GO BANANAS ....
again.
When you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better
snack
than a banana. Containing 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 the perfect way to beat high 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 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
milk shake, 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.
Heart burn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you
suffer from heart burn, 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.
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: 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, there by 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 you see 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."
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