Subject:         Nutrition value of banana............

After Reading THIS, you'll  NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas: Containing 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 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.

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.

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 need 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 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: 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%!

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 carbohydrates, 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!"

You might want to pass this tidbit to those friends you'd like to keep around!!!!
You'll have to excuse me now...I'm off to the store for my bananas.