After reading this article, you'll be for sure GOING BANANAS!
Banana is the most valuable food crop, rank fourth worldwide behind rice, wheat and potatoes. It is harvested annually around the world about 80 million metric tons. Most of us view bananas as additional something to slice up and toss on top of their cereals, but actually it has more benefits than any other fruits.
Other than tasty and rich in fiber, banana is very popular healthy snack for fitness minded and athletes as it is sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free fruits that contains high-grade protein with three of the essential amino acids, high level of sucrose, glucose, fructose and potassium to boost energy. It is one of the few fruits which contain both easily digested complex and simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates give you endurance energy and simple carbohydrates give you quick energy.
Eating just two bananas may provide enough energy for an intense 90 minute workout.
Banana contains five times the vitamin A and iron, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus and four times protein than found in apples.
Adding bananas to your diet is not only great for boosting energy but also reduce or prevent substantial number of illnesses such as:
- Anemia – Contains high iron that helps stimulate the production of hemoglobin.
- Alzheimer – Phenolic phytochemicals of the banana may protect neuron cells against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity and may play an important role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.
- Baby Food & Growing kids – Bananas are the best solid food to introduce to infants. A mashed ripe banana is an extremely simple and healthy baby food. Healthful way to help supply the energy needs of growing, active children.
- Blood Pressure – contains low in salt and yet high in potassium, a mineral known an essential mineral known for maintaining normal blood pressure, heart function and reduce stroke.
- Bone health – High potassium gives benefits to muscles and helps promote bone health.
- Brain Power Enhancement – Research shown that the potassium in bananas help in learning and brain stressing projects by making one more alert and focus.
- Constipation – High in fiber that restore normal bowel by allowing better absorption of water in the large intestine area.
- Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – Contain natural mood enhancer tryptophan that used by the body to produce serotonin which control moods, make you relax and feeling happier.
- Digestion – Riper bananas help tie diarrhea. It is a very good source of fructooligosaccharide that nourishes the friendly probiotic bacteria in the colon which help improve our ability to absorb nutrients such as calcium.
- Eye health – It may be even better than carrots. Three or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is the primary cause of vision loss in older adults.
- Hangover – A banana milkshake mixed with honey may calm the stomach and builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk sooth and re-hydrate the body.
- Heart Burn – Acts as antacid and soothing heart burn.
- Heart disease – High fiber foods help prevent heart disease.
- Morning sickness – Calms the stomach and increases blood sugar levels.
- Mosquito bites – Rub the infected area using the inside of the banana peel to reduce the swilling and irritation of an insect bite.
- Nerves – High in Vitamin B that calms the nervous system.
- Overweight – Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to food carvings such as chocolate and chips. To avoid panic-induced food cravings, we control our blood sugar levels by snacking banana which is high in carbohydrates every two hours to keep the carving away.
- PMS – Contain vitamin B6 that regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
- Stress – Potassium is a vital mineral helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we get stress, our metabolic rate increases its reducing potassium levels.
- Strokes – According to the research in "The New England Journal of Medicine" going bananas regularly may reduce the risk of death from strokes by 40%.
- Quit Smoking – The B6, B12, as well as the potassium and magnesium in banana help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
- Temperature control – Banana is a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Tropics, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
- Ulcers – Acts as antacid, neutralizing stomach acid, reduce irritation by coating the lining of the stomach and help eliminate bacteria that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of stomach ulcers.
- Warts – Natural alternatives to kill off a wart, using banana peel.
- Bonus:
Shoe Polish – want a quick shine shoes? Take the inside of the banana peel, and rub directly on the shoe. Finish with dry cloth.
Now you know all its benefits … Banana is an amazing fruit! It tastes great, compact, healthy, easy to carry, and easy to use. So why not going bananas? Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!
- Recipe:
Low-Cal Banana Milk Shake
1 banana
3/4 cup water
4 ice cubes
1/4 cup dried milk, nonfat
Combine all ingredients in electric blender. Cover and blend on high speed until thick and smooth. Drink milkshake one or two hour prior to your workout or yoga session.