Benefits of Banana.

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Subject: An interesting article --------- BANANA

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!! This is interesting.

After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way

again.

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 hemog lobin in

the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in pot assium 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 h elped 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 b lood 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 A

ustria 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.

PMS:

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

gulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Ulcers:

The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal d isorders

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 b ecause they contain the

natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Smoking: Bananas can also help

people trying to give up smoking. Th e 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 Medic

ine, " 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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