Bananas Who Knew!

Bananas, containing three natural sugars, sucrose,
fructose and glucose combined with fiber, give 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 way to beat blood
pressure.  So much so, the US Food and Drug
Administration has just allowed the banana industry to
make official claim 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 that
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.

HEARTBURN:
Bananas hava 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 choronicler 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 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%!

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!"