 Bananas
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 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 your
daily
diet.
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 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 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.
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 trypotophan, 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.
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 such as bananasevery 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.
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.
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, 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 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 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%!
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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