Bananas Have the Potential to Prevent HIV Infection #WorldAIDSDay

Bananas have the potential to prevent HIV infection.

Bananas, your best source of fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and antioxidant compounds are not just good for high blood pressure, asthma or diabetes. Bananas can be greatly instrumental in preventing HIV infections too. A study conducted by the University of Michigan suggests that lectin (proteins that bind themselves to sugars) present in bananas can greatly help in preventing the transmission of HIV.

So how does it work?
Ban Lec, a concentrated extract of banana lectins, maybe the thing that can save millions of lives from getting infected with HIV. Lectins are basically proteins that bind themselves to sugars. Now, the HIV virus is held within an envelope. This research revealed that Ban Lec attaches itself to this ‘envelope’ that contains HIV, and prevents its replication, which as a result can help avert the spread of HIV in the body. However, this research is in a fairly nascent stage and efforts are still being made to come up with new drugs and medication containing Ban Lec that can help in preventing HIV transmission.

Does eating bananas help in preventing the transmission of HIV?
The answer is no. No kind of research has been conducted so far to prove that eating bananas can prevent HIV infection. This study only proves that Ban Lec (the lectin) may gradually be effective in inhibiting the transmission of the HIV virus.

Until this comes into effect, it’s still best to practice safe sex and take other precautionary measures to prevent yourself from getting infected.

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