Bananas are a tasty fruit that offers various health benefits. Bananas are full of nutrients that are essential to a healthy diet. Aside from rich contents of potassium and fibre, no fat or cholesterol content means that bananas have low calorie compared to other types of food. Yet, too much of a good thing can also be bad. The intake of bananas should also be monitored.

How Many Bananas Should You Eat A Day?

Generally, it is recommended to eat 2 bananas a day.

The amount of bananas you consume through the day will depend on your tolerance to vitamins and minerals, as some people are simply more capable of consuming vitamins and minerals without any complication.

To figure out some specific figures, the guidelines set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) can be taken as a reference.

It states tha tmen aged 19 and over and women aged 19 to 30 should eat two cups of fruit per day, and women who are aged 31 and over should eat one and a half cups of fruit per day. A single banana will provide you with around one cup of fruit, therefore, an adult is recommended to eat 1.5 to 2 bananas a day. Also, remember that over consumption of bananas can pose potential risks to your health.

Nutritional Value of Bananas

Here we list a chart for nutritional value of bananas.

Health Benefits of Bananas

Rich content of potassium in bananas helps the body to nullify the negative effects of sodium on blood pressure. The USDA states that diets rich in potassium not only help to control your blood pressure, but also reduce the chance of developing kidney stones, and discourage bone loss. As you can see on the above nutrition value chart, potassium isn't the only benefit you can obtain from consuming bananas.

It is always advisable to each fruit on a daily basis, as most fruits contain vital vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your body. Also, eating raw fruit helps you to enjoy the most nutritional value. Diets rich in fruit, when consumed as part of a healthy diet, can help to prevent numerous medical conditions, such as strokes, heart disease, and some cancers, as well as being beneficial to digestion, and overall health.

You should not, however, allow these facts to cloud your judgement when asking: how many bananas should you eat a day? This is because overconsumption of the fruit can lead to numerous health risks.

Is There Any Harm in Eating Too Many Bananas?

Although bananas are beneficial to your health, you will experience some side effects if you eat too many bananas. Some of the side effects can include:

1. Too Much Potassium

Although potassium has a beneficial effect on the body, eating too much will lead to an increased chance of adverse side effects occurring, including nausea, slow rate of pulse, and possibly cardiac arrest in serious cases. So remember when you are thinking – how many bananas should you eat in a day? Too many may be harmful.

2. Headache

Bananas contain substances called Phenylethylamine, Tyramine, and amino acids, all of which can cause dilation in the blood vessels, causing an increased flow of blood to the brain, which can lead to headaches. Generally speaking, the riper the banana is, the more Tyramine it contains, meaning it may be wise to avoid the consumption of overripe bananas.

3. Tiredness and Fatigue

Although bananas can give you a boost of energy due to the carbohydrates within them, overeating bananas can make you feel tired. This is because they contain a substance called tryptophan, which can lead to the production of serotonin if it gets into the brain. This will subsequently lead to feelings of tiredness. The magnesium within a banana can also work to relax your muscles. That being said, too much magnesium can lead to feelings of drowsiness and fatigue.

4. Damage of Nervous System

The content of vitamin B6 in bananas can cause serious damage to the nervous system and even lead to paralyzed limbs when too much is absorbed by the body. If you eat too many bananas on a daily basis, it is highly possible that you overload your body with too much of a good thing.