Food

10 Health Benefits of Bananas That Will Keep You In Top Shape

7. Pregnancy and morning sickness Falling pregnant and carrying your unborn child for 9 months is one of the great wonders of our world. It is… Simi - November 14, 2017

7. Pregnancy and morning sickness

Falling pregnant and carrying your unborn child for 9 months is one of the great wonders of our world. It is really special time in a woman’s life. However, with this miracle of growing a life and a new human comes a few bumps along the way. It also brings along awful morning sickness that so many woman experience during their 9 months of pregnancy.

If you are pregnant and looking for ways to fight off those nauseating feelings in the morning (note that sometimes morning sickness happens at other times of the day as well, but mostly in the morning). Just reach for a banana, peel away the skin and enjoy the lovely fruit. Bananas have a number of calming properties. It will quickly replenish your system and soon have you feeling much better as your blood glucose level is normalized, which in turn helps you to fight off that nausea.

Sometimes preventing is better than curing, so make it part of your daily pregnancy routine. Just have a banana every morning or after your meals. As bananas contain a number of nutrients they will also help lift your mood and be there to support the growth and development of your baby. Often during pregnancy, your blood pressure will fluctuate and bananas have a very high and rich source of Potassium. This will help in maintaining your blood pressure levels. Also, potassium helps in reducing muscle cramps and leg pains during pregnancy.

Bananas are also high in folic acid which plays a vital role in the development of the brain, nerves, and spine of the developing baby.

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8. Promoting good eye health

Firstly we have to understand what is considered good eye health. Simply explained it all starts with the food we put into our mouths and what our mothers eat whilst we are still in her womb.

Good eye health needs vital nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zinc, and vitamins C and E. It can help ward off developmental and age-related vision issues such as macular degeneration, cataracts and night blindness. In order to have the right nutrients for this not only during pregnancy but in our everyday life, we need to ensure that we have a good selection of green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards and loads of bananas in our daily diet.

Bananas are rich and high in vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for good eye health. Also, an adequate daily vitamin intake also lessens your risk of night blindness.

According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, eating three or more servings of bananas per day may also lower your risk of age-related oracular degeneration. It is the primary cause of vision loss in older people by almost 36% as compared to those who consume less than 1.5 servings a day. However, be aware of the ripeness of the bananas as this changes its glycaemic level. An overripe banana may have a high glycaemic level, while one that’s a bit under-ripe has lower levels. It has little health benefits for you. This is important because high-glycaemic foods have been linked to a heightened risk of macular degeneration and cataracts. Make sure you eat them when perfectly ripe.

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9. Bananas have positive results in managing depression

Whilst we don’t know the exact causes of depression, research has found that a number of elements such as genes and stress can affect brain chemistry. It can reduce your ability to maintain mood stability. A recent survey of people suffering from depression showed positive results after the participants ate bananas.

For those suffering from depression, it’s a banana and not an apple that will keep the doctor away. The Tryptophan found in bananas has another much-needed effect on humans: The body converts Tryptophan into Serotonin, a hormone in the brain that induces feelings of happiness. Tryptophan also helps one to sleep better as it calms muscles, which is often a problem for insomniacs. Another Amino Acid called Tyrosine raises the level of norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain.

These neurotransmitters are vital to keep the brain alert and responsive to sensory inputs. They help combat depression, lethargy and allow the brain to quickly react to situations. During stressful times whether it’s at home or just the general fast pace of our lives remember to eat a banana during the day. It helps to assist with maintaining a healthy mood stabilizer in our systems.

We often forget that our children have stressful lives and that depression can develop in them, so make sure you add bananas into their diet from a young age and get them into the routine of eating healthy. It also makes an easy to add snacks into their school lunch packs. Remember your attitude towards a fruit is what your children will see, so be the example they need for a healthy eating regime.

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10. There’s magic and healing inside a banana peel

Did you know that if you rub banana skin on a mosquito bite it reduces the itching and swelling and is far more effective than those off-the-shelf creams? Banana peels are also great in helping wounds and skin abrasions heal faster as they are packed with antioxidants, Vitamin C and B6, which all help the skin heal quicker.

The inside of peels also has a great whitening effect on teeth, helping to clean away plaque, sugar and bacteria. Also, the pulpy side of peels can also remove warts…containing a substance called mucilage, applying it to the infected spot overnight for a few weeks will remove the wart with no need for expensive doctors or unnatural chemicals.

Then believe it or not you can use banana peels inside your home to help with all sorts of household tasks such as using the peel as a gentle abrasive to remove stains or marks off household surface. If you mess ink from a pen on yourself, the natural oils of the banana peels draw out the ink from your skin, allowing for easy removal. Also if your leather shoes or bag is looking a bit dull and sad, merely rub the banana peel over the surface and then buff with a soft cloth to help restore its natural luster.

Banana peels when dried are rich in potassium and make a great poison to chase away pests in a garden; the potassium is also great for the soil and the roots of the plants you are protecting so you can use them to create your own compost.

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