A Banana a Day Keeps the Doctor Away...

The average size banana contains only 90 calories, and is low in total fat and low in saturated fatty acids. A single 100 gram banana has only 0.5% fat. That's half a gram of fat, which equates to 80 times less of the fat in the average hamburger. Bananas and other fruits and vegetables are bulky, filling foods which help to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight because they do not provide excessive calories yet have a satiating effect.

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 milk shake, 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.

Heart burn: 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 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, there by 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%!

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 you see 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"

This service area is designed to help USA Fitness Direct users obtain general information and guidance regarding health topics, and includes information compiled from a number of resources. Nothing in this area should be considered authoritative or complete, or medical or health advice. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before making any decision based upon the general information presented here.