Bananas are undoubtedly the most popular fruit on earth, and the internet can attest to that. No healthy diet, fruit salad, or mixed fruit smoothie is complete without bananas. And there are multiple reasons for that. Firstly, bananas are easily accessible in almost all parts of the world and are also a budget-friendly crop. They are native to Southeast Asia, ubiquitously growing in warmer climates. From there, they are transported to other countries. Secondly, they are an excellent source of energy and nutrients. Furthermore, they can help with various health problems, so adding them to the diet can provide benefits in that regard too.
So, what benefit do bananas provide in terms of tackling headaches? Do bananas help with headaches or not? Well, this article will help you in figuring out just that.
Nutritional Properties of Bananas
Before discussing whether or not bananas help with headaches, it is crucial to understand the nutritional benefits of bananas. Bananas are a nutrient-dense and energy-rich fruit. They make for a very rich source of carbohydrates as they have different forms of sugars like sucrose, fructose, and glucose in them. In addition, they are a treasure for many essential minerals like potassium and magnesium. Bananas are also an excellent source of vitamins, containing vitamins like B6, B9, A, and C. In addition, they have great fiber content and some pre-biotics in them, which aids in keeping good stomach health.
The nutritional profile of bananas makes them highly effective in keeping a healthy neurological, cardiovascular and digestive system. It also makes bananas help with other health conditions like headaches.
The Link Between Bananas and Headaches
Headaches are a common condition experienced by many people in which individuals suffer from throbbing pain in their head, face, neck, and sometimes shoulders. Headaches can occur due to plenty of different reasons. Stress, diet, and lifestyle are common contributing factors to headaches, but headaches can also occur due to any underlying health problem.
Bananas have some beneficial properties that can help in treating or alleviating headaches. They provide different nutrients that can treat headaches in various ways. Following are some ways in which bananas are helpful for headaches.
Do Bananas Help With Headaches Caused By Anxiety?
Anxiety has been discovered to cause headaches as a physical symptom. However, doctors have yet to pinpoint the connection between these two conditions. Still, it may have something to do with an imbalance in serotonin levels that may cause the feeling of overwhelm and anxiousness.
Bananas have high potassium levels that are known to reduce blood pressure and send oxygen to the brain. This will help reduce the feeling of panic and anxiety. Research has also found that banana pulp and peel have anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects on the human brain. So, having bananas in a diet will help with anxiety-induced headaches.
Do Bananas Help With Headaches Caused By Stress?
Stressful moments are a part of everyone’s life, no matter how happy and healthy someone is. We are all prone to live’s ups and downs; whenever an awful situation occurs, a person will feel stressed out.
One of the most common symptoms of stress is a headache. You may have observed that stress and headache usually go hand-in-hand. People might have complained about recurring headaches when trudging through difficult times.
Now how do bananas help reduce stress and thereby treat stress-related headaches? Bananas contain nutrients like folate and B6, which help produce more serotonin, thus reducing stress and headaches. Bananas also have large amounts of norepinephrine, which helps lower blood pressure. It won’t be wrong to say that bananas have a calming effect on the nervous system. So, the answer to the question, do bananas help with headaches caused by stress, would be yes.
Do Bananas Help With Headaches Caused By Hunger?
It is common knowledge that hunger can cause headaches. If you haven’t eaten anything the whole day, chances are you will get a pounding headache at the end of the day. In most cases, people gravitate towards sweet items as they have more sugar and can help immediately reduce hunger. But, if you are trying to eat healthily, you may want to re-think that. Refined sugars will surely help satiate you but will also cause other detrimental effects on your body.
A healthy alternative to these sugar-based products is bananas. According to USDA, a medium-sized banana will give you almost 90 calories, 23 g of carbohydrates, and 12g of sugar. Thus, it makes bananas very helpful in alleviating hunger and thus treating headaches caused by hunger.
Do Bananas Help With Headaches Caused By Digestive Problems?
Bananas have a high amount of pre-biotics and fiber. These two components are known for maintaining stability in the stomach. So, do bananas help with headaches caused by digestive problems? Yes, they indeed do.
Do Bananas Help With Migraines?
A migraine is a severe throbbing headache on one side of the head. It is a neurological disorder that can cause an extreme headache that might persist for days. It is very inconvenient for people as it interrupts their daily life and prevents them from performing their duties.
So, in this case, how do bananas help with migraines? As stated above, bananas have a significant amount of magnesium and vitamins B6 and B9, which are helpful for migraine patients. Furthermore, a remedy is proven to help alleviate headaches in migraine patients. First, take a clean banana peel and rub some alcohol on it. Now, lay down, put this peel on your forehead, and secure it with gauze for half an hour. This peel will help remove toxins and hence will help in reducing your headache.
Do Bananas Help with Headaches Caused by Dehydration?
Yes, because when you look at the nutrient profile of bananas, you will realize that a medium-sized banana has almost 79% water. Like all fruits, bananas are also an excellent source of water. So, when you consume bananas daily, you minimize your chances of headaches.
FAQs
How do bananas help with headaches?
Bananas are a rich source of magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6, all proven to treat headaches in people. Furthermore, bananas also have a high amount of carbohydrates and a significant water content. Therefore, it makes them perfect for treating headaches.
Are bananas safe for diabetic patients with headaches?
Yes, the glycemic index (the rate at which food affects your blood sugar level) for ripe bananas is 51, which means that bananas are safe for diabetic patients. But, eat in moderation if your blood sugar fluctuates very easily.
How many bananas should you eat per day?
Bananas are a delicious and convenient snack, so you may be tempted to eat more. And while 1 to 2 bananas per day are a moderate intake for most healthy people, overeating a single food can contribute to nutrient deficiencies and weight gain.
Can you overdose on bananas?
It is impossible to overdose on bananas; you would probably have to eat around 400 bananas daily to build your potassium levels up to where it could cause your heart to stop beating.
Conclusion
Bananas provide many essential nutrients to your body, making them a perfect choice for anyone who wants to start a healthy diet. They have plenty of health benefits and are shown to be effective against many health conditions. For example, they help maintain gut health, heart health, and the health of the neurological system. Likewise, they also help combat diseases related to all these systems. In addition, their perfect nutrient profile causes them to help treat headaches. So, the answer to the initial question of do bananas help with headaches or not is that bananas do help relieve headaches.