Banana Nutrition Facts

It’s the bicycle rider’s best friend, a potassium pipeline that instantly picks up a sagging pumper.

It’s a diarrhea sufferer’s ally, a soothing substance that may stop what you most want stopped and help replace what you’ve lost. It helps to replace electrolytes, the very tiny electrical charges needed to power the body and maintain fluid balance.

It’s a helping hand against high blood pressure that may help keep your numbers low.

It’s a tropical fruit, a large berry, that’s handy and healthy, providing 452 milligrams of potassium, 33 milligrams of magnesium, and just over 2 grams of fiber. Studies have shown that people with high levels of potassium in their diet have a lower incidence of hypertension, even if they don’t watch their salt intake.

The banana shares many benefits of its fruity brethren: It’s low in calories, fat, sodium, and much of its fiber is soluble — the kind that can help lower cholesterol. It stands out, however, because it has lots of potassium and a respectable amount of magnesium. That’s why it’s a favorite fruit of most athletes and often is recommended for people with diarrhea or high blood pressure.

Bananas are also a very good source of vitamin B6, providing one-third of the RDA in a single serving.