Sunday, May 22, 2011

Super Foods: The Health Benefits Of Bananas

14 Banana Health Benefits You Might Not Know About

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:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator or take on a fishing boat!!!

This is interesting.

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

The Health Benefits Of Bananas Are NumerousBy Chad Hagy

Banana health benefits are comparable to any other type of fruit. In fact, bananas have several positive benefits that many other fruits do not have. These yellow-skinned fruits are ideal for health because they have a sweet taste that most people enjoy. Because of this, it is easy to implement bananas into a daily diet.

Bananas are also convenient because you can carry them with you whenever you are in a hurry. Knowing the banana health benefits and the other positive things that bananas can be used for will likely give you a new appreciation for this popular fruit.

A Banana a Day…
Instead of eating an apple each day for optimum health, the adage should state that a banana each day keeps the doctor away. The banana health benefits far outweigh those of the apple because it has many more vitamins and nutrients than their round counterparts.

Bananas have two times as many carbohydrates as an apple, five times as much Vitamin A and iron and three times as much phosphorus. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium and natural sugars. All of these factors combined make the banana a “super food” that is an integral part of a healthy daily regimen.

Bananas Provide Energy
Because of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a great source of natural energy.
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.

Bananas are also ideal for eating during that midday lull when you feel tired and sluggish.
Instead of drinking caffeine or having a sugary snack, bananas provide a level of energy that lasts longer without the dramatic crash caused by caffeine.

Potassium is Vital for Performance
Because they are rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. Potassium is also helpful for reducing strokes and regulating blood pressure because of the way it promotes circulatory health.

Bananas Promote Bowel Health
One of the banana health benefits is that they can help stop constipation. Bananas have a certain type of fiber that helps to restore and maintain regular functions. Instead of using laxatives that might have chemicals or other synthetic substances, bananas are a natural source for lessening the effects of constipation without causing other bowel problems such as diarrhea.

Bananas Can Lift Your Spirits
Bananas have a chemical called tryptophan – the same chemical that turkey contains. This mood regulating substance contains a level of protein that helps the mind relax so you feel happier. According to Bananasaver.com, people suffering from depression often report feeling better after eating a banana.

Eat a Banana during Your Monthly Visitor
Instead of taking pills designed to reduce your menstrual pains, bananas can be a great help. As stated on Bananasaver.com, bananas have a level of vitamin B6 that helps to regulate blood glucose level and help your overall mood.

Increase Your Brain Power with Bananas In addition to banana health benefits, they can also help you with your mind. Bananasaver.com discusses a study with 200 students who were asked to eat one banana three times a day - breakfast, recess and lunchtime – along with their normal meals. What they found was that the potassium in the bananas boosted their brainpower and made them more alert during their classes while they followed the regimen.

Eat Bananas after a Night of Partying
The natural ingredients in bananas and their ability to replenish the body’s vitamins make them an ideal way to reduce the effects of a hangover. Put a couple bananas in the blender with some plain yogurt and add some honey to sweeten the taste. The fruit tends to calm the stomach and the honey helps to restore the blood sugar levels to normal.

Similarly, bananas can help people who are trying to quit smoking. The B vitamins and other minerals that they contain reduce the physical and psychological effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Bananas are Great for Pregnant Women
Because of their calming properties, pregnant women often eat bananas to combat their morning sickness. In addition, they also help to replenish the body and restore a healthy blood glucose level. In addition, they also help regulate a pregnant woman’s temperature, although this is mostly used in other cultures that rely more heavily on natural cures.
Rub the Peel on Mosquito Bites
Before you throw those peels away, rubbing the inside of it along a mosquito bite will help reduce the itching and swelling that is normally associated with these types of bites. You might even find that it works better than the creams or medications you find at the drugstore.

Bananas Help Soothe Ulcers
As a way to prevent and treat ulcers, bananas help to reduce the acidity that some foods can leave in the stomach. They help reduce the irritation of the digestive system by leaving a protective coating around the inner walls, making it a natural way to promote intestinal health as well.

Since they help to neutralize acidity, they are also a great way to get rid of heartburn. They act as a natural antacid and they quickly soothe the burn.

Bananas are Rich in Iron
For people suffering from a deficiency in iron, bananas help to give your body the iron that it needs. As a result, they help promote hemoglobin production so your blood can clot faster in case of a cut or serious injury.

Banana Peels are Good Fertilizer
Bananas can also benefit your garden. Instead of throwing the peels away, banana peels are ideal fertilizer for gardens and soils. Rose bushes benefit a great deal from the peels. If you have a certain plant that you want to blossom, simply bury a few peels next to it by the roots. In a few weeks, the plant will be huge.

Peels Can Be Used to Treat Warts
The outside of the banana peel also has healing and beneficial properties for the human body. If you have a wart on your foot, wrapping a banana peel around your foot so that the exterior of the peel rubs against the wart will help it go away in a matter of time. To keep the peel in place, you can wrap tape around it for better results.

With all of the banana health benefits, it is easy to see why they are such a popular fruit. In many ways, their benefits are far greater than that of other fruits. They not only have more vitamins and minerals than some other choices, they also taste great and are easy to eat.

However, having a diet that consists of only bananas as your fruit each day is not healthy and it can even be harmful to your health. Try to include several of your favorite fruits throughout the week because each of them has different advantages for your body. If you do not normally include bananas or any other fruit in your daily routine, find some ways to include fruit in your diet in order to improve your health and overall well-being.

What's Your Food Cures IQ?
Food is medicine. That's the message from renowned nutritionist Joy Bauer. In her groundbreaking new book “Food Cures”, she reveals the foods that manage, treat and even cure common health concerns such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and more. Do you have the prescription for better health?

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 it’s time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
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 !!!


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