Going Bananas
March 22nd 2010 03:05
The banana, a miracle in nature.
They are the most versatile fruit when it comes to baking and desserts. If they are over-ripe just throw them in a cake batter and you have a lovely flavour in your cakes or muffins.
Nutrionally, the banana is a little mighty miracle as it contains so much that helps in maintaining a healthy body.
The banana contains three natural sugars in it, making it a great energy start. It contains fructose, sucrose and glucose which are simple sugars meaning they break down easily for instant energy, making the banana a great breakfast food to start your day.
According to research only two bananas give you enough energy to do a 90 minute workout.
The iron in bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in controlling anaemia.
Bananas also contain tryptophan which is a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. So they can help against depression.
The B6 in bananas can regulate blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood at that time of the month.
The banana is also high in potassium and yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.
It is also high in fibre which can help restore normal bowel action overcoming the problem without resorting to laxatives.
In our cafe, usually after a big Friday night many of our customers would come in and order our Monkey Kiss smoothie as it contained honey and bananas. 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 the system.
The list goes on as I haven't even touched on how bananas can help with heartburn, morning sickness, obesity and even mosquito bites.
So next time you're shopping for healthy food, don't forget to put a couple of bananas in your basket.
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