Bananas are nutrient-rich fruits that are vastly consumed in most households around the world. Apart from being rich in nutrients, bananas have a sweet taste making them a delicious food.
Magnesium is one of the macro minerals needed in the body. But do bananas contain magnesium and in what amount?
Do Bananas Contain Magnesium
Banana fruit contains a significant amount of magnesium. Other than magnesium, other nutrients found in bananas are manganese, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and iron. Bananas also contain thiamine, folate, riboflavin, and vitamin C.
Magnesium plays a vital role in ensuring the proper functioning of the heart, regulating blood pressure, relaxation of muscles, inhibiting inflammation, and proper functioning of nerves among other functions.
Nutrients and minerals found in bananas confer an improved immune system to the body.
How much Magnesium is in Bananas?
A medium-sized banana has approximately 32 milligrams of magnesium. There are 37 milligrams of magnesium in every 100 grams of bananas.
The daily value of magnesium provided by bananas is 8DV. In adults aged 19-51 plus years, the recommended magnesium daily value is 400-420 milligrams (Men), 300-320 milligrams (women), 350-360 milligrams for pregnant women, and 310-320 milligrams in lactating women.
A spectrophotometric analysis test has been applied to determine the exact levels of magnesium in bananas. The test is important as it informs on the number of bananas that needs to be taken to meet the magnesium requirement in the body.
Magnesium Level Inside the Human Body
Magnesium plays an integral role in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It acts as a cofactor in most biochemical reactions controlling protein synthesis, blood sugar, glycolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation.
It is thus necessary to take diets rich in magnesium that will sustain the required amount needed by the body.
Naturally, an adult body has about 25 grams of magnesium in the body’s mineral reserves. Of the 25 grams of magnesium present in the body, over 50% is found in the bones and skeletal muscles and the remaining portion is found in soft tissues.
Blood serum has less than 1% of magnesium that is tightly regulated. Magnesium levels in the serum usually range between 0.75-0.95 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Magnesium homeostasis is enhanced by the kidney which facilitates the removal of magnesium. 120 milligrams of magnesium is excreted into the urine each day. This entire process ensures balanced magnesium concentration in the blood.
Since magnesium is embedded in the bones and cells, it has proved difficult to have an explicit assessment. Though serum levels have no direct correlation with magnesium concentration in the body, measuring magnesium levels in the serum has been adopted method for magnesium assessment in the body.
Performing magnesium tolerance/magnesium loading tests, measuring ionized magnesium concentration in plasma and blood, and testing magnesium concentration in saliva, red blood cells, and urine are other commonly used methods to determine the level of magnesium in the body.
Health Benefits of Magnesium
Magnesium has several health benefits. Some of the key health benefits are:
- Sleep and anxiety- magnesium has a calming effect thus removing anxiety. The soothing experience results in adequate sleep. Low magnesium levels are associated with anxiety and depression.
- Migraine and headaches-magnesium therapy relieves headaches and migraine. Low magnesium concentration affects neurotransmitters and reduces the constriction of blood vessels which are among the causes of migraine.
- Strong bone- magnesium affects the absorption of calcium which is required for the formation of strong bones. Adequate magnesium results in high bone density, increased crystal formation, and reduced risk of osteoporosis in women after menopause.
- Cardiovascular health-magnesium plays an important role in the development and proper functioning of muscles including heart muscles. Lower amounts of magnesium are linked with higher rates of heart complications.
- Control of type diabetes-magnesium controls sugar levels and plays an integral role in insulin metabolism. Low magnesium levels result to insulin resistance.