Why bananas are so good for you

Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. It's been proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Aphids:
If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches. In a day or less, they are GONE!

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. 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:
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.

Depression:
People suffering from depression, feel 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.

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. It is amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work?
It's been found the most obese people were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. 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.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

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.

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!"

Missy :)
 
Wow, where did you get this information? Or are you just a banana farmer? LOL!
That is a lot of good information on bananas. At least my little boy that is part monkey from eating all of his bananas is really healthy!

Kathy
 
My grandma sent this to me. She subscribes to Real Age, or one of those other healthy sites. I thought this was pretty cool info! If I could start a banana farm, I would definitely promote with this info! ;)

ETA what is Restless Leg Syndrome? I know it helps with charlie horses, is that the same thing?

Missy
 
Restless leg syndrome tends to strike when you are trying to sleep or maybe resting in a chair. It is a constant tingling sensation that is very annoying and encourages you to kick or flex your leg to relieve it...but the feeling returns seconds later. So, you are trying to sleep but cannot because you are constantly flexing your calves trying to get rid of the weird tingle in the calves!

The consumption of too much sodium aggitates it. For that reason, I have no idea where my salt shaker is and I stay away from high sodium foods...and eat a banana!
 
Wow, never knew bananas are so important and good for you! I also have RLS, not super bad, but every once in a while I'll get an episode of "the jitters" (as I call them *hehe) before going to bed. They annoy the heck outa me, so that's cool to know bananas help! :)
 
Avoid sodium and high sodium foods (especially sodas and diet sodas), eat a banana and try laying on your stomach...it affects me less if I lay on my stomach. I swear, it is hereditary. There are 6 to my immediate family and we all have RLS except for my dad. My grandmother (my moms mom) had it too!
 
Whoah! I knew there was a reason (lots, apparently!) that I need to have my banana every morning!
 
Yay! I love bananas....I have a half a banana every day in my smoothie:) I'm sorry it got such a bad glycemic rap (I don't follow that anyway....I eat carrots too!).

Robin:)
 
Sarah-
I just drank a can of diet coke that had 40 mg. of sodium, which is very little. Where do people get the idea that diet soda is high in sodium? It's just not true.

-Nancy
 
Michele,
Do you have brownies on you??????


Yes}( :9

In fact, I just got home from the grocery store where I picked up 1 big brownie for DH and I to share after dinner. There's been so much brownie talk on the forum today that I started to crave one....but at least I passed on the pizza and coke!

Michele:)
 
>Michele,
>Do you have brownies on you??????
>
>
>Yes}( :9
>
>In fact, I just got home from the grocery store where I picked
>up 1 big brownie for DH and I to share after dinner. There's
>been so much brownie talk on the forum today that I started to
>crave one.
>

Meanie.

Robin

ETA: My mom always taught me to share.
 
Thanks for all the great info.!! I'm so glad to hear how good they are for you.....because I love them, especially in protien shakes or on my cereal:)
Thanks agian:)
wellness:)
 
Now I know why I eat a banana with my morning coffee everyday, it's like jet fuel for my workout}( :). Thanks for posting this. :)

For restless leg or cramping kiwis also pack a powerful potassium punch!

Take Care
Laurie:)
 
Holy crap, Missy, that's a lot of information. WOW!!! GREAT information I should say. Thank you soooo much.

Marcia.
 
Hi Missy and Sarah,

This is such GREAT news for me, as I am anemic and I can't take iron pills due to I have ulcerative colitis and it effects that as far as constipation, the pills also make me sick feeling and bloated. I love Bananas, but steer away from them because I always heard they could cause weight gain. I also have RLS, just recently developed it about a year ago. I love the fact that it has enough energy in them that eating two could help me with a 90 minute w/o. Right now I'm lucky if I can do 30 mins. of cardio. :-(
This has really made my day. Would eating one banana a day be the way to go, or is this something I would have to experiment with myself?
Thanks for the education on bananas.:)
 

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