Thursday, January 29, 2009

Bananas

I got this in an email. I thought it might interest others.

After Reading this, you will 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 better.

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 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 England ) 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 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:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B-6 and B-12 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 re-balanced 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 from strokes by as much as 40%!

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 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 around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!

9 comments:

ellie said...

I'm going to go and eat a banana NOW !!! One of my Xmas presents was a banana case, a plastic shell to protect a banana snack from getting bashed about and going black in your bag ! Really like your blog, best wishes, Ellie

Teresa said...

Long live the banana! Knew there must be a reason why I eat my way through a bunch of them every week- along with a generous cluster of grapes... yum! We won't talk about the amount of chocolate I eat at this time :-)

Donna said...

I'm getting some bananas TOMORROW. But, I only like them if they are sort of green. Then they turn yellow the next day.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Just have known a lot about this as I always have bananas in the fruit bowl for quick pick me up. I also always carry one in the car on journeys for when I feel the need for a snack. I think the knowledge goes back to when I suffered from hypoglaecemia in my forties. Thanks for all the tips though.
Thanks Jeanne for your comment on my first YUPO FLOWER. I definitely prefer it to my second floral attempt.

Joan said...

No matter the benefits, I still don't like their taste. Someone needs to come up with a list of all the benefits of chocolate. That would be perfect for me!

Jo Castillo said...

Thanks for the tips. I also heard that you can put a peel on your forehead for headaches. Never tried it as my headaches are always in the back of my head!

Joan, I'm with you. Gene is off to look up the good points of chocolate!

SYLVIANE said...

Jeanne,
It's amazing what you konw about banana!
I love it, but I'm beginning a diet,(2009's resolutions) so I'll don't look at them for a while!
thanks a lot for your kind comment on my blog, I really appreciated it!
We had a big tempest, here, so we didn't have nor electricity, nor Web for a few days;
ensuite, j'ai passé une semaine à Paris, et nous avions une grande grève!
Bravo for your blog
Sylviane

quirkyartist said...

This is very interesting. I remember a long time ago I was told to take banana to eat when you do an all day painting workshop. When you sit still all day and concentrate so hard that you for get to breather, then a banana will keep you on an even keel.

Ai said...

Thanks Jeanne for the info. We have a few banana trees in our garden. And we are expecting our first bunch to be ripe in a week or two. They are like babies to us.