Health Benefits of Bananas / Banana Recipes / Treats and Snacks

The word banana comes from the Arab word "banan," which means finger.

Bananas can provide us with a quick, significant and long lasting energy boost with their three natural sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose) along with their many other nutritional factors.
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Many of serious athletes eat bananas regularly and consider them the number one fruit for energy boosting and sustaining properties. Studies have demonstrated that consuming two bananas can provide energy for a rigorous 90 minute work out.

Bananas don't stop with that fitness energy boost but are also helpful in combating or preventing an array of illnesses and conditions. Read on and you'll probably be deciding that adding a banana to your diet daily is a must.

Depression: One study by MIND indicated that, among those suffering from depressive symtomology, many reported feeling better after haven eaten a banana. The magic here is that bananas contain typtophan, which is a protein that converts to serotonin. Serotonin appears to be a "feel good" substance that is known to assist with relaxation, mood improvement and a general uplift in well-being.

PMS: Skip the pills and enjoy a banana. Vitamin B6 in bananas helps regulate or even out your blood glucose levels. Fluctuating blood glucose levels help explain that roller coaster ride many ladies experience with PMS, so reach for a banana.

Anemia: Bananas are high in iron, which can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and can be of help to those who have concerns with anemia.

Blood Pressure: Bananas are very high in potassium while being also very low in sodium. Now that makes bananas a great weapon in the fight against elevated blood pressure. The US Food and Drug Administration has even permitted the banana industry to officially claim that consuming bananas actually reduces the risks related to elevated blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: Studies indicate that potassium-packed bananas actually aid in learning by increasing the alertness of students. The Twickenham School in England provided students with bananas for breakfast, break and lunch in an attempt to provide students with a brain power boost. It appeared that the use of bananas did increase students success with their exams.

Constipation: Bananas are naturally high in fiber, so including them in your diet can help you to restore normal bowel action without having to rely on laxatives.

Diarrhea: Bananas may also be helpful in combating diarrhea and have long been used by health professionals as part of the BRAT (bananas, rice, apples, toast) Diet to relieve diarrheal symptoms. There are some questions as to the use of the BRAT Diet over the last year or two.

Hangovers: Consider trying a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey as a quick relief to hangover symptoms. The natural sugars in the banana, combined with honey helps restore and normalize blood sugar levels, while the banana alleviates those stomach symptoms and the milk will further help to soothe your system and provide rehydration.

Heartburn: Occasional heartburn can be alleviated by eating bananas, which appear to naturally provide antacid affect for soothing relief the natural way.

Morning Sickness: Keep your blood sugar levels modulated between meals by using bananas as a snack to help avoid morning sickness symptoms.

Mosquito bites: The banana peel even has a health benefit. Just rub the inside of the banana skin over the bite area, and join others in experiencing a significant reduction of itching, swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Help soothe the nervous system with a high in Vitamin B6 banana.

Overweight in a High Stress Job: Research by the Institute of Psychology in Austria indicated that pressure at work resulted in people to stress eating comfort or junk foods. Researchers found that, among 5,000 patients, the most obese were also the most likely to have jobs that were considered to be high pressure. Conclusions of the study indicate that snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours will help keep blood sugar levels even and help avoid stress induced food cravings. A banana would serve nicely.

Ulcers: Again, the banana has natural antacid properties and with its soft, smooth texture can be a dietary aid for coating the stomach to reduce irritation and goes on to aid with intestinal disorders.

Body Temperature: Some cultures revere bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can reduce the physical and emotional temperatures of pregnant women. For example, pregnant women in Thailand eat bananas to assure their babies are born with "cool temperatures".

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Containing the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan, bananas can help those with SAD alleviate symptoms.

Nicotine Withdrawal: Relieve the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal by eating bananas. Bananas contain B6, potassium, and magnesium which work together to alleviate the discomforts associated with withdrawal from nicotine.

Stress: Our metabolic rate is increased during times of stress, which reduces our potassium levels. Potassium assists our bodies in normalizing our heartbeat, oxygenating our brains and regulating our water balance. Eating a potassium rich banana can bring those levels back up.

Stroke: The New England Journal of Medicine has reported studies that indicate that including bananas regularly in your diet may provide up to a 40% reduction for risk of stroke related death.

Warts: Some people have apparently successfully eliminated warts using banana skins. To do this, cut a piece of banana skin to size and place the inside of the skin against the wart and wrap or tape in place. Duration of the use of this method must be experimental.

In conclusion, bananas can serve as a natural remedy for multiple conditions. An old adage states, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", but let's compare the nutritional values of apples and bananas. Bananas have four times the protein, two times the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals contained in apples. Bananas are also rich in potassium, making them one of the best food values available. Consider reaching for a banana to "help keep the doctor away", or better yet, grab both an apple and a banana as part of your new food pyramid's 5 fruit serving a day.

Banana Nutrition Facts
* Bananas contain Vitamin C,B6, potassium and dietary fiber.
* Bananas do not contain fat or cholesterol.
* Bananas are very, very low in sodium, 2.3 mg.
* The Vitamin C, which is found moderately in bananas, assists in defending against and healing infections. Vitamin C assists in the building of connective tissue, iron absorption and the production of blood cells.
* Potassium is a mineral that works in the building of muscle tissue and the synthesis of protein. Potassium is an electrolyte which stimulates nerve electrical impulses for muscle contraction. Potassium in our diets is essential to help reduce of hypertension and stroke.
* Bananas contain 3 natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose along with fiber. A banana gives an instant and substantial boost of energy.
* The Vitamin B6 found in bananas helps in the creation of antibodies, strengthening our immune systems as well as aiding in the development of red blood cells, metabolizing protein and central nervous system function..
* Bananas contain more digestible carbohydrates than any other fruit. The advantage to this is that our bodies burn calories from carbohydrate more quickly and easily than fat or protein calories,
Facts About Bananas
* Bananas are harvested green because they ripen after they are picked.
* Bananas grow on plants that can grow to about 30 feet tall that resemble trees but have no woody fibers and so, are plants rather than trees.
* American's eat an average of more than 28 pounds of bananas annually.
* 90% of the bananas consumed in the US are produced in Latin America.
* The longest banana split, which measured 7.3 kilometers was created in Brisbane.
* 3 medium bananas weigh approximately one pound.
* Bananas grow primarily in tropical climates but can also be found growing experimentally in Iceland with heat being provided by geysers.