Who Said Bananas Are Not Good For You?
After reading this, you will never see a banana the same way again.
Bananas: With three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana provides an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has shown that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute exercise. It is no wonder that the banana is the number one fruit among the best athletes in the world. But energy is not the only way a banana can help us stay in shape. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of diseases and conditions, which is why it is a must to add it to our daily diet.
Some people have a little trouble digesting bananas, the simple answer, strange as it sounds, is to sprinkle some pepper on the banana before eating it, it works wonders.
Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and therefore help in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium but low in salt, making it perfect for fighting blood pressure. So much so that the US Food and Drug Administration just allowed the banana industry to make official claims about the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school received help during their exams this year by eating bananas for breakfast, break and lunch in an attempt to boost their brain power. Research has shown that potassium-packed fruit can aid learning by making students more alert.
Constipation: high in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal intestinal action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Depression: according to a recent survey conducted by MIND among people
many who suffered from depression felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts to serotonin, which is known to relax you, improve your mood, and generally make you feel happier.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is to make a banana smoothie, sweetened with honey. Banana calms your stomach and, with the help of honey, increases lowered blood sugar levels, while milk calms and rehydrates your system.
Heartburn – bananas have a natural antacid effect on the body; so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning sickness: Eating bananas between meals helps keep blood sugar levels high and prevent morning sickness.
Mosquito Bites: Before reaching for the bug bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana peel. Many people find it incredibly successful in reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: bananas are rich in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies from the Austrian Institute of Psychology found that pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort foods like chocolate and potato chips. By looking at 5,000 hospital patients, the researchers found that the most obese were more likely to have high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that in order to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we must control our blood sugar levels by eating carbohydrate-rich foods every two hours to keep the levels stable.
PMS: Forget the pills, eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain tryptophan, a natural mood enhancer.
Smoking – Bananas can also help people who are trying to quit smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium they contain, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral that helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain, and regulates the body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate increases, thus reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high potassium banana snack.
Stroke – According to research in “The New England Journal of Medicine,” eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death from stroke by up to 40%!
Temperature control: many other cultures view bananas as a “refreshing” fruit that can lower the physical and emotional temperature of pregnant women. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure that their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Ulcers: Banana is used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders due to its soft and smooth texture. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in cases of excessive chroniclers. It also neutralizes excessive acidity and reduces irritation by coating the stomach lining.
Warts: Those interested in natural alternatives swear that if they want to kill a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, yellow side out. Gently hold the skin in place with a bandage or surgical tape!
A banana is really a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare bananas to an apple, it has four times the protein, two times the carbohydrates, 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 out there. Maybe it’s time to change that familiar phrase to say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”
PS: Bananas must be why monkeys are so happy all the time!
