According to various surveys, over 12 million Italians habitually consume plant-based drinks as alternatives to cow’s milk. There are those who do it because they are allergic or intolerant to lactose or milk proteins , those who experience difficulties in digesting traditional milk and those who simply don’t particularly like its taste or are looking for something new to vary their breakfast .
Regardless of the reasons, the vegetable alternatives to real milk are different, from soy to rice , from coconut to oats . In addition to these, one of the most popular and consequently most consumed lately is banana milk , or banana milk.
Differences between cow’s milk and banana milk
Compared to cow’s milk and substitute vegetable drinks based on nuts , almonds or soy, drinking the same amount of banana milk means ingesting a lower protein content . For this reason, people who usually prefer foods that provide a high protein source for breakfast should not consume it alone but always combined with yogurt or dried fruit .
From an energy point of view , however, cow’s milk and banana are quite similar. A 200 ml glass of the latter can even supply more than 100 calories so it is not particularly suitable for people who are following a diet aimed at weight loss . Even for all the others, however, the recommendation is not to overdo it.
Finally, on a nutritional level , it provides the typical nutritional principles of the banana.
Beneficial properties of banana
The banana is a fruit widely consumed all over the world and much loved not only for its taste but also for its high digestibility and the many positive effects it generates on the body, mainly due to the high amount of potassium it contains which makes it a food able to decrease water retention , relieve the feeling of swelling , allow rapid recovery of energy and maintain a nervous balance.
Another precious element present in the banana is magnesium , which favors the contraction and relaxation of the muscles .
The benefits of this fruit do not stop there as it accelerates the lipolysis process that burns fat, helps to increase good mood and relax the body thanks to the action of tryptophan , an amino acid that would raise serotonin levels and vitamin B9 or folic acid , which would help serotonin reach the brain faster . Tryptophan would also stimulate the production of melatonin , which promotes relaxation and helps regulate sleep .
How to prepare it at home
Among the various types of alternative milk, the banana one represents one of the best choices because it is much less problematic than others from the point of view of possible food allergies and has a flavor judged by many to be more pleasant than rice or soy milk.
Furthermore, thanks to the low price of its ingredients and the ease of making it at home, it is often cheaper than other vegetable variants.
To do this, just take one or more bananas depending on the amount of drink you want to prepare, cut it into slices, blend it and add the right amount of water to form a liquid mixture. If you like, you can also add some spices such as cinnamon or vanilla , or coconut flakes, chia seeds or cocoa .
Once the banana milk has been made, it must be consumed immediately or stored in the fridge, where it resists for about a couple of days before deteriorating.
Benefits of banana milk
Even in the absence of specific ailments or pathologies that prevent you from drinking cow’s milk, banana milk is an excellent alternative since it is a drink that would bring multiple benefits to the body.
- Improve mood and help you relax. Banana milk supplies natural sugars such as glucose , fructose and sucrose which are transformed into energy for the brain, and a series of minerals including phosphorus which perform an important anti-fatigue action. In addition, tryptophan supports the synthesis of serotonin, which together with magnesium, potassium and vitamin B6 improves mood and helps us feel better. The presence of trifolate also makes it an excellent evening relaxant since this element stimulates the production of melatonin, which in turn improves the quality and duration of sleep.
- It supports sports activity. Thanks to the high presence of sugars, banana milk, if drunk after a workout, allows you to quickly restore the lost glycogen energy and counteract the feeling of fatigue.
- Improve your metabolism . Banana milk improves the functioning of the metabolism thanks to the presence of vitamins B1 , B2 and B6.
- It has an antioxidant action . This vegetable drink, in addition to being rich in vitamins of group B , also provides vitamins A , C and E which are beneficial for their antioxidant action which counteracts cellular aging .
- It’s good for the heart . Being low in artery-damaging fats , banana milk would also be suitable for people suffering from hypertension .
