After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in
the same way again.
Bananas: Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose
combined with fibre, 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.
A few people have a slight problem with the digestion of bananas, the simple
answer, even though it sounds strange, is to sprinkle a little Pepper on the
banana before eating, it works wonders.
Anaemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the
production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it the 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 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.
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.
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 crisps. 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.
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 the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking: 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%!
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.
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.
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!
A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When
you compare bananas 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. Maybe its time to change that well-known
phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
P.S. Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!
Article by Alfred Jones
Glyconutritionals, Antioxidants, Goji Juice.
