When it comes to healthy eating, bananas often get underestimated. We usually treat it as a quick snack, but rarely do we stop to appreciate just how powerful this fruit can be. Bananas are not just about curbing midday hunger pangs; they can help you gain weight the right way, support muscle recovery, and even improve digestion.

The Banana as a Natural Energy Bar

“Banana is one of the high-protein fruits. It is also called a natural energy bar because of its rich nutrient profile,” says Nutritionist Anushi Jain. She explains that bananas act as both a quick energy source and a way to sustain fullness for longer periods.

That is because bananas are packed with carbohydrates, dietary fibre, and natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Together, these make bananas an effective food for anyone looking to put on weight in a healthy manner. But it is not just calories that make them special. Bananas also deliver a solid dose of potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, and antioxidants, all of which contribute to overall health while promoting muscle recovery.

Calories That Count

One of the simplest reasons bananas work well for weight gain is their calorie content. A single medium banana provides around 100–120 calories, making them a convenient way to bump up your daily intake. But the real magic happens when you pair bananas with protein and healthy fats.

“When combined with foods like nut butters, milk, or seeds, bananas become a balanced meal that supports both muscle building and gradual, healthy weight gain,” adds Jain. In other words, instead of relying on protein powders or supplements, you can simply slip bananas into your everyday meals for better results.

Bananas and Better Digestion

Bananas do not just help you add calories; they also help you use them well. “Bananas are high in calories and important nutrients like potassium, vitamin B6, and fibre. They also help with digestion, making it easier for the body to absorb nutrients,” explains Dr Shabana Parveen, Head of Dietetics at Artemis Hospitals.

This means that adding bananas to your diet is not just about eating more but also about ensuring your body makes the most of the food you consume. Proper digestion is the backbone of healthy weight gain, and bananas play a quiet but crucial role here.

Easy Ways to Add Bananas Into Meals

Another reason bananas are a favourite among nutritionists is their versatility. They do not demand elaborate recipes or complicated meal prep. “Bananas slip into meals effortlessly,” says Jain.

Here are some easy ways to make the most of them:

• Smoothies: Blend bananas with milk, nut butter, oats, or seeds to create a calorie-dense shake that doubles as breakfast or a post-workout booster.
• Breakfast Bowls: Layer sliced bananas over oatmeal, porridge, or yoghurt for extra creaminess and a burst of energy.
• Nut-butter Pairing: Spread peanut or almond butter on banana slices for the perfect protein-fat-carb combo.
• Desserts: Use mashed bananas in muffins, pancakes, or healthy energy bars as a natural sweetener.
• Post-workout Snack: Pair bananas with whey protein or nuts to replenish glycogen and aid muscle repair.
• Frozen Treats: Blend frozen bananas into a creamy, guilt-free ice cream substitute.

“Bananas are a healthy choice for people who want to gain weight without eating processed foods,” Dr Parveen points out. Whether you mix them into shakes, mash them into bakes, or simply pair them with a handful of nuts, bananas deliver nutrition in the simplest, tastiest form.

Big Benefits

Can bananas help you build muscle, improve digestion, and gain weight the healthy way? The answer is a resounding yes. They are calorie-rich yet wholesome, versatile yet fuss-free, and packed with nutrients that go beyond just filling you up.

Both Jain and Dr Parveen agree that when combined with other nutrient-dense foods and regular exercise, bananas can become a powerful ally in your health journey. Whether your goal is to bulk up, repair muscles, or just keep your gut happy, the next time you reach for a snack, you might want to think banana.

Oil of oregano, also known as oregano oil, is a concentrated extract derived from the leaves of the oregano plant. Typically available in liquid drops or capsule form, it has long been promoted for its potential health benefits, particularly during cold and flu season. Some people dilute it in water or juice, while others add it to their supplement routine.

For centuries, oregano oil has been praised in traditional remedies for its antimicrobial and immune-supporting properties. Modern studies suggest that compounds like carvacrol and thymol found in the oil may help fight certain bacteria, fungi and viruses, at least in laboratory and animal studies.

But experts caution against overestimating its power. As USA Today quotes Mascha Davis, MPH, RDN, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, “While oil of oregano can be part of a short-term wellness strategy, it’s not a magic cure-all.” Much of the evidence so far has not been tested in humans, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions about its effectiveness.

Why Was It Believed To Be A 'Magic Cure'?

