# Maybe we should all "go bananas"!



## Mama (Oct 5, 2008)

I got this in an email...thought it was interesting and wanted to share:


"A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas.  He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain.  

*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. 
Or don't drink in the first place!

*Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try e ating 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 le vels 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 En gland 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!' "


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## suziquzie (Oct 5, 2008)

I wish I liked bananas more, they really are a "superfood". 

I'll only eat them barely ripe..... the peel has to have a slight bit of green left to it..... any spots, forget it. 

Only recently have I forced myself to like banana bread.


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## luvs (Oct 5, 2008)

dagnabbit, i'm allergic. 
i eat them, anyhoo.


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## babetoo (Oct 5, 2008)

about a half hour ago i had one for a snack.


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## GhettoRacingKid (Oct 6, 2008)

Im a big fan of bananas

I make banana Foster all the time and I lvoe to give "the show"  aka the flambe

maybe its nto good with all that extra sugar but it sure is tasty.


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## TATTRAT (Oct 6, 2008)

I love bananas, but they actually do a number on me...contrary to what is stated above, they give me heartburn, and I can burp like three days later, and taste banana...a little graphic I guess,lol.


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## GB (Oct 6, 2008)

I have heard (although i have nothing to back this up with) that bananas are in danger of becoming extinct. There is only one variety of what we know as a banana and i think there is some sort of disease or something that this threatening to wipe them from the face of the earth. I hope I am wrong on that though. Bananas are at the top of my list as far as fruits go.


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## Andy M. (Oct 6, 2008)

Ah, Yes.  The Cavendish banana.

Grandson Steven and I eat one every day.


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## Mama (Oct 6, 2008)

GB said:


> I have heard (although i have nothing to back this up with) that bananas are in danger of becoming extinct. There is only one variety of what we know as a banana and i think there is some sort of disease or something that this threatening to wipe them from the face of the earth. I hope I am wrong on that though. Bananas are at the top of my list as far as fruits go.


 
I would be DEVASTATED!!!!  No more banana nut bread....no more banana puddin'...no more bananas and strawberries...no more bananas foster...no more banana smoothies..................................


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## GB (Oct 6, 2008)

Here is an article I found on what I was talking about. I just googled banana extinction and a ton of pages came up. Lets hope this does not really happen.


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## quicksilver (Oct 6, 2008)

I love bananas! But have TATTRAT's problem often. Most times I can only eat a 1/2 a one at a time. Or a fingerling one, if I can find them.  Love them on cornflakes.
And I love fried plantain - in the same family - no?
I'm glad they're good for us. Thanks for the info, Mama.


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## GB (Oct 6, 2008)

Another benefit of bananas that I did not see on the list was that they are great if you get a muscle crap. The potassium goes to work very quickly to relieve the cramp.


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## Mama (Oct 6, 2008)

GB said:


> Here is an article I found on what I was talking about. I just googled banana extinction and a ton of pages came up. Lets hope this does not really happen.


 

Somebody needs to DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, I NEED my bananas! They can not be allowed to become extinct!


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## Adillo303 (Oct 6, 2008)

Snopes I agree with GB though, lots of other folks think it is a problem.


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## eva6206213 (Nov 9, 2008)

i  like  bananas  very  much  and  try  to  do  the   banana  pie~
hehe~


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## Novicebaker35 (Nov 9, 2008)

*How ironic? I'm eating a banana right now! My daughter always eats a banana before tennis practice or a match, who knew it was so great for other things. We love 'em so I guess I'll buy even more of 'em now. I'll start putting them on her pancakes in the mornings...wouldn't hurt to give a little brain boost for school. 

Thanks for posting this! *high five**


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## Constance (Nov 9, 2008)

I love bananas, but they always go bad so quickly. Is it true that you can ut them in the fridge and they will keep better, even if the skin does go black?


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## Novicebaker35 (Nov 9, 2008)

Constance said:


> I love bananas, but they always go bad so quickly. Is it true that you can ut them in the fridge and they will keep better, even if the skin does go black?



*I don't know...they never stay around long enough in my house to go bad!* *I'd be interested in hearing the answer though.

ETA: The green bags work miracles with my other fruits and veggies...so maybe they will also do well with bananas. I'm going to give it a try and see how long bananas last in there. I'd better buy an extra bunch, cause we will attack them as soon as I take them out of the grocery bag. lol
*


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## Zereh (Nov 9, 2008)

I have to eat mine on the green side as well. Can't stand mushy overripe ones and just cannot eat banana bread either (though my son loved it and I made it often).

If they start to get too ripe for my taste, I peel them and pop them into a freezer bag. From there they are ready for the healthiest smoothies ever! Add some other fruit (frozen berries are my favorite), a scoop of protein powder, a splash of soy milk or juice and a dab of honey. mmmmm Breakfast lunch or snack in about two minutes.


Z


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## Behind the photo (Mar 6, 2009)

Mama said:


> I would be DEVASTATED!!!!  No more banana nut bread....no more banana puddin'...no more bananas and strawberries...no more bananas foster...no more banana smoothies..................................



Do not forget mighty chemical industry  Banana powder will fix the problem. <sad sarcasm />


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## MexicoKaren (Mar 6, 2009)

We are gearing up to eat LOTS of bananas, as we have two banana trees that have BIG bunches on them. They are still pretty green, but are starting to ripen. They are the little bitty (about 4") sweet bananas. Can't wait. I do have some of those green bags, so I'll try them.


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