BANANAS for Good Health food

BANANAS If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better snack than a banana.

Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fibre,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 your daily diet.Anaemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate theproduction of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit isextremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure.

So much so that the US Food and DrugAdministration has just allowed the banana industry to make officialclaims 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 helprestore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating abanana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan,

that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing ahangover is to make a banana milkshake , sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and,with the help of the honey, builds up depleted bloodsugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.