Oregano has long been associated with Romans and Greeks and is said to trace back as early as 3000 BC, when it was used by Assyrians. It has been used in folk medicine for over many centuries and is extracted from the leaves of oregano. In the Middle Ages, the plant was considered a magic herb that could ward off witches and even the devil himself. This is why the oil extracted from it earned its name as the 'Magic Cure'.

Also Read: ‘Drink Castor Oil To Cleanse Your Colon,’ Says Sadhguru, But Science Isn’t Convinced

What It Can and Can’t Do

Research shows oregano oil does have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, but clinical trials on humans remain limited. Benefits linked to digestion or immunity have largely been observed outside the human body, in cell or animal studies.

Who Should Avoid It

Despite its popularity, oil of oregano isn’t safe for everyone. Davis also advises that those who are iron deficient, pregnant, breastfeeding, allergic to mint, or taking certain medications, such as blood thinners or drugs for diabetes, should avoid it unless directed otherwise by a healthcare provider.

Even healthy individuals should use it with caution. Because it’s highly concentrated, taking too much or using it without dilution may irritate the gut lining. Experts recommend using it sparingly and only for short durations, such as a few days to a week, while closely following dosage instructions.

Read: The Truth About Cooking Oils: Which One Should You Really Use?

The Bigger Picture

Relying on oregano oil alone for long-term health isn’t sustainable. Experts emphasize that proven habits, like eating a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet, getting quality sleep, managing stress, and incorporating probiotics, are more effective for maintaining immunity and gut health in the long run.

The takeaway? Oil of oregano may have its place as a short-term supplement, but it’s not the all-in-one remedy it’s often marketed to be.

Read More: Common Cooking Oil Ingredient May Cause Your Breast Cancer

Making waves in the news is GLP-1 drugs, especially after Serena Williams, the tennis icon revealed that she used it for her own weight loss journey. This has also become a popular option for many and not just celebrities. However, the cost is high, and not everyone can afford it. Furthermore, cases of side effects have too come up, especially for those who have not followed the prescribed guidelines for its administration and consumption. In such cases, what other options does one have? This is where dietary supplements fit in.

If you have kept up with the Kardashians, you would know that Kourtney Kardashian has launched her own OTC dietary supplements that claims to "naturally boost GLP-1 levels in the body to reduce hunger and support healthy weight management".

In fact, these dietary supplements do not require approval from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). These supplements also do not require any data or clinical evidence to support their marketing claims. They are also not regulated or tested like the medication prescribes, which indicates that they could have unknown side effects too.

What Works Better: GLP-1 Medications vs GLP-1 Supplements

Before we get into which one is better, we must understand what are GLP-1 drugs? The Harvard Health Publishing notes that GLP-1 drugs or GLP-1 agonists are shortened names for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. They are supposed to mimic GLP-1 hormone that is naturally released in the gastrointestinal tract in response to eating.

What it does is, it triggers the release of insulin from your pancreas, which helps usher glucose or the sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cell. This is where it could be used for nourishment and energy.

The American Journal Of Medicine's 2025 study explains the mechanism of GLP-1 in weight loss. GLP-1 receptor agonists also promote weight loss by suppressing appetite, enhancing satiety and delaying gastric emptying.

What Are GLP-1 Drugs?

Popular drugs like Ozempic and Wgovy, which have semaglutide, which is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, or tirzepatide found in Zepbound and Mounjaro are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and weight loss.

These drugs work by binding GLP-1 receptors in the body, which in return increase insulin production in response to food intake and suppress glucagon, a hormones that raises blood sugar.

Also Read: This Naturally Occurring Molecule May Have Ozempic-like Benefits Without The Side Effects

GLP-1 Supplement

Kardashian's Lemme GLP-1 Daily's website notes that it: "promote your body’s GLP-1 production, reduce hunger and cravings, and support fat reduction with three clinically studied ingredients".

However, the website points to studies where the ingredients were investigated separately that too on less than 200 participants. Dr Pamela Tambini, an international medicine physician, based in Florida, as reported by diaTribe says, "The ingredients in these supplements often lack the necessary potency and mechanisms to replicate the effects of prescription GLP-1 medications – without proper testing, their safety and efficacy are highly questionable."

What Are Ingredients In GLP-1 Supplements

Dr Donna Ryan, an obesity medicine specialist at Pennington Biomedical Research Center tells diatribe that there are no GLP-1 in any of the ingredients used in GLP-1 supplements.

Some of the ingredients that supplements note are: Superesa saffron extract, Morosil red orange fruit extract, and Eriomin lemon fruit extract.

