007
|
0.009
|
0.011
|
0.012
|
0.014
|
| Threonine |
g
|
0.023
|
0.028
|
0.033
|
0.038
|
0.043
|
| Isoleucine |
g
|
0.023
|
0.028
|
0.033
|
0.038
|
0.043
|
| Leucine |
g
|
0.055
|
0.069
|
0.080
|
0.092
|
0.103
|
| Lysine |
g
|
0.041
|
0.051
|
0.059
|
0.068
|
0.076
|
| Methionine |
g
|
0.006
|
0.008
|
0.009
|
0.011
|
0.012
|
| Cystine |
g
|
0.007
|
0.009
|
0.011
|
0.012
|
0.014
|
| Phenylalanine |
g
|
0.040
|
0.049
|
0.058
|
0.067
|
0.074
|
| Tyrosine |
g
|
0.007
|
0.009
|
0.011
|
0.012
|
0.014
|
| Valine |
g
|
0.038
|
0.047
|
0.055
|
0.064
|
0.071
|
| Arginine |
g
|
0.040
|
0.049
|
0.058
|
0.067
|
0.074
|
| Histidine |
g
|
0.062
|
0.078
|
0.091
|
0.105
|
0.117
|
| Alanine |
g
|
0.032
|
0.040
|
0.047
|
0.054
|
0.061
|
| Aspartic acid |
g
|
0.100
|
0.125
|
0.146
|
0.169
|
0.188
|
| Glutamic acid |
g
|
0.123
|
0.154
|
0.179
|
0.207
|
0.231
|
| Glycine |
g
|
0.031
|
0.038
|
0.045
|
0.052
|
0.058
|
| Proline |
g
|
0.023
|
0.028
|
0.033
|
0.038
|
0.043
|
| Serine |
g
|
0.032
|
0.040
|
0.047
|
0.054
|
0.061
|
| Other | ||||||
| Alcohol, ethyl |
g
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
| Caffeine |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Theobromine |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
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