Amazing Benefits Of Banana Sep 16, 2013 at 4:14 pm

Bananas are exceptionally healthy food that provides numerous health benefits.

Banana flesh is rich in many nutrients and carbohydrates.

The flesh is high in vitamins B-6, B-12, magnesium and potassium.

It is a versatile fruit that contains many nutrients including vitamins A, B, C and E along with minerals like potassium, zinc, iron and manganese.

Just as eating a banana helps in utilizing the banana nutrition to keep your body in good health and great shape, while application of this fruit on your hair and skin will help you to keep them in great condition.

Content of sugar is highest when the banana peel turns black.

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.

1.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.

2.PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

3.Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

4.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.

5.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.

6.Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

7.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.

8.Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

9.Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

10.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.

11.Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

12.Overweight and at work?

Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work 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.

13.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.

14.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.

15.Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

16.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.

17.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.

18.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%!

19.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 banana to an apple, it has:

a. four times the protein, b.twice the carbohydrate, c. three times the phosphorus, d.five times the vitamin A and iron, and e. Twice the other vitamins and minerals. f. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the

best value foods around.

So maybe it is time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,

"A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Banana, in-depth nutrient analysis:Banana

(Note: "--" indicates data is unavailable)

amount 1.00 each

total weight 118.00 g

Basic Components

nutrient amount %DV

calories 105.02 5.83

calories from fat 3.50

calories from saturated fat 1.19

protein 1.29 g 2.58

carbohydrates 26.95 g 8.98

dietary fiber 3.07 g 12.28

soluble fiber -- g

insoluble fiber -- g

sugar - total 14.43 g

monosaccharides 11.60 g

disaccharides 2.83 g

other carbs 9.45 g

fat - total 0.39 g 0.60

saturated fat 0.13 g 0.65

mono fat 0.04 g 0.17

poly fat 0.09 g 0.38

trans fatty acids 0.00 g

cholesterol 0.00 mg 0.00

water 88.39 g

ash -- g

Vitamins

nutrient amount %DV

vitamin A IU75.52

IU1.51

vitamin A RAE3.78 RAE

A - carotenoid 7.55 RE 0.10

A - retinol 0.00 RE

A - beta carotene30.68

mcg

thiamin - B1 0.04 mg 2.67

riboflavin - B2 0.09 mg 5.29

niacin - B3 0.78 mg 3.90

niacin equiv 0.96 mg

vitamin B6 0.43 mg 21.50

vitamin B120.00 mcg

0.00

biotin3.07 mcg

1.02

vitamin C10.27

mg17.12

vitamin D IU 0.00 IU 0.00

vitamin D mcg0.00 mcg

vitamin E alpha equiv 0.12 mg 0.60

vitamin E IU -- IU

vitamin E mg -- mg

folate23.60

mcg5.90

vitamin K0.59 mcg

0.74

pantothenic acid 0.39 mg 3.90

Minerals

nutrient amount %DV

boron -- mcg

calcium 5.90 mg 0.59

chloride -- mg

chromium0.93 mcg

0.78

copper 0.09 mg 4.50

fluoride 0.00 mg 0.00

iodine9.44 mcg

6.29

iron 0.31 mg 1.72

magnesium31.86

mg7.96

manganese 0.32 mg 16.00

molybdenum -- mcg --

phosphorus25.96

mg2.60

potassium422.44

mg12.07

selenium1.18 mcg

1.69

sodium 1.18 mg 0.05

zinc 0.18 mg 1.20

Saturated Fats

nutrient amount %DV

4:0 butyric 0.00 g

6:0 caproic 0.00 g

8:0 caprylic 0.00 g

10:0 capric 0.00 g

12:0 lauric 0.00 g

14:0 myristic 0.00 g

15:0 pentadecanoic 0.00 g

16:0 palmitic 0.12 g

17:0 margaric 0.00 g

18:0 stearic 0.01 g

20:0 arachidic 0.00 g

22:0 behenate 0.00 g

24:0 lignoceric 0.00 g

Mono Fats

nutrient amount %DV

