Who Said Bananas Are Not Good For You?

Who Said Bananas Are Not Good For You?

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 fibre, 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.

A few people have a slight problem with the digestion of bananas, the simple answer, even though it sounds strange, is to sprinkle a little Pepper on the banana before eating, it works wonders.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect 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 fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst peoplesuffering 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.

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.

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

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%!

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.

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.

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare bananas to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, 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. Maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

P.S. Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

Article by Alfred Jones
http://www.SugarsR4u.com
http://www.RUSweetEnuf.com
http://gojijuice.atspace.com



From website: http://www.boxingscene.com/nutrition/39301.php
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Replies

  • HipsterWhovian
    HipsterWhovian Posts: 195 Member
    This is amazing - thank you for this! I love bananas!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    a banana is the first thing I eat
    7 days a week.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I'd never heard anyone say a banana was bad until I joined MFP. Totally weird to me.
  • daizee97
    daizee97 Posts: 3 Member
    Great article! ***:love: *** I eat a banana everyday! Thanks for sharing!
  • msqdpie
    msqdpie Posts: 92 Member
    I recon it's time for me to learn the art of loving the Banana :drinker:
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    Here's a wee bit more info I've found about my yummy friend, the banana....



    Adding a banana to your daily diet has an array of benefits in your body. Bananas help you reach your weight-loss goals, keep your bowels healthy, provide nutrients that regulate heart rhythm and have vitamin compounds for eye health. Keep a bunch of bananas on your desk at work and replenish your stock each week. You'll be more likely to reach for a healthy banana -- instead of heading to the vending machine -- if you have a bunch sitting in front of you.

    Weight Loss
    Finding foods to fit into your weight-loss diet can be challenging, but bananas make a perfect fit. Bananas are naturally sweet and can help curb your sweet tooth if you get that afternoon sugar craving. A 6-inch banana has a minimal 90 calories, about one-fourth of the calories you would get from a chocolate candy bar. Additionally, about half of the fiber content in bananas is soluble. When soluble fiber reaches your digestive tract, it absorbs water and slows digestion. Food is forced to sit in your stomach for a while, making you feel full. If you have a banana before lunch, you'll be less likely to overeat when your food comes to the table.

    Regularity
    Enjoying a banana each day aids in keeping you regular. One 6-inch banana has more than 2.5 grams of total fiber, about half of which are insoluble. As insoluble fiber travels through your digestive tract, it sweeps up waste and helps push it out. You'll have more regular bowel movements that are soft and easy to pass. Keep your bowels healthy by getting 14 grams of fiber in your diet for every 1,000 calories you consume, reports Colorado State University Extension. For example, if you tend to stick to an 1,800-calorie diet, you need about 25 grams of total fiber. You get nearly 10 percent of your daily fiber needs -- for this number of calories -- from one 6-inch banana.

    Normal Heart Function
    Having a banana at breakfast every day adds a nutrient to your body to support normal heart function. Bananas are rich in a mineral electrolyte called potassium. When potassium enters your body, it absorbs directly into your bloodstream through intestinal walls. Potassium travels around to cells all over your body and dissolves in fluid inside of cells. It travels across cell membranes if needed to keep fluid balanced in and around cells. This process keeps electricity flowing throughout your system, which is required to make your heart beat. In cases of severe potassium deficiency, your heart rhythm may become irregular, which can be deadly. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, you need 4,700 milligrams of potassium on a daily basis. Bananas provide more than 360 milligrams per 6-inch piece of fruit.

    Eye Health
    Adding a banana to your diet also helps keep your eyes healthy. Bananas have a small amount of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for protecting your eyes and normal vision. The term "vitamin A" refers to a series of compounds, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. These compounds preserve the membranes that surround your eyes and are a component of one of the proteins that brings light into your cornea. Adequate daily vitamin A intake also lessens your risk of night blindness and is essential for everyday vision. Women require 700 micrograms of daily vitamin A, and men need 900 micrograms, explains the Office of Dietary Supplements. One 6-inch banana has nearly 10 micrograms of vitamin A. Bananas also contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, which convert to vitamin A to further keep your eyes healthy.

    References
    USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Bananas, Raw
    Colorado State University Extension: Dietary Fiber
    Linus Pauling Institute: Potassium
    Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A

    Resources
    Journal of Food Composition and Analysis: Individual Sugars, Soluble, and Insoluble Dietary Fiber Contents of 70 High Consumption Foods
    USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Candies, Mars Snackfood US, Snickers Bar

    About the Author
    Melodie Anne Coffman
    has been writing for various online and print publications since 1996, specializing in human and animal nutrition. After receiving her master's degree in food science and human nutrition, she opened up her own nutrition consulting business in the New England area

    From the website: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-one-banana-day-3316.html
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    This is amazing - thank you for this! I love bananas!

    You are so welcomed! I haven't loved bananas...just liked them, but after discovering these things, I will now make them part of my daily to do list...my "goodie/snack" list that is!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Who said it? Who, you ask? Why, this banner ad that flashed up as I was reading this very thread!

