Go Bananas for Health

Super banana from Davao, Philippines

I love bananas because of its delicious taste and it has versatility in preparation. Basically these were just the reasons before why I love this fruit. Until I have noticed my boss who is lately eating lots of bananas. My curiosity rose because my boss is a super health conscious guy plus the fact that he has a major triathlon career. My suspicion is that he may be joining an Ironman race soon, I was correct he is a participant for the Ironman Germany this July 2009. Because of this curiosity I began researching about this fruit. And here are what I have learned about bananas.

Bananas have vitamins, minerals, and proteins which are all good for our body’s well being. It is very rich in carbohydrates and natural sugar (sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber).
With all the other nutritional contents it gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. It has been proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. Thus makes the banana the number one fruit for the world’s leading athletes.
For detailed nutritional facts you may browse NutritionData website and appreciate what you can get from a cup mashed of banana.

Aside from a great source of energy I learned many other benefits one can get from this fruit. I summarized the some that are worth knowing and helpful for our daily activities.

Cure for hangover
Believe me I already tried this. I replaced the usual coffee with a banana drink. To prepare this put 2 big bananas in an osterizer add fresh milk and sweeten with honey. It cures hangovers because of its energy boosting properties.

Helps improve blood pressure
I observed this in my own family. My grandmother and father have hypertension and there are times they feel the side effects of the fluctuating blood pressure like headaches, pains somewhere in the nape area, and irritability. Instead of pain killers they eat banana to ease these discomforts.

Stress buster
Bananas contain Serotonin a hormone that is known to give our body and mind a happy feeling thus relieves stress and improves moods.

Help ease menstrual pains
The Vitamin B6 content helps in regulating blood glucose and the Serotonin hormone improves mood swings.

Good for the skin
Its Riboflavin, Thiamin, and other vitamins contents helps in improving skin appearance. I read in one article that banana skin can help in removing warts (cover the warts with the inner skin of banana). One of my favorite home made facial mask is mashed banana and honey, it really does give my face that healthy glow. Try it.

Helps in weight loss
I already tried this. Instead of starving myself I eat one banana 30 minutes before meals thus I’ll eat less during mealtime. Or I replace pastries with banana-q or turon.

Helpful for people who wants to quit 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. (I should try doing this soon)

Brain power
Bananas for breakfast make us more alert because it’s high potassium content. Since I learned this brain power boosting benefit I always include banana in my breakfast menu and I guarantee that this helps me to think better.

Enhance food recipes
Bananas can be garnish to our favorite desserts like ice creams and pancakes or its extract can amplify the taste of baked pastries. It also makes traditional home cooked viand extra special like Nilaga or Puchero. This fruit is very versatile whether raw or cooked.

Bananas can also help cure anemia, diarrhea, constipation, lethargy, ulcers, morning sickness, heart burn, strokes, warts, and even mosquito bites (mash and make a paste, rub on affected area).

Wow, so many health benefits. Perhaps we should rather say “A banana a day keeps the doctor away”.

Sliced super banana. Half of it is same lengthsize of a Peso bill.