Health Benifits of the Banana

[roamingguy 300291]

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych

class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas'

is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

 

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!! ** 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 (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 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 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!' **

[TGirl-Kay 7484]

Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?:bddog:

[Athana dos Santos 966]

I promise to eat a banana every day. lolll :bjs:

[Accelerate 105]

Thank you for the interesting banana facts!

 

They say not to keep the bananas in the fridge, because they release a gas that ripen other fruits, vegetables etc.

 

When I buy many bananas and some are over ripening.. I peel them and put them in a bag in the freezer. Its a great way to make smoothies, without the need of ice or ice cream.

[Guest Ou**or**n]

I once read that Mick Jagger always ate bananas before performances. He apparently was quite fanatical about the practice.

[bucky501 923]

I once read that Mick Jagger always ate bananas before performances. He apparently was quite fanatical about the practice.

 

Yes: But according to the new Keith Richards book it did nothing for his `tiny todger`!!!

[NotchJohnson 214065]

Here are a few more things about bananas you might not know.

 

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to

pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.

If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

 

I love seeing a woman eat a banana like this:

 

[roamingguy 300291]

:D

Here are a few more things about bananas you might not know.

 

 

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to

pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.

 

 

 

If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

 

 

I love seeing a woman eat a banana like this:

 

 

Thank you for that...that really perked up my morning

RG:D