What is in a Banana?

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What is in a Banana?

 

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 food for helping 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 an English 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

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 – such as bananas – 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, trypotophan.

 

Smoking:

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of

Vitamin C, A1, 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 normalise 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 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-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralises 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!

 

Jai Sai Ram

Swamy Mahadevan

Bow to Shri Sai-Peace be to all