Happy Guru 006 - Banana
November 6th, 2007
After hearing today’s show, you’ll probably never think about a banana in the same way again. Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose, and glucose combined with a great natural source of fibre, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Bananas are the # 1 fruit with the world’s leading athletes. 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. According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND (which is The National Association for Mental Health in the United Kingdom) among people suffering from depression, many people reported they 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. For our ladies who suffer from gloomy mindsets related to PMS - forget the pills - try eating a banana instead. The vitamin B6 a banana contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and therefor helps in cases of anemia. This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet Low in salt, making it the perfect way 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. 200 students at a Twickenham school in the UK 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. Including bananas in your daily diet can help restore normal bowel action due to bananas being high in fibre, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey, malt or caramel sauce. 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. Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. 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. Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. 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 2 hours to keep levels steady. 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-active cases of intestinal complications. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. 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. Bananas can help SAD sufferers. What is SAD? SAD stands for Seasonal affective disorder, also known as winter depression, essentially SAD is a mood disorder. Most SAD sufferers experience normal mental health throughout most of the year, but experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer. The condition in the summer is often referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder. Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12, potassium, and magnesium they contain help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal. 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 re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. 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%. So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, a banana has 4 times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, 3 times the phosphorus, 5 times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the amount of 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!”
and in your own words, tell us your favourite banana smoothie recipe. It’s that easy. And of course - the most creative and yummiest answer will win. So best of luck - we look forward to reading those entries and making some smoothies.
