A Banana A Day-who knew?

I heard years ago that the Banana is the most perfect
> of all foods. If you eat a banana, you get
> everything you need...it is a very healthy food. Then
> today I received the following from a friend of mine.
> It is even better than I thought. 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 way 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 rebalanced 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!"

bananas will be reborn as yummy banana bread or muffins!

I haven't checked if these are indeed factual, but I too bought some bananas today! To your health!
:toast: (<- banana beer!)


Edited to add: don't forget those shakes!

glass of milk for the pain!

I've eaten a banana a day for years! :)

They give me terrible heartburn. I can't even eat banana cream pie. However if I slice bananas into a bowl of Special K and milk they don't bother me. It's very strange.

constipated. :shrug: My mother told me that so it may be an old wives tale. Like, 'don't was your hair when...' ah nevah mind.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the
> diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to
> overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
I do not believe this. Normal bowel action do you mean after I eat bananas I will be normal after about 3 days?

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.
This I will try since I'm already constipated after eating a banana I will be out in the yard really crabby rubbing banana skins on my Mosquito bites. The Mosquito's in my area are so big last year the old man next door said he found one that had a wood tick on it.

...mostly for the potassium. I also eat an apple a day. I get tired of bananas, but won't stop.

I make them with mango, orange juice and plain yogurt, with some oatbran for additional fiber. That is a meal all by itself and I feel so good afterward....yum.

One of the few sources.