This is interesting. 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 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 fiber, 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 foodlike
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-chroniclercases. 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.
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!'