a banana a day????

EAT YOUR BANANAS!!!!



Bananas. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose
combined with fiber, 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.

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 and 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 and so helps in cases of anemia.

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 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 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.

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. 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: 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%!

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!

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 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!" WOW !

	protein

	energy

[mthegodfather]

Very good read.

[chelle belle]

I like bananas but only if they are nice and firm and just turning yellow. Any brown spots on them and I won't eat them. I can make a mighty fine banana bread with 5 really ripe nanars though ;)

mmmmmmmmmmmmm
i love banana bread!

[chelle belle]

Originally posted by OOXRSIZER@May 26 2004, 05:38 PM
mmmmmmmmmmmmm
i love banana bread!

When SG was a marine corps drill instructor, I sent banana bread in to work with him one time. Well, I spoiled them all. They asked for more and I'd send some in often. They all worked so hard and such long hours. It was nice to spoil them :P

[IronmanJoe]

Originally posted by mthegodfather@May 26 2004, 12:24 PM
Very good read.

I agree...awesome read

[caturpilar]

wow interesting stuff.

chelle I have about 2 bags full of frozen brown bananas. Someday I will make that darn bread!

[chelle belle]

Originally posted by caturpilar@May 26 2004, 10:53 PM
wow interesting stuff.

chelle I have about 2 bags full of frozen brown bananas. Someday I will make that darn bread!

Awww, you make banana bread too, huh? Hmmmm....I wonder if it's as good as mine? :P

[caturpilar]

Originally posted by chelle belle+May 26 2004, 10:06 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (chelle belle @ May 26 2004, 10:06 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-caturpilar@May 26 2004, 10:53 PM
wow interesting stuff.

chelle I have about 2 bags full of frozen brown bananas. Someday I will make that darn bread!

Awww, you make banana bread too, huh? Hmmmm....I wonder if it's as good as mine? :P [/b][/quote]
Of course I do, although the color is a little off, it always turns out black. But with a good sturdy fork and a little persuasion you can actually unstick most of it from the bottom of the pan. :blink:

[mthegodfather]

Living in Memphis i grew up on Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches. YUMYUM