FOOD FACT: Bananas are high in sugar, so they should not be eaten if you have blood sugar problems. You also shouldn’t eat bananas on an empty stomach; combining them with a bit of protein will help to normalize the insulin response caused by the sugar in the banana. By: Dr. Joseph Mercola

Don Andrew

Dare I be provocative? The bananas in this photo are unripe, so shouldn’t be eaten. Not yet anyway. Don’t fear their sugar content. Just don’t eat them unripe, or, more importantly, when there is fat in your bloodstream. When you eat ripe bananas on their own, in a semi-fasted state, their sugar will pass into, and out of, your bloodstream with negligible insulin response. Eat them on top of residual fat … and yes, you won’t be doing yourself any favors. In fact, I can’t think of a finer time to eat bananas than on an empty stomach after a good night’s sleep. Unless of course, you still have fat in your bloodstream from the previous night’s meal.

Banana health benefits

Are comparable to any other type of fruit. In fact, bananas have several positive benefits that many other fruits do not have. These yellow-skinned fruits are ideal for health because they have a sweet taste that most people enjoy. Because of this, it is easy to implement bananas into a daily diet. Bananas are also convenient because you can carry them with you whenever you are in a hurry. Knowing the banana health benefits and the other positive things that bananas can be used for will likely give you a new appreciation for this popular fruit.

By Lifescript

A Banana a Day

Instead of eating an apple each day for optimum health, the adage should state that a banana each day keeps the doctor away.

The banana health benefits far outweigh those of the apple because it has many more vitamins and nutrients than their round counterparts.

Bananas have two times as many carbohydrates as an apple, five times as much Vitamin A and iron and three times as much phosphorus. In addition, bananas are also rich in potassium and natural sugars. All of these factors combined make the banana a “super food” that is an integral part of a healthy daily regimen.

Bananas Provide Energy

Because of the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a great source of natural energy.

Eating only two bananas will give you enough energy to exercise or workout for an hour and a half.

Bananas are also ideal for eating during that midday lull when you feel tired and sluggish.

Instead of drinking caffeine or having a sugary snack, bananas provide a level of energy that lasts longer without the dramatic crash caused by caffeine.

Potassium is Vital for Performance

Because they are rich in potassium, bananas help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. Potassium is also helpful for reducing strokes and regulating blood pressure because of the way it promotes circulatory health.

Bananas Promote Bowel Health

One of the banana health benefits is that they can help stop constipation.

Bananas have a certain type of fiber that helps to restore and maintain regular bowel functions.

Instead of using laxatives that might have chemicals or other synthetic substances, bananas are a natural source for lessening the effects of constipation without causing other bowel problems such as diarrhea.

Bananas Can Lift Your Spirits

Bananas have a chemical called tryptophan – the same chemical that turkey contains. This mood regulating substance contains a level of protein that helps the mind relax so you feel happier. According to Bananasaver.com, people suffering from depression often report feeling better after eating a banana.

Eat a Banana during Your Monthly Visitor

Instead of taking pills designed to reduce your menstrual pains, bananas can be a great help. As stated on Bananasaver.com, bananas have a level of vitamin B6 that helps to regulate blood glucose level and help your overall mood.

Increase Your Brain Power with Bananas

In addition to banana health benefits, they can also help you with your mind.

Bananasaver.com discusses a study with 200 students who were asked to eat one banana three times a day – breakfast, recess and lunchtime – along with their normal meals.

What they found was that the potassium in the bananas boosted their brainpower and made them more alert during their classes while they followed the regimen.

Eat Bananas after a Night of Partying

The natural ingredients in bananas and their ability to replenish the body’s vitamins make them an ideal way to reduce the effects of a hangover.

Put a couple bananas in the blender with some plain yogurt and add some honey to sweeten the taste.

The fruit tends to calm the stomach and the honey helps to restore the blood sugar levels to normal.

Similarly, bananas can help people who are trying to quit smoking.

The B vitamins and other minerals that they contain reduce the physical and psychological effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Bananas are Great for Pregnant Women

Because of their calming properties, pregnant women often eat bananas to combat their morning sickness. They also help to replenish the body and restore a healthy blood glucose level. In addition, they also help regulate a pregnant woman’s temperature, although this is mostly used in other cultures that rely more heavily on natural cures.

Rub the Peel on Mosquito Bites

Before you throw those peels away, rubbing the inside of it along a mosquito bite will help reduce the itching and swelling that is normally associated with these types of bites.

You might even find that it works better than the creams or medications you find at the drugstore.

Bananas Help Soothe Ulcers
As a way to prevent and treat ulcers, bananas help to reduce the acidity that some foods can leave in the stomach.

They help reduce the irritation of the digestive system by leaving a protective coating around the inner walls, making it a natural way to promote intestinal health as well. Since they help to neutralize acidity, they are also a great way to get rid of heartburn. They act as a natural antacid and they quickly soothe the burn.