14:1 myristol 0.00 g

15:1 pentadecenoic 0.00 g

16:1 palmitol 0.01 g

17:1 heptadecenoic 0.00 g

18:1 oleic 0.03 g

20:1 eicosen 0.00 g

22:1 erucic 0.00 g

24:1 nervonic 0.00 g

Poly Fats

nutrient amount %DV

18:2 linoleic 0.05 g

18:3 linolenic 0.03 g

18:4 stearidon 0.00 g

20:3 eicosatrienoic 0.00 g

20:4 arachidon 0.00 g

20:5 EPA 0.00 g

22:5 DPA 0.00 g

22:6 DHA 0.00 g

Other Fats

nutrient amount %DV

omega 3 fatty acids 0.03 g 1.25

omega 6 fatty acids 0.05 g

Amino Acids

nutrient amount %DV

alanine 0.05 g

arginine 0.06 g

aspartate 0.15 g

cystine 0.01 g 2.44

glutamate 0.18 g

glycine 0.04 g

histidine 0.09 g 6.98

isoleucine 0.03 g 2.61

leucine 0.08 g 3.16

lysine 0.06 g 2.55

methionine 0.01 g 1.35

phenylalanine 0.06 g 5.04

proline 0.03 g

serine 0.05 g

threonine 0.03 g 2.42

tryptophan 0.01 g 3.12

tyrosine 0.01 g 1.03

valine 0.06 g 4.08

Other

nutrient amount %DV

alcohol 0.00 g

caffeine 0.00 mg

artif sweetener total -- mg

aspartame -- mg

saccharin -- mg

sugar alcohol 0.01 g

glycerol -- g

inositol -- g

mannitol -- g

sorbitol -- g

xylitol 0.01 g

organic acids 0.75 mg

acetic acid 0.01 mg

citric acid 0.32 mg

lactic acid 0.00 mg

malic acid 0.42 mg

choline11.56

mg2.72

taurine -- mg

lutein+zeaxanthin25.96

mcg

lycopene0.00 mcg

Note: The nutrient profiles provided in this website are derived from Food Processor for Windows, Version 7.60, by ESHA Research in Salem, Oregon, USA. Of the 21,629 food records contained in the ESHA foods database, most of them - including those of the World's Healthiest Foods - lacked information for specific nutrients. The designation "--" was chosen to represent those nutrients for which there was no measurement included in the ESHA foods database.

The Healing Power Of Banana Peels

Banana Peel Uses:1. Sparkling Teeth: 

Rub the banana peel everyday for a week on your teeth for about a minute. This actually results in teeth whitening, which can cost a lot of money otherwise.

2. Warts:Banana peel helps in removing warts and eliminates the occurrence of new ones. For this, simply rub the peel on the affected area or tie the peel overnight on it. This is one of the simplest ways to use a banana peel for skin.

3. Eat Them:Banana peels can also be consumed. Also, this is used to tender chicken by placing over it.

4. Pimples:Just massage banana peels on your face and body for 5 minutes every day to cure pimples on Results should be visible within a week. Keep applying the peels till the acne disappears.

5. Wrinkle: Banana peel helps to keep your skin hydrated. Add an egg yolk to mashed banana peel. Apply this mixture on your face and leave it for 5

min. Wash off after 5min.

6. Pain reliever: Apply the banana peel directly on the painful area. Leave it for 30 mins till the pain is gone. A mixture of vegetable oil mixed with banana peel

also helps in pain relief.

7. Psoriasis: Just apply the peel on the psoriasis affected area. Banana peel has moisturization properties and also

reduces itchiness. It will quickly heal psoriasis and you can see

noticeable results within no time.

8. Bites by bugs: Massage the peel on the mosquito bites to get instant

relief from the itching and pain.

9. Shoes, Leather, Silver polish: Rub banana peel on any shoes, leather, and silver to

make them shine instantly.

10. UV Protection: Banana peel helps in protecting the eyes from

harmful UV rays. Make sure you leave the peel under the sun before

rubbing the banana peel on your eyes. It is also proven to reduce the risk of cataracts.

Some important tips:1. Use fresh banana peel for best results.2.  Never keep unpeeled banana for long. Consume immediately after peeling. Also the peel should be used immediately.3.  Store banana in a cool, dry place and always keep it away from heat or sunlight.4.  Never store Banana peel in a refrigerator.

5. Avoid throwing banana peels on the roads or public places. Use bins or save it for better purposes.

19 Amazing Benefits And Uses Of Banana For Skin And Hair

Benefits of banana for skin: Banana fruit has nutrients that are essential for

the skin. They contain significant amounts of vitamin C

and B6 which plays vital role in maintaining the integrity and elasticity of the skin.

