Science Says: Eating Bananas and Avocados Could Help Prevent Disease!

Avocado toast lovers, the time to rejoice is now. If you’ve been getting (good-heartedly) dragged by your brunching companions for your stereotypical — albeit delicious — menu item of choice, now you have data to back up your meal.

New research published by the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests that both avocados and bananas — two beloved plant-based ingredients — are more than just delicious. They’re disease-fighting fruits that could help prevent your arteries from hardening and thus protect you from stroke and heart disease.

Suddenly this Banoffee ‘Nice’ Cream by Holly Jade seems extra nice!

So, what is it about bananas and avocados that make them so efficient at warding off clogged arteries? The answer is: potassium!

Load Up on Potassium-Rich Recipes

We here at One Green Planet are huge fans of potassium-rich foods. Potassium helps lower blood pressure, which means you have a lesser chance of feeling stressed and anxious. Most whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables contain high amounts of potassium and vitamin B6, which also helps lower blood pressure.

Go for potassium-gold with this classic brunch.

Savory Mushroom Avocado Toast by Harriet Emily is delicious. Chestnut mushrooms that have been stir-fried in vegan butter, cayenne, paprika, and turmeric top creamy mashed avocado on toast. It tastes so amazing, and it’s perfect for a quick, simple lunch, dinner or even breakfast – if you like to eat something spicy in the morning.

Oatmeal is a rich source of potassium, too!

Double up on the oats and the bananas with this Banana Oatmeal With Hazelnut Butter, Raisins and Baobab Powder recipe by Emily von Euw. Bonus: baobab powder comes from the gorgeous baobab tree and is super nutritious.

Remember to use every part of the avocado, too.

This Avocado Seed Smoothie by Taryn Fitz-Gerald is absolutely jam-packed with antioxidants. Using ground avocado seed as well as matcha powder, this smoothie may literally give you superpowers — or just a lot of energy to help you get through the morning.

Here’s a quick guide on How to Get Enough Potassium in a Vegan Diet. While bananas and avocados are particularly great, meat and most all animal foods contain little to no potassium and actually raise blood pressure and cholesterol.

Also make sure to check out this feature on Avocados: Health Benefits, Tips, and Recipes, and read up on Ripe vs. Unripe Bananas: Which are Better for You?

We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

Lead image source: Sharaf Maksumov/Shutterstock