Bananas are Rich in Iron

For people suffering from a deficiency in iron, bananas help to give your body the iron that it needs. As a result, they help promote hemoglobin production so your blood can clot faster in case of a cut or serious injury.

Banana Peels are Good Fertilizer
Bananas can also benefit your garden. Instead of throwing the peels away, banana peels are ideal fertilizer for gardens and soils.

Rose bushes benefit a great deal from the peels.

If you have a certain plant that you want to blossom, simply bury a few peels next to it by the roots. In a few weeks, the plant will be huge.

Peels Can Be Used to Treat Warts

The outside of the banana peel also has healing and beneficial properties for the human body. If you have a wart on your foot, wrapping a banana peel around your foot so that the exterior of the peel rubs against the wart will help it go away in a matter of time. To keep the peel in place, you can wrap tape around it for better results. With all of the banana health benefits, it is easy to see why they are such a popular fruit. In many ways, their benefits are far greater than that of other fruits. They not only have more vitamins and minerals than some other choices, they also taste great and are easy to eat. However, having a diet that consists of only bananas as your fruit each day is not healthy and it can even be harmful to your health. Try to include several of your favorite fruits throughout the week because each of them has different advantages for your body.

If you do not normally include bananas or any other fruit in your daily routine, find some ways to include fruit in your diet in order to improve your health and overall well-being.

What’s Your Food Cures IQ?

Food is medicine. That’s the message from renowned nutritionist Joy Bauer. (I love this book! I have it, its like my food bible. Dorian) In her groundbreaking new book “Food Cures”, she reveals the foods that manage, treat and even cure common health concerns such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and more. Do you have the prescription for better health?

The information contained on “life script” (the “Site”) is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for advice from your doctor or health-care professional. This information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Always seek the advice of a qualified health-care professional regarding any medical condition. Information and statements provided by the site about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Lifescript does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, third-party products, procedures, opinions, or other information mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by Lifescript is solely at your own risk.

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Health Benefits of Bananas…Eat This !

By Health Diaries
Banana, the once-exotic fruit, has found its way into our daily lives. Whether sliced over cereal or blended in a smoothie, here are eight great reasons to include about four bananas a week in your diet.

Diet
One banana has 11% of the RDA of dietary fiber and only about 108 calories. The fiber in bananas not only keeps digestion regular, but also helps maintain low blood sugar and curbs overeating.

Lower Blood Pressure
Studies show that the high amounts of potassium in bananas (over 13% of the RDA) can lower one’s blood pressure, which in turn lessens the possibility of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.

Bone Health

Along with lowering blood pressure, potassium prevents the weakening of the body’s bones. A high sodium intake, which is typical of many American diets, can cause excessive amount of calcium to be lost through the urine, which threatens not only the strength and general health of the bones, but also negatively affects blood clotting, proper muscle contraction, and normal nervous system function. The potassium found in bananas neutralizes the high amounts of sodium in one’s diet, thus allowing for healthy amounts of calcium to remain within the body.

High Nutrient Absorption

The potassium in bananas is not the only means to ensure healthy levels of calcium in the body. Bananas also contain high levels of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) that–along with insulin–promotes calcium absorption. FOS further nourishes healthy bacteria in the colon that manufacture vitamins and digestive enzymes that boost the body’s overall ability to absorb nutrients.

Healthy Digestive Tract

Bananas can diminish the uncomfortable effects of diarrhea and constipation. The high amounts of potassium in bananas can restock electrolytes that are easily depleted when suffering from diarrhea — potassium being an important electrolyte itself. Furthermore, bananas can relieve the body from constipation and help restore regular digestion with pectin, a soluble polysaccharide that helps normalize the digestive tract.

Rugged Gut

Bananas protect the healthy constitution of the stomach in two ways. Firstly, they trigger the production of mucus in the stomach, which provides a protective barrier against stomach acids. Secondly, bananas possess protease inhibitors, a substance that breaks down bacteria in the stomach that cause ulcers. (Moreover, protease inhibitor also obstruct the replication of certain cells and viruses, including HIV.)

Cancer Prevention

A large study by the Internal Journal of Cancer illustrates that the probability of developing kidney cancer is greatly lessened by frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, though especially bananas. For instance, the probability of developing kidney cancer in female subjects decreased by 50% when eating bananas four to six times a week.

Vitamin B6

One banana has an impressive 34% of the RDA of vitamin B6, which serves many important roles in the body’s health. For example, the B6 in bananas acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps ward off cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, as well as obesity. B6 also contributes to the maintenance of the lymphoid glands that ensure the production of healthy white blood cells that protect the body from infection. Finally, the vitamin B6 in bananas plays a pivotal part in cell formation and proper nervous system