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Because
of their impressive potassium content,
bananas are highly recommended by
doctors for patients whose potassium
is low. One large banana, about 9
inches in length, packs 602 mg of
potassium and only carries 140 calories.
That same large banana even has 2
grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.
No wonder the banana was considered
an important food to boost the health
of malnourished children! Those reducing
sodium in their diets can't go wrong
with a banana with its mere 2 mgs
of sodium. For the carbohydrate counters
there are 36 grams of carbs in a large
banana.
Vitamins
and minerals are abundant in the banana,
offering 123 I.U. of vitamin A for
the large size. A full range of B
vitamins are present with .07 mg of
Thiamine, .15 mg of Riboflavin, .82
mg Niacin, .88 mg vitamin B6, and
29 mcg of Folic Acid. There are even
13.8 mg of vitamin C. On the mineral
scale Calcium counts in at 9.2 mg,
Magnesium 44.1 mg, with trace amounts
of iron and zinc.
Putting
all of the nutritional figures together
clearly shows the banana is among
the healthiest of fruits. The plantain,
when cooked, rates slightly higher
on the nutritional scale in vitamins
and minerals but similar to the banana
in protein and fiber content.
Medicinal
Uses of Bananas
Anaemia:
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 food for helping 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 an English
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 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.
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
heart-burn, 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 such as
bananas every two hours to keep levels
steady.
Post Menstrual Syndrome: 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,
trypotophan.
Smoking: Bananas can also help
people trying to give up smoking,
as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1,
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 normalise 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 re-balanced 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-chronic ulcer cases. It also
neutralises 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
tap
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