Cooking is Like Science

Cooking is Like Science
Cooking is Fun & Healthful!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Article on Benefits of the Banana

I thought this was interesting when I read it. I'm not sure of the accuracy though. I have heard many good reports about  bananas throughout my life, so I don't doubt this article being true, at least in part. The only downside I have heard about bananas is that if a person is trying to lose weight, then that person shouldn't eat bananas. Take a look at this article and see for yourself. Also, I am not told the name of the man who wrote the article or taught this.

The Amazing Banana

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!!!
This is interesting..
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way
again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose & glucose
combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained &
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 &
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 & 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 & so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.
So much so, the US Food & Drug Administration has just allowed the
banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to
reduce the risk of blood pressure & stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (
England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas
at breakfast, break, & 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
&, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels,
while the milk soothes & 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 & 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 &
irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous
system.

Overweight & at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in
Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like
chocolate & 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 & smoothness. It is the only
raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler
cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity & 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 & 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 &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up
smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium &
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 & 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%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to
kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin & place it on the wart,
with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a
plaster or surgical tape!
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 &
iron, & twice the other vitamins & minerals. It is also rich in
potassium & 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!"

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