ALL ABOUT THE BANANNA       

   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 and 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 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 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 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 heartburn, 

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 nee d 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 & 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: 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, 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!"