Go Bananas!!!! The yellow smiley super fruit
Bananas are a super food that can help to stabilize mood. When I was pregnant with my son I had a craving for bananas, I reckon my consumption of the things helped to increase the share value of the global banana market! I would get through about 6 – 8 of the yellow delights a day. In all honesty they were often the only thing I could stomach that literally didn’t make me want to throw up! 8 years on I still love them and eat a banana or two daily. It got me thinking, what is it about bananas and how are they good for your health?
Banana Boost for body and mind
Eating bananas regularly can have a positive effect on our health and well-being. Bananas give a natural energy boost, although they offer carbohydrates they are low on the glycemic index and are packed full of fibre. They contain plenty of nutrients and anti-oxidants. Bananas contain no fat or sodium and are cholesterol free. Bananas are easy to digest making them an excellent choice for a post exercise snack or an “on the go” boost. They are also good for your heart helping to lower blood pressure. At around 100 calories for a medium-sized banana you can’t go wrong.
Feeling Low? Grab a nana
When it comes to increasing mood bananas can’t be beat. These little beauties contain B6 (potassium) vital for optimum nerve function and Tryptophan that helps the body to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a natural mood stabilizer and when levels are normal we feel happier, more emotionally stable and calmer. A lack of serotonin can lead to depression and anxiety and creates sleeping, eating and digestion problems.
Bananas are the ultimate Green Fast Food
Bananas come in their own packaging that is totally recyclable. As well as making an excellent fertilizer banana peel has a variety of uses that could save you some pennies. So before you compost your peels you might like to think about using the inside of peels to:
Rub on your forehead to help ease a headache
Help stop inflammation and itching from mosquito bites
Clean and polish leather shoes
Rub your teeth to help whiten them
Use on scrapes or burns to lessen the pain, inflammation and prevent infection
Find out more fun banana facts at https://thebananapolice.com/fun-facts/
We are all a little bit bananas
The old scientific name for Banana is Musa Sapientum which means “fruit of a wise man”. Musa Sapientum is not used as the official banana name today, however Ancient man certainly knew the value of bananas. The Egyptians depicted them in hieroglyphs and the fruit was probably first cultivated in Southeast Asia. India grows more bananas that any other county with over a 100 million being eaten every year Worldwide.
Classed as a berry that grows on a herb bananas come in a range of varieties including ones with fuzzy skins, stripped with pulp the colour of bright orange sherbet and ones that taste of strawberries when they are cooked. To top it off humans share 50% of their DNA with this super fruit. If that’s not bananas, I don’t know what is!
Niki x