Have a banana….
Why eat a banana? They contain three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, a banana gives energy. Two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. (It’s the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes). Also, they aid in overcoming or preventing illnesses. What all will a banana or two do, you ask?
Help with depression - They contain tryptophan (protein that the body converts into serotonin). That will make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
Suffer from PMS - Forget pills, just eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Have anemia? Bananas are high in iron and can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Good for your blood pressure. A banana is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt. The perfect way to beat blood pressure. The USFDA allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Are you dealing with constipation: The banana is high in fiber. They can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. Woot!
Need some brain power? Eating bananas boost brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making you more alert.
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 while pregnant? Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Those damn mosquito bites? Rub 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? Instead of comfort food like chocolate and chips. To avoid panic-induced food cravings, control your blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady. Have a banana!
Do you have 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! The “cooling” fruit. Bananas can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers.
Suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoker? 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.
Have 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.
For strokes… Eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Who ever said eat an apple a day really meant to say banana. 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 change that well-known phrase to “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day (or Monday). Hope you took time to remember, reflect and/or honor our fallen, our military. Off to watch a flix - toodles.
May 30th, 2006 at 12:15 am
That was very ineresting and informative. Thank you for sharing. Hope you had a nice holiday weekend.
May 30th, 2006 at 12:15 am
Well - I guess I better start eating bananas. When I was little my mom worked for a ‘banana-importing-compnay’ and we had bananas every single day. I kind of don’t like them anymore. But reading all this - I better get over it. Thanks for the very helpful information :smile:.
Very busy Memorial Day - cleaned house with the help of my Sweetheart. But I did remember the fallen soldiers. Lauren at Created for HIS Glory has a great post to honor the fallen soldiers.
See Ya!!!
May 30th, 2006 at 12:50 am
Time to stock up on the lowly banana. Thanks for the info!
May 30th, 2006 at 3:20 am
You’re very right there about bananas. Our table is never free of bananas. It is almost as if it has been part of our daily diet.
Thanks for the information.
May 30th, 2006 at 4:21 am
This was a great post. Now I know I should be eating those bananas for sure. Thanks for sharing all that important information.
Take care,
Connie
May 30th, 2006 at 6:06 am
Wow, I never knew all that about a banana. I love bananas but we never get them because the kids won’t eat them and they end up going bad. Looks like i need to eat a banana or 2 a day. Thanks for the great info! Going to the store to get me some bananas!
Ta Ta!
May 30th, 2006 at 7:30 am
We love bananas in this house. Can’t keep them around. I love them with peanut butter in a sandwich. But apples are a close second with me! Especially galas!
May 30th, 2006 at 7:34 am
Bananas give me heart burn. I don’t know why. But pretty much everything does
I eat them a fair amounthtough for two reasons you listed : I am anemic, and it does help. I would much rather have a little heartburn and a few bananas then that god aweful Iron shot every month. Which is what happens when I don’t watch. And fiber. i don’t get nearly enough fiber in my diet (well ihave recently) so I eat them for nutrition.
Nice banana post TN! Who knew you could fix a site and write a post so well?? heheh.Thanks again
May 30th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Now if only I could eat bananas! And the weird thing is…I love anything that tastes like them. Maybe a banana smoothie…hmmm…
May 30th, 2006 at 9:35 am
I didn’t know all of that about bananas. Look at you w/all of that useful info!
We love bananas here - at least Cam & I do! Maybe if I eat alot today, it will get me over this icky cold/sinus infection/whatever I have!!
Have a good one, girlie!
May 30th, 2006 at 9:59 am
mmmmm.. banana’s..My favorate fruit. Kiwi is also very very good for you. Thanks for all the extra info on the banana’s.. maybe thats why I don’t suffer from PMS *wink*
May 30th, 2006 at 10:01 am
Bananas are also naturally radioactive too. Potassium (K) in natural is made up of the stable K-39 but a small percent is made up of K-40 which is low-level beta emmitter. By no means is this radiation harmfully to you and does no more damage to you than the cosmic radiation that you get when you step outside.
If you remember No-Salt a Sodium Substitute, you could take a geiger counter and scare the HELL out of people by pointing the detector at the container…
May 30th, 2006 at 11:23 am
I quite like bananas, and it’s nice to know they help with heartburn. I suffer with that terribly. And, I had no idea it helps with mosquito bite irritation. I’ll try that when the swarm arrives :=)
May 30th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Time to tell those in the house (read: everyone but me in the house) to get over it because I’m hitting the bananas again.
May 30th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
You also forgot the humor value of subject of discussion: “You’re driving me bananas!” Next time I hear that at work, I’ll just trot out your list and lettem know how ‘good’ a thing that is
May 30th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
I love bananas. They are also great for helping keep leg cramps away. I also eat them because my blood pressure medicine has a diruetic in it and bananas help keep the body from becoming dehydrated.
May 30th, 2006 at 9:31 pm
How did I miss all that important info on Banana’s?????? Hmmmm….I absolutely love ‘em and better start eating them more often! =)
May 30th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
Wow .. who knew.. I eat bananas all the time .. I love them . I knew they were high in potassium but had no idea they did so much more..
thanks for the info.
May 30th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
Bananas are the wonder food. Justice gets them a lot! I need to eat more of them, especially for the #2 reason. Very good educational post!
May 30th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
You know, I’ve heard some of these before, but totally forgot all about it! I’m going to need to pick up some bananas tomorrow for sure!