After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain 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 perfect 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.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help

restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without

resorting to laxatives.

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 wor k 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 and smoothness. It is the 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 &Tobacco Use: 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%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill

off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the

yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or

surgical tape!

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 carbohydrate, 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!"

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will

add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the

banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing

fruit!