Amazing Foods

Bananas

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his

class about bananas. He said the expression “going bananas”

is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

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.

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 U.S. 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

(England) 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, which 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 and tobacco use: Bananas can also help people trying

to give up smoking. The B6 and 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 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, 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!”

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the

time!

I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take

the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the

shoe…polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!!

(received in email)