THE POWER OF BANANA

Thursday, January 22, 2009 0 Comments

Never underestimate the power of a bananas, it bring wonders in a human life!
adapted from an email!

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 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 perfect 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.

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: 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 & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The
B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassiu! m and ma gnesium 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 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, 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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