In addition, the large amount of antioxidants and manganese present in banana protect the body from damage caused by oxygen free

radicals which lead to premature aging of the skin.

A major benefit from banana is younger looking skin.

Banana has about 75 per cent water by weight in it. Thus banana helps hydrate your skin and prevents it from drying and peeling.

Here are some benefits of banana for skin:

1. Natural Moisturiser:Banana is a great natural moisturiser for your skin.

The Vitamin A present in banana restores the lost moisture and repairs the damaged, dull and dry skin. To instantly moisturise dry and dull skin, mash a ripe banana and apply it on your face. Avoid contact with eyes. Leave it on your skin for 20-25 minutes and then wash it away with lukewarm water. You will instantly feel skin looking soft and supple.

If you extremely dry and flaky skin, you can also add honey to this face mask.This banana and honey mask also helps in getting rid of skin pigmentation.

Another easy face mask to get moisturised skin is to mash half a ripe banana and mix it with 1 tbsp. yogurt and 1 tsp. Vitamin E oil. Apply it

generously on a clean face and wash it away after 30 minutes.

2. Glowing Skin:Banana contains generous amount of Vitamin C in it that help in maintaining the natural and youthful glow of the skin.Here are some banana face masks that you can use to get that natural glow back on your face.

Mash half a ripe banana and mix it with 1 tbsp. of sandalwood powder/paste and ½ tsp. of honey. Let it stay on your skin for 20-25 minutes and wash it with lukewarm water. This face mask is beneficial for oily skin as sandalwood helps in cleaning excess sebum and oil from the skin while banana keeps it moisturised.

Mash one ripe banana and mix it with lemon juice form one lemon (approximately 2-3 tbsp.).

Leave it on for 25 minutes. This mask is full of vitamin C which will get rid of dullness and help in reduction of spots and blemishes.

3. Banana Skin Scrubs:Banana is full of anti-oxidants; mixed with a few ingredients, it not only helps to get rid of dead skin but also leaves it feeling rejuvenated.Here are some banana based scrubs that you make using ingredients available in your kitchen

Take mashed banana and 1 tbsp. of sugar and mix them well. Apply it on your skin and rub it in circular motions. Banana will moisturise the dry skin while sugar granules will get rid of the dead skin

Mash a ripe banana; add 2-3 tablespoons of oats, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon milk. Apply it on your face and leave it 5

minutes, then slowly rub it on your skin. Wash with cold water. In case you have extremely dry skin, you can substitute milk with fresh cream.

Take half a ripe banana, 1 tbsp. coconut milk, 2 tbsp. uncooked rice, blend everything together to get a thick paste. Gently massage your face with this paste and wash with cold water afterwards.

To make a body scrub, mash 2 bananas with 4-5 strawberries using a blender. Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar and use it as a body scrub when you take a bath. 

4. Anti-ageing:

Nutrients in banana helps in fighting wrinkles and keeps the skin youthful. For an anti-aging facial mask loaded with vitamins A and E, mash together an avocado and a banana. Leave on skin for 25 minutes and rinse. Skin will be soft and youthful. The vitamins E in avocados combined with the nutrients in bananas fight free radicals and repair damage.Another simple face mask to fight effect of ageing is to mash 1/4 banana until very creamy and add one teaspoon of rose water. Apply it on face and neck and wash it off after half an hour.

5. Foot care:

The moisturizing property of banana can be used to get rid of cracked heels. All you need to do is mash the pulp of two ripe bananas and apply this pulp on clean, dry feet. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse the feet clean. The banana pulp will penetrate deep into dry, cracked skin to create soft and supple feet.

6. Goodbye puffy eyes:Mash half a banana and apply generously around the puffy eyes. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes and then rinsing with cool water. The puffiness will vanish instantly. The potassium rich banana draws out excess fluid from under my skin and reduces the swelling immediately.You can also apply the banana peels instead of mashed banana. This tip can also be used whenever

you apply any face pack and think about putting cucumber slices on your eyes.

Benefits of Banana for Hair: Banana is rich in potassium, natural oils,

carbohydrates and vitamins which help in softening the hair and protects the hair’s natural elasticity preventing split ends and breakage.

Banana creates manageability, shine, growth and controls dandruff.

