After reading this, you'll never look at a
banana in the same way again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars -
sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with
fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained
and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas
provide enough energy for a strenuous
90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is
the number one fruit with the world's
leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can
help us keep fit.
It can also
help overcome or prevent a substantial number
of illnesses and conditions, making it a must
to add to our daily diet.
Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by
MIND amongst people suffering from depression,
many felt much better after eating a banana.
This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a
type of protein that the body converts into
serotonin, known to make you relax, improve
your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS:
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin
B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels,
which can affect your mood.
Anemia :
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the
production of hemoglobin in the blood and so
helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high
in potassium yet low in salt, making it
perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so,
the US Food and Drug Administration has just
allowed the banana industry to make official
claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the
risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain
Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex)
school ( England ) were helped through their
exams this year by eating bananas at
breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost
their brain power. Research has shown that the
potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by
making pupils more alert..
Constipation:
High in fibre, including bananas in the diet
can help restore normal bowel action, helping
to overcome the problem without resorting to
laxatives.
Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover
is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with
honey.. The banana calms the stomach and, with
the help of the honey, builds up depleted
blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and
re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the
body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try
eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to
keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning
sickness.
Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream,
try rubbing the affected area with the
inside of a banana skin. Many people find it
amazingly successful at reducing swelling
and irritation.
Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help
calm the nervous system.
Overweight
and at work? Studies at the Institute of
Psychology in Austria found pressure at work
leads to gorging on comfort food like
chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000
hospital patients, researchers found the
most obese were more likely to be in
high-pressure jobs. The report concluded
that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings,
we need to control our blood sugar levels by
snacking on high carbohydrate foods every
two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food
against intestinal disorders because of its
soft texture and smoothness. It is the only
raw fruit that can be eaten without distress
in over-chronicler cases. It also
neutralizes over-acidity and reduces
irritation by coating the lining of the
stomach.
Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling'
fruit that can lower both the physical and
emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In
Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat
bananas to ensure their baby is born with a
cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they
contain the natural mood Enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking & Tobacco Use:
Bananas can also help people trying to give
up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as
well as the potassium and magnesium found in
them, help the body recover from the effects
of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps
normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the
brain and regulates your body's water
balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic
rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium
levels. These can be rebalanced with the
help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes:
According to research in The New England
Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part
of a regular diet can cut the risk of death
by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that
if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece
of banana skin and place it on the wart, with
the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin
in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for
many ills. When you compare it to an apple,
it has four times the protein, twice the
carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus,
five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice
the other vitamins and minerals. It is also
rich in potassium and is one of the best
value foods around So maybe its time to
change that well-known phrase so that we
say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so
happy all the time! I will add one here; want
a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE
of the banana skin, and rub directly on the
shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit
!!!