B Is For Banana

A is for Apple, but B is for Banana. Banana 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 might even be called a super-food.

Many of us have been trying to get more fruit into our diet lately, and some information about the banana and the effects on the body makes for fascinating reading. Even though we eat more fruit than in the past, we might still rely on supplementation to keep us in peak health.

In athletics, coaches advise eating bananas about a half hour before a game for an extra boost of energy. The research says that two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90 minute workout. Bananas contain three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber.

Keeping fit is only part of why we need them in our daily diets. Bananas can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions.

This tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, so it’s perfect for high blood pressure. 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. Research in The New England Journal of Medicine, stated eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%.

One survey undertaken by MIND on people suffering from depression indicated that many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, which helps you to relax, improves your mood and therefore you feel happier. Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Bananas have vitamin B6, which assists in regulating blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood and help calm the nervous system. They can also assist people in quitting smoking. The B6, B12, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in a banana, helps the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

If you are Anemic bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood because they are high in iron.

Have you heard the expression "going bananas" It comes from the effect they have on our brain. Students at a school in England were helped through their exams by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power by making them more alert. Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the 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.

Because bananas have a natural antacid effect, try one if you suffer from heartburn. It neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. Due to the fiber content including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without having to use laxative.

A quick way to cure a hangover is with 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.

If you are pregnant, snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. In addition 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.

Are you into natural alternatives? People say you can remove warts by taping a piece of banana skin on them with the yellow side out. Also people claim that rubbing mosquito bites with the inside of a banana skin reduces swelling and irritation.

Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found stress and pressure at work leads to binging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Researchers found the most obese hospital patients were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. Their conclusion was that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, control blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Get Your Minerals

When was the last time you gave any thought to your dietary mineral intake? No, I don't mean popping a few supplements occasionally, I mean really taking a good look at the level of minerals in your diet. If it's been a while, you're not alone.

Minerals perform a variety of jobs in the body. Details of the some of the most important minerals are listed below:

Calcium: Important for healthy bones and teeth. Found in dairy produce, leafy green vegetables, bread, tap water in hard water areas, nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds), dried fruits, cheese. Vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed.

Iron: Needed for red blood cells. Found in leafy green vegetables, wholemeal bread, molasses, eggs, dried fruits (especially apricots and figs), lentils and pulses. Vegetable sources of iron are not as easily absorbed as animal sources, but a good intake of vitamin C will enhance absorption.

Zinc: Plays a major role in many enzyme reactions and the immune system. Found in green vegetables, cheese, sesame and pumpkin seeds, lentils and wholegrain cereals.

Iodine: Present in vegetables, but the quantity depends on how rich the soil is in iodine. Dairy products also have plenty of iodine. Sea vegetables are a good source of iodine for vegans.

Things to consider about Nutrition and your Diet (Pt. 1 of 2)

Here is quick list of things to consider when you have some spare time.

1. Is Vitamin D important to my nutrition?

A review of 63 observational studies of vitamin D and cancer concludes that boosting daily intake to 1,000 international units (IU) might reduce the risk of colon, ovarian, breast and possibly prostate cancer. That’s more than the current Institute of Medicine recommendation for vitamin D, which ranges from 200-600 IU daily depending on age, though only half the safe upper limit set by the institute. Because it’s difficult to get that much vitamin D from food alone, this target can likely be best achieved through supplements.

How much Vitamin D should I include in my diet?

Adults - 2.5 mcg Infants and children - 5.0mcg

2. What is Folic Acid?

Also known as Vitamin M, Folacin and Folate are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B. These occur naturally in food and can also be taken as supplements.

3. Is it nutritionally healthy to become a vegetarian or vegan?

More people are becoming vegetarians, and experts say that as long as you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains you will get all the nutrients you need. Choosing a multiple vitamin that provides no more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance for most vitamins and minerals is a good way to ensure adequate levels of essential nutrients. Ask a doctor questions concerning changing your current eating habits.

4. Is “lite” food really better for me?

Organic food is healthier than conventional produce and may be better at preventing cancer and heart disease, according to the biggest study of its kind. In a finding that challenges official advice, researchers have shown that fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 per cent more nutrients if they are grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic milk contains 80 per cent more antioxidants -substances which reduce the risk of tumors and life threatening problems. Organic produce also had higher levels of iron and zinc, vital nutrients lacking in many people's diets.

5. Is it better to buy fruits and vegetables fresh or frozen?

When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients. Choose packages marked with a USDA “U.S. Fancy” shield, which designates produce of the best size, shape and color; vegetables of this standard also tend to be more nutrient-rich than the lower grades “U.S. No. 1” or “U.S. No. 2.” Eat them soon after purchase: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade. Finally, steam or microwave rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.