Bananas...bananas....bananas

[Little Blue Bear 0]

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 a nd 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 unovertaken b y 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 s t imulate 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 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 ( England )

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 c alms th e 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: < SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #0000a0;

FONT-FAMILY: Verdana'> 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 swel ling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the ne rvous sys

tem.

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 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 and smoothness. It is the only raw

fruit that can be ea ten 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 &Tobacco Use: 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:< /B> Those keen on natu ral 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!'

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so h appy all the time! I

will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the

banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing

fruit !

[Warrior88 0]

Wah,,,, so useful ....

No wonder, I always see TIGER WOODS take them for a break.

Why cannot put in fridge ?

Somebody told me how to make banana ice cream

Slice & freeze the bananas

Add milk, stir to thicken,

Bingo, your regular ice cream.

Amazing fruits.

Connect wires to lemon with attached bulb.

It actually lights up...

Amazing how fruit can acts as power source ( battery )

[applefreak 1]

only thing i know about bananas

1. renal patient cannot take - too high in potassium

2. diabetes patient cannot take too much - cause high sugar level and may lead to renal failure

3. want your fruit to ripen faster? put it next to a ripe banana coz ripe bananas release a chemical that hasten the ripening of all fruits

[GnM 0]

3. want your fruit to ripen faster? put it next to a ripe banana coz ripe bananas release a chemical that hasten the ripening of all fruits

this one is really new. I must try this

thanks for the tip!

[autumnzy 0]

Wah,,,, so useful ....

No wonder, I always see TIGER WOODS take them for a break.

Why cannot put in fridge ?

Somebody told me how to make banana ice cream

Slice & freeze the bananas

Add milk, stir to thicken,

Bingo, your regular ice cream.

Wa! Ice-cream just like that? Use which type of banana will be better?

The super long one from supermkt, or those small small one from wet mkt stall?

And ya hor, my mum also told me bananas cannot put in the fridge when she came over & found them in my fridge.. why ah? They ripe so fast!! If don't put in fridge, very fast cannot eat liao

[Warrior88 0]

Wa! Ice-cream just like that? Use which type of banana will be better?

The super long one from supermkt, or those small small one from wet mkt stall?

Don't know, never try, just saw it in METACAFE video. Oh, its the yellow type.

Like "DELMONTE" I just saw only ha, I am not sure it works.

[Air 0]

Wa! Ice-cream just like that? Use which type of banana will be better?

The super long one from supermkt, or those small small one from wet mkt stall?

And ya hor, my mum also told me bananas cannot put in the fridge when she came over & found them in my fridge.. why ah? They ripe so fast!! If don't put in fridge, very fast cannot eat liao

I only like Del Monte brand banana....other brand i dun eat...

Some ppl say short one eat le will heaty....long one is liang...duno how true..

[autumnzy 0]

I only like Del Monte brand banana....other brand i dun eat...

Some ppl say short one eat le will heaty....long one is liang...duno how true..

Yes yes! That's what my mum says too

But I like the short one, more sweet...

[Chamia 0]

When I was pregnant, I was told to stay away from the long types. Can only eat the short and goreng pisang types. In the end, during that period, never eat much. Anyway, I am not really a 'banana' person but will try to take more since it is a brain booster.

As for Del Monte, when I was in Seoul a few years ago, me and friend bought one bunch at going to S$6.00 (seven bananas). Really expensive as they are considered as imported tropical fruits there.