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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.
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 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) 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 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, 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%!
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!"
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