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Friday, October 8, 2010

The Power Of The Banana

                                            Bananas are full of vitamins 

 Bananas are a sweet and delicious tropical fruit and they are a great source of potassium and fiber. Bananas should be kept at room temperature.


The following nutrition information is for one medium banana. That would be for a banana about seven to eight inches long, or 118 grams. This general information is for any type of raw bananas.

Macronutrients:
Water:88.39
Calories: 105
Protein: 1.29 g
Carbohydrates: 26.95 g
Fiber: 3.1 g



This delicious low fat smoothie packs a powerful nutritional punch and gets your day off to a terrific start. I like to freeze over-ripe bananas that might otherwise get tossed. These make a terrific base for a smoothie any time.

Ingredients:

· 2 frozen, ripe bananas
· 1 mango, peeled and sliced
· 10 ounces calcium fortified orange juice
· 1 cup low fat or fat free vanilla or mandarin orange yogurt

Preparation:

Cut banana into chunks. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, thin with a little more orange juice. Pour into 4 glasses.

Per Serving: Calories 150, Calories from Fat 8, Total Fat 0.8g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 29mg, Carbohydrate 32g, Fiber 1.9g, Protein 3.4g

Medicinal Uses of Bananas


Anaemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping 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 an English 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 fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

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.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn, 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 such as bananas every two hours to keep levels steady.

Post Menstrual Syndrome: Forget the pills eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, 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 normalise 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.

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%!

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 .

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-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralises over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

How to Make Hair Conditioner With Bananas--For Loose Natural Hair.   I haven't tried this on my Locks. 

Instructions:

•1 Peel the bananas. You can save the skins for other beauty treatments or discard them at this time.

•2 Mash the bananas in the mixing bowl. Use the fork to squish the fruit. Reduce them to a lumpy pulp, but do not worry at this time about making the mixture smooth.

•3 Mix in the honey. The beaters on the mixer will help pulverize the banana further. You should end up with a slick, light brown "batter."

•4 Pour the conditioner into the squirt-top shampoo bottle. You will only need to use a very small amount of conditioner each time you condition your hair.

Enjoy the freedom(✿◠‿◠)

11 comments:

  1. I really don't care for bananas but reading your post, I just might have to eat them.. Thanks

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  2. Sunshine72: I eat a banana everyday they are really good :)

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  3. I don't really like bananas either but I must say I tempting to add this to my everyday diet. Thanks for the information.

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  4. Kreyola: I didn't realize how many people don't like bananas. Maybe if you add a little to a smoothie.

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  5. Thanks for reminding me you have a hair blog. Your locs are beautiful. Us natural gals have got to stick together whether we have locs, 'fros, braids, or whatever.

    Oh, and I also subscribed to your daughters YT channel, she's got skills and alot of good tips. :)

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  6. MMM: Yeah we do need to stick together it's not very many of us but we are growing. Thanks so much for the support and my daughter appreciates it too! :D

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  7. I LOVE bananas! I use them for my green smoothies, this banana smoothie looks excellent, i'm gonna try it tomorrow :)

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  8. NESSessary: Girl, I love bananas too!! I always put them in my smoothies :)

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  9. bananas are the perfect base for any smoothie! I made this banana smoothie today, it's delicious! :) Thanks for sharing it and of the nutritional values of banana.

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  10. NESSessary: I'm glad you liked it...Hmm Hmm good :)

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  11. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I Freaking Love Bananas!!! I've tried everything with Bananas and have made a lot of stuff also.
    Great Post =-)

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Thanks for all your comments! I really do appreciate them. Enjoy your freedom (✿◠‿◠)

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