An interesting article about bananas and the benefits they have for our bodies and mind. I eat spotted (ripe) bananas regularly.
Take a read and have a banana
Positive thoughts
If you’re like most people, you enjoy eating bananas as they are ripening. As a result, you buy a week’s supply of bananas when most of them are still slightly green. You eat them during the week as they ripen and turn all-yellow and are still spotless.
Toward the end of the week, as they start developing brown spots, which eventually cover the entire banana, you throw them out because you think they are rotten and no longer of any benefit to you. After all, you would throw out other fruits that are overripe and less tasty.
Think again!
Research tells us that an increasing number of brown patches on a banana means not only that it is riper, but also that it contains improved qualities to strengthen your immune system. Those qualities are contained in Tumor Necrosis Factor, or TNF, which is found in bananas. It is a substance that fights cancer by helping to move body cells toward infected or inflamed areas in our bodies. As a result, those cells are destroyed, thereby preventing tumor cells from growing and from spreading.
Combined with high levels of antioxidants, which bananas also contain, they help to boost white blood cells and thereby strengthen our immune system. It makes sense, therefore, to eat those bananas rather than toss them in the garbage.
Highly nutritious
This immune-strengthening quality in ripe bananas is only one of the reasons the fruit is good for you. Indeed, the banana remains one of the least-appreciated fruits when it comes to nutrition. As new claims arise for other fruits, some of them quite exotic, we are in danger of overlooking the fact that bananas are filled with vitamins, nutrients, fiber and natural sugars.
Indeed, the popular saying that eating an apple a day avoids trips to the doctor might need to be rewritten to include a banana as the required fruit. Today, Americans consume more bananas than apples and oranges together.
Here are other ways in which bananas can help keep your body healthy.
1. They lower blood pressure
The reason bananas can help to lower your blood pressure and to protect you against stroke or heart attacks is that they are low in sodium and high in potassium. This means that they are a heart-healthy food.
2. They treat acid reflux
You can look at bananas as nature’s antacid. Eating even only one banana can bring relief to heartburn and thereby reduce the symptoms.
3. They are a source of iron
Anemia can be reduced through the intake of dietary iron, which is present in bananas. It helps to encourage the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, thereby strengthening the blood that flows through your body.
4. They provide energy
Should you be ready for a workout at the gym or be taking exercise in another way, munching on a banana or two before you start your workout session will provide you with additional energy that lasts for an hour or two, plenty of time to complete your session.
Your body’s endurance is increased by the low glycemic carbohydrates as well as the minerals and vitamins that are found in bananas. In addition, the potassium found in bananas helps to guard against cramps in your muscles.
5. They are safe on the stomach
People who suffer from ulcers are often advised to avoid certain foods. The reason is that, even though those foods might be nutritious, they can cause pain and even damage to the ulcers. Bananas, however, can be safely eaten by those suffering from stomach ulcers as they are soft and smooth. If anything, the pulpy texture of a banana protects the stomach lining from acids and other forms of irritation.
6. They help to overcome depression
The reason that bananas can help to overcome depression is that they contain high levels of tryptophan, which is changed into serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin makes you happier, more relaxed and generally improves your mood.
7. They prevent constipation
Bananas contain sufficient amounts of fiber to activate regular bowel movements. Doing so, of course, guards against constipation.
8. They calm the nervous system
Many things can cause you to become stressed or moody from time to time. Consider eating a few bananas. They can regulate blood sugar and contain B vitamins, which help naturally to soothe the nervous system. The result is an improvement in your mood.
9. They control body temperature
When the weather is hot you might want to remember that eating a banana can lower your body temperature. It is also true that bananas will lower your body’s temperature when it is heated up as a result of some type of fever.
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Originally Posted by Elen
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