Banana

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A banana a day keeps doctors away!

THE BANANA - a must to your daily diet.

 

If 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 fibre, a banana gives an

instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has

proved 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 your daily diet.

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Anemia:

 

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in

the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

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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.

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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.

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Constipation:

 

High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal

bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to

laxatives.

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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.

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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 rehydrate your system.

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Heart-burn:

 

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer

from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

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Morning Sickness:

 

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up

and avoid morning sickness.

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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.

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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

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PMS:

 

Forget the pills eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates

blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

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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 neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the

lining of the stomach.

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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 cool temperature.

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Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

 

Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood

enhancer, tryptophan.

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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.

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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.

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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%

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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.

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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 to read as, " A Banana a day

keeps the doctor away! "