    Who are you gonna believe: a "dietician" with "credentials" and "evidence"? Or a flashy ad with a sad cartoony banana? Wake up sheeple!

    3MNxd5B.gif?1
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    Who said it? Who, you ask? Why, this banner ad that flashed up as I was reading this very thread!

    Who are you gonna believe: a "dietician" with "credentials" and "evidence"? Or a flashy ad with a sad cartoony banana? Wake up sheeple!

    3MNxd5B.gif?1
    Right at the bottom of my page- an ad saying not to eat bananas! Not this one you posted, but a different one.
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
    It's not that they are bad, it's the people claiming that a good diet is to ONLY eat bananas for 30 days or some thing like that.

    Moderation.
  • I... Really, someone thinks bananas are bad for you? I mean they're foul little fruits, but not unhealthy.
  • MyRummyHens
    MyRummyHens Posts: 141 Member
    I <3 bananas and eat 6-8 per day!
  • Yay bananas! I love bananas. I eat 2-3 every day :)
  • WaKay
    WaKay Posts: 314
    bleck. those things are nasty.
  • EllieB_5
    EllieB_5 Posts: 247 Member
    Blows my mind when ppl say bananas aren't good for you :noway:
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    a banana is the first thing I eat
    7 days a week.

    Me too, if not first thing, I'll have at least 1 banana a day from now on!
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    I <3 bananas and eat 6-8 per day!

    600-1000 calories a day in banana's...if that's your thing I guess. :flowerforyou:
  • SwampWitch666
    SwampWitch666 Posts: 110 Member
    *literally eating a banana as she's reading this*
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Bananas are bad for you and bad in general.










    * This post brought to you by the "I don't like this food, therefore it is demon food" Department of MFP Forums and the number 1200.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    Oh look! Banana!!
    f6a5e56a46c4350aa1935e33f85da1f7.jpg
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    I'd never heard anyone say a banana was bad until I joined MFP. Totally weird to me.

    QFT!!! Ridiculousness - wait, thats a word, right?? :smile:
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Bananas are bad for you and bad in general.










    * This post brought to you by the "I don't like this food, therefore it is demon food" Department of MFP Forums and the number 666.

    FIFY - in keeping with the "demon" food theme!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Bananas are bad for you and bad in general.










    * This post brought to you by the "I don't like this food, therefore it is demon food" Department of MFP Forums and the number 666.

    FIFY - in keeping with the "demon" food theme!

    The community guidelines do not allow the promotion of evil demon calorie intakes below 1200. :devil:
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I... Really, someone thinks bananas are bad for you? I mean they're foul little fruits, but not unhealthy.

    It's because sugar. If a person thinks sugar is the debil then they think bananas are "bad."

    Or, like another poster mentioned, when someone talks about eating mostly bananas, to the exclusion of other foods (like the aptly-named "banana girl" from YouTube)
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Bananas are bad for you and bad in general.










    * This post brought to you by the "I don't like this food, therefore it is demon food" Department of MFP Forums and the number 666.

    FIFY - in keeping with the "demon" food theme!

    The community guidelines do not allow the promotion of evil demon calorie intakes below 1200. :devil:

    Ooops! My bad. I was channeling my inner Sesame Street when you said "brought to you by....the number 1200" :laugh: :laugh:

    Especially since I get hangry if I eat only 1200 - that's not even in my vocabulary!!
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    useful tips on storing bananas.

    http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Information/selecting-handling-ripening-bananas.aspx

    i don't like mine to get over-ripe (too sweet) and since i usually buy 6-8 at a time, this causes me a problem leaving them on the counter. therefore, when they are all at the ripeness i prefer, i put them in the fridge where they will stay at that ripeness for a few days until i've eaten them all.
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 905 Member
    Bananas are also supposed to be loaded with potassium.

    But I like bananas, anyway.
  • scoutli
    scoutli Posts: 33 Member
    useful tips on storing bananas.

    http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Information/selecting-handling-ripening-bananas.aspx

    i don't like mine to get over-ripe (too sweet) and since i usually buy 6-8 at a time, this causes me a problem leaving them on the counter. therefore, when they are all at the ripeness i prefer, i put them in the fridge where they will stay at that ripeness for a few days until i've eaten them all.

    Exactly what I do!!
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    useful tips on storing bananas.

    http://www.chiquitabananas.com/Banana-Information/selecting-handling-ripening-bananas.aspx

    i don't like mine to get over-ripe (too sweet) and since i usually buy 6-8 at a time, this causes me a problem leaving them on the counter. therefore, when they are all at the ripeness i prefer, i put them in the fridge where they will stay at that ripeness for a few days until i've eaten them all.

    I love bananas best that have a teeny tiny bit of green on them. The more ripe they are, the less I like them. I didn't know about that refrigerator trick, thanks so much for sharing. What we sometimes do with overripe bananas, instead of throwing them away, make banana or banana nut bread (from scratch) instead.
  • running_tall
    running_tall Posts: 213 Member
    I eat a banana almost every day! Love 'em!