Read: Serena Williams Opens Up About Her Weight Loss Journey With GLP-1 Medication

Superesa saffron extract

A study published in Nutrition Research in 2010 noted that this ingredient reduced weight, appetite and snacking frequency. However, experts point out that this study was done 15 years ago, with only 60 participants. However, a recent review published in Frontiers journal in 2024 highlights that it had no significant levels on insulin.

Morosil Red Orange Extract

A clinical trial on “Moro” blood orange extract, published in Nutrients journal in 2022, followed 180 adults with a BMI between 25 and 35. After six months, both those taking the supplement and those on placebo showed notable reductions in BMI, suggesting that the benefits may not be solely due to the extract.

Eriomin Lemon Extract

Preliminary research on Eriomin lemon extract, published in Wiley Open Access Collection in 2019, has shown it may help increase GLP-1 levels in people with prediabetes. However, these studies only tracked participants for 12 weeks, so its long-term impact on weight loss and blood sugar management remains uncertain.

Berberine

Often called “nature’s Ozempic,” berberine is widely used in GLP-1 dietary supplements such as Terra ELMNT’s Berberine + GLP-1 Support and Codeage’s GLP-Advantage+. This plant-derived compound has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to address digestive issues and inflammation. Reviews, publishd in Frontiers journal in 2022, suggest it may help lower fasting blood sugar and A1C levels, though most studies come from China, making its effectiveness across diverse populations less clear.

Chromium

Chromium, found in supplements like Codeage’s GLP-Advantage+ and Joi’s GLP-1 Assist, has limited evidence supporting its role in blood sugar control. While some research, among one is published in 2021 in the Biological Trace Element Research, indicates it may help reduce A1C levels in people with type 2 diabetes, it does not appear to significantly affect fasting blood glucose or cholesterol levels.

The dangers of tuberculosis may seem like the thing of the past; however, its effects still remain. The World Health Organization has speculated that TB has returned to being the leading cause of death all around the world after 1.25 million people died of it in 2023. In the same year, an estimated 10.8 million people fell ill with TB with 6 million men, 3.6 women and 1.3 million children. The surprising fact is that the TB present in all these countries, is curable.

There are many factors that affect how well a country tackles TB with. A study funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has shown that better nutrition can significantly reduce tuberculosis (TB) cases and deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized these findings and included them in its updated global guidelines for controlling the disease.

The main goal of the study was to see how giving nutritional support to people living with TB patients would affect whether they got the disease themselves.

What Are Some Factors That Can Help Cure TB?

Researchers worked with 2,800 TB patients and their families in four districts of Jharkhand, India. The study, published in the medical journal The Lancet, noted that in India, TB and poor nutrition are very common at the same time, especially among patients and in the general population.

In the study, all TB patients received food for six months. However, only the families in the "intervention group" received monthly food packages and micronutrients. The researchers followed up with all participants to see how many new TB cases appeared over time.

How Does Nutrition Impact TB?

The study, which ran from 2019 to 2021, found that giving nutritional support to families of TB patients led to a significant drop in new TB cases. This was the first study of its kind to show that nutritional help can substantially reduce the spread of TB within a household.

The study concluded that this approach, which combines medical and social support, could help speed up the fight against TB in communities where both TB and poor nutrition are big problems.

Nutrition and Tuberculosis: Why Does It Impact So Many People?

According to a 2025 study published in the Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, looked at how nutrition programs for people with tuberculosis (TB) are working in India. Researchers talked to TB patients, their family members, and healthcare providers in five different states between August 2023 and April 2024. The goal was to understand their experiences and thoughts on getting nutritional help.

Understanding Nutrition

Patients and their families understood that good nutrition is important for treating TB. However, they faced challenges in getting the right foods.

Changes in Diet

While many tried to eat more protein, they often struggled with food insecurity—meaning they didn't have enough food because they were poor.

Issues with Financial Aid

The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) program, which gives money directly to people, had problems. Participants felt the money wasn't enough and that there were gaps in how they could access it.

Preferred Delivery Method

People preferred getting food and support directly from TB treatment centers. They were less keen on using other systems or middlemen to get their nutritional help. Based on these findings, the study suggests a few changes to improve the program:

• Provide more protein-rich food and increase the financial support to better meet people's needs.
• Fix the problems with the DBT program to make sure people can easily get the money they are given.
• Consider giving ready-to-eat food directly to patients at TB treatment centers.