Just like a banana facial mask enhances the glow of your face immediately, the following banana hair masks will also improve your hair dramatically.

a. Mix ripe banana with avocado and add coconut milk to the mixture. Apply it on your hair and wait

for 15-20 minutes. The pack conditions damaged hair and makes the hair soft. Instead of avocado, you can also make the same mask by adding cocoa. Presence of cocoa helps in bringing out the natural colour of the hair.b. Peel a banana and add 1/4 cup of olive oil and one egg white and put in a blender. Puree for a couple of minutes. Let it stay on your hair for 15 minutes followed by hair wash with your favourite shampoo and conditioner.

c. To Treat Hair Loss, mix ripe banana pulp with yoghurt. Apply the smooth paste on your scalp and rinse with cool water after 15-20 minutes.

d. Just like the way honey and banana face pack nourishes your dry skin, the same works great for your dry hair as well, mix three spoons of honey with ripe banana and apply it on your hair while it is still wet. Let the hair pack sit for 15-20 minutes followed by the usual hair wash.

e. Another simple yet effective hair mask to repair dry and damaged hair is to make banana pulp with a few drops of almond oil. Leave it for 10-15 minutes. The vitamin A and C present in banana along with Vitamin E of the almond oil leave your hair silky and shiny not to mention extremely moisturized and soft.

While applying any of the above hair masks, it is essential keep two things in mind so that you don’t end up with chunks of banana in your hair post hair wash. First, whenever you use banana for hair mask, make sure it is in pulp form and there are no chunks. Just to be sure, blend all the contents of the hair mask. Secondly, never let these hair masks dry on your hair completely. The hair mask should still be wet when you wash your hair so that you can easily get rid of the banana which otherwise tends to

stick. You might feel that your hair a little stiff when they are drying but once they dry completely; you will be able to see the results.

Beauty with Banana Peel:Banana is a very popular natural element when it comes to beauty as it is not just the fruit that you can use but the peel itself is full of anti-oxidants and can be used for a lot of home remedies.1. To treat acne with banana peel, cut a small piece of the peel. Rub the inside of the peel gently over the acne affected area. Rub for about 5 minutes or until the inside of the peel gets brown. Clean the skin around with lukewarm water but let the banana dry out on the affected area to do. Repeat this at least 3 times a day and the acne and pimples will subside within a week.

2. If you suffer from itchy and swollen skin, just rub the banana peel on the effective area and you will feel the itching and swelling subside.

3. Banana peel can also be used to get rid of wrinkles. Apply fresh peel on the affected area for 15 minutes every day and there will be noticeable change in a few weeks.

4. Banana peel is also helpful to treat warts and psoriasis. Just apply the banana peel on the affected area and rub it for 10-12 minutes twice every day. The results might take time to show but this definitely works much better than artificial creams and treatments for these skin problems.

5. Bananas and beauty sleep:We all know how essential a good night sleep is for maintaining the health of your skin and hair. Melatonin is the sleep inducing hormone in the human body and Tryptophan is an amino-acid that is necessary for the production of this sleep hormone.Bananas not only contain large amounts of tryptophan and serotonin but also have very high

carbohydrate content in them that helps the brain to utilize tryptophan and serotonin to produce the sleep hormone. Eating banana few hours before you go to bed will help you in getting that essential beauty sleep and thus a refreshed and healthy skin.

Eating one banana a day, keeps beauty problems at bay:Now that we have talked about the beauty benefits of applying banana let’s talk about eating it. Consuming banana itself has a lot of beauty benefits.

1. Banana is a fruit that is rich in potassium. Potassium is known to help in increasing blood circulation in the body which in turn lead to glowing skin and enhances hair growth.2. Also if you are trying to let go of habits like smoking or drinking coffee, that are actually really

harmful for the skin and hair, increase your consumption of bananas.3. Scientific studies prove that banana aids in curbing the craving for nicotine, caffeine and is a mood lifter and also helps in maintaining energy levels in the body. Thus banana helps you to counter all the withdrawal symptoms that you face when you try to quit such habits.

As you can see for yourself, banana has a lot of beauty benefits especially when it comes to skin and hair. It is full of nutrients that help in keeping you healthy, not to mention how affordable and easily available it is everywhere and round the year. So get into the practice of using banana, and make it a part of your daily diet and beauty routine and you will not only save some money but will also get beautiful skin and hair without exposing them to unwanted chemicals. So what are you waiting for? When it comes to beauty, let’s go bananas!

THE END