Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Why Bananas are Good for You




The humble yellow dessert banana is super-food in disguise. It is also one of the healthiest foods you can get your hands on, note the nutritional experts at Webctor.com. Bananas release their energy from fructose, glucose and sucrose slowly to help you keep energetic longer. Bananas are loaded with important nutrients, such as:

  • Potassium
  • Iron
  • Protein
  • Fiber
  • Calcium
  • Manganese
  • Selenium
  • Zinc
  • Vitamin B6

But more and more research is showing that bananas and banana peels can also help heal certain medical conditions, such as warts, heartburn and for stress reduction.

Warts

Banana peels aren’t just for comedy routines anymore. A piece of fresh yellow banana skin can help remove unsightly warts. Cut a small piece of fresh banana skin to fit over the wart. Place the soft inner flesh on the wart. Use surgical or first-aid tape to fix it to your skin. Change this skin every day until the wart is gone.

Reduce Chance of Strokes

In 2009, the prestigious “New England Journal of Medicine” published a report that eating bananas regularly can help people have a 40% less chance of getting a stroke than people who did not eat bananas at all. This is because bananas can help lower blood pressure. If your doctor says that you are risk for a stroke, you still need to diet and exercise. But substituting a sweet banana a day for a fat-laden snack can help make your diet easier to follow.

Heartburn and Ulcers

Instead of reaching for bottles of antacid, try a banana, which is a natural antacid. Bananas are an especially good choice for lactose-intolerant people who can’t drink a soothing glass of milk to help quench the burn. People with ulcers find that bananas are one food that reliably does not irritate their stomachs.

Morning Sickness Prevention

Morning sickness is often caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar. Eating a banana in the morning can help keep blood sugar levels stable. It also does irritate the stomach like many other foods.

Nerve Tonic

Stress contributes or strengthens many kinds of illnesses. Stress can also cause people to make poor food choices because they may feel comforted by a high-calorie treat. But Lots of sugar and fat can contribute to stress. Bananas contain tryptophan, which is a natural mood enhancer. Stressed people are better off snacking on bananas in order to keep them full, keep energy levels up and calm down. The potassium in bananas also helps maintain heart function so that the blood is able to deliver oxygen and energy to all parts of the body.

Hangover Cure

If you have a hangover, the worst thing you can do is have a “little hair of the dog.” Try having a soothing, easy-to-digest milkshake made from a banana, milk or soymilk and a teaspoon of honey. This will also help calm nausea. Also check out these other hangover cures from Webctor.com. Webctor authors and editors are committed to bringing free and accurate health information to the Internet.

Molinak Sun