Amazing Bananas

The Power
and Benefits of Bananas

This is interesting. After Reading this, you'll never look
at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas . 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 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 the 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 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 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 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!"

Now what are you waiting for? GO GET SOME
BANANAS!