Expert: Sue Kayton Date: 2/5/2008 Subject: Biology
Question Hello :)
Why are bananas good for my heart?
My grandad has bad kidneys and needs to eat bananas.
thankyou
Answer Good question. The answer is a bit complicated.
When people have a bad heart or bad kidneys, the doctor often gives them medication to make the heart and kidney's jobs easier.
The heart pumps blood, so if there's a little less blood, the heart doesn't have to pump so hard. The main part of the blood is the red blood cells, and the rest of the blood is mostly water.
The kidneys filter the bad stuff out of the blood, so if there is less blood, then the kidneys also don't have to work so hard.
So the pills the doctor gives (they are called diuretics) make the blood have less water in it. This helps the heart and helps the kidneys.
Where does the water go? The kidneys take it out of the blood and turn it into urine (pee). But the kidneys aren't perfect. When they take water out of the blood, they also take out potassium. Your body needs potassium for the heart to beat right.
So people who take diuretic pills need extra potassium in their diets. Bananas and oranges have lots of potassium. People who don't like bananas or oranges can take potassium pills.
People (like you and me) who don't take diuretic pills get enough potassium in our normal diets that we don't need potassium pills. But we still enjoy bananas and oranges!
I hope this answered your question, and hope that your grandfather's kidneys heal and improve.
