Bananas

Misanthropy · 30th August 2004, 08:06 PM

The health benefits of bananas

A banana is the most unique of all fruit because unlike any fruit it does not come from trees at all but from large plants that are giant herbs and are related to lily and orchid family.

In order to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to meet your daily requirement of five fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a perfect part of your diet and they are the most popular fruit in America. Bananas are available all year and they are a great source of instant energy whether you are watching your diet or just trying to eat healthy. Like other fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. It is a known fact that a low fat, balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruit may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Lack of B6 in a diet can cause weakness, irritability and insomnia. The potassium found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping up. A medium-sized banana provides 400 mg of potassium -11% of daily value- and contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Bananas also contain plenty of carbohydrates which are the body's main source of energy. They are also easy to digest.

Because of their great taste, they can also serve as a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings.

Researche also shows that serotonin and norepinephrine in bananas may naturally help sufferers overcome depression. They are the good mood food.

Convenience and nutritional value of bananas make them a good post-exercise snack. During long exercises your body loses vitamins and minerals and a banana replaces these nutrients as well as giving you the energy you need.

Bananas are good for babies, too. They are in fact often the first solid food given to infants. Bananas are easy to digest because they have no fat and very few babies are allergic to bananas. They are also one of children's favorite snack because of their taste and they meet the energy needs of the growing children.

Green tipped bananas should be selected for cooking or ripening, yellow ones should be selected for eating and brown-specked ones should be selected for baking breads, muffins and cookies. As the bananas ripen, they will taste sweeter because the starch in the fruit will turn to sugar. You can toss bananas to your cereals, salads, yogurt, salsa, smoothie or shakes.

You should store your bananas over the counter at room temperature until they reach the ripeness you want, then you can store them in the refrigerator. The peel of the fruit will darken in the refrigerator but the banana inside will remain firm and delicious. To ripen a banana faster, it should be put in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight.

Lindsay · 30th August 2004, 08:10 PM

bananas make me throw up.

Misanthropy · 30th August 2004, 08:12 PM

well AREN'T YOU THE DRAMA QUEEN? they make my mouth feel weird but I'm ok if I have a glass of water afterwards

gav · 30th August 2004, 08:16 PM

i'm a fan of bananas

Lindsay · 30th August 2004, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misanthropy

well AREN'T YOU THE DRAMA QUEEN? they make my mouth feel weird but I'm ok if I have a glass of water afterwards

i'm not a drama queen, i'm allergic to them

Misanthropy · 30th August 2004, 08:22 PM

yeah ok whatevs, drama queen

earmuffin · 30th August 2004, 08:50 PM

i enjoy bananas.

Scooter · 30th August 2004, 08:59 PM

Thanks, I like bananas. But I ain't no monkey boy!

Ritchie.

Rebelius · 30th August 2004, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misanthropy

they make my mouth feel weird but I'm ok if I have a glass of water afterwards

you should try orange juice, it's probably better at getting rid of the feeling, if it's the same one as you get from rhubarb that is.

Fox · 30th August 2004, 09:41 PM

I always seem to forget we have bananas in the house... Bananas are good! I ought to have one of those instead of apples or toast for a wee change.

Abi · 31st August 2004, 11:52 AM

Bananas are tasty, but only when they are really yellow. I don't like them green and I don't like them with brown/black bits.

Also, you have to open them from the bottom. Much more fun

Misanthropy · 31st August 2004, 12:51 PM

I'm going to start opening them in the middle like monkeys do

~smack · 31st August 2004, 01:02 PM

Banananas I like, apples I like, grapes I like. Every other fruit sucks ass.

kaleidoscope · 31st August 2004, 08:43 PM

woooooooot. i think bananas are grand.

especialy when slightly green and very firm. yum. yum. yum.

they are nice in between 2 slices of white bread and honey, and they are nice in milkshakes, and they are especialy nice in cereal.

30th August 2004, 08:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
Misanthropy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Dundee Posts: 4,101	Bananas The health benefits of bananas A banana is the most unique of all fruit because unlike any fruit it does not come from trees at all but from large plants that are giant herbs and are related to lily and orchid family. In order to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to meet your daily requirement of five fruits and vegetables. Bananas are a perfect part of your diet and they are the most popular fruit in America. Bananas are available all year and they are a great source of instant energy whether you are watching your diet or just trying to eat healthy. Like other fruits and vegetables, bananas contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. It is a known fact that a low fat, balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruit may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and they are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Lack of B6 in a diet can cause weakness, irritability and insomnia. The potassium found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping up. A medium-sized banana provides 400 mg of potassium -11% of daily value- and contains 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Bananas also contain plenty of carbohydrates which are the body's main source of energy. They are also easy to digest. Because of their great taste, they can also serve as a substitute for sweets and satisfy sugar cravings. Researche also shows that serotonin and norepinephrine in bananas may naturally help sufferers overcome depression. They are the good mood food. Convenience and nutritional value of bananas make them a good post-exercise snack. During long exercises your body loses vitamins and minerals and a banana replaces these nutrients as well as giving you the energy you need. Bananas are good for babies, too. They are in fact often the first solid food given to infants. Bananas are easy to digest because they have no fat and very few babies are allergic to bananas. They are also one of children's favorite snack because of their taste and they meet the energy needs of the growing children. Green tipped bananas should be selected for cooking or ripening, yellow ones should be selected for eating and brown-specked ones should be selected for baking breads, muffins and cookies. As the bananas ripen, they will taste sweeter because the starch in the fruit will turn to sugar. You can toss bananas to your cereals, salads, yogurt, salsa, smoothie or shakes. You should store your bananas over the counter at room temperature until they reach the ripeness you want, then you can store them in the refrigerator. The peel of the fruit will darken in the refrigerator but the banana inside will remain firm and delicious. To ripen a banana faster, it should be put in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight.

30th August 2004, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lindsay eighties fan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Glasgow Posts: 7,594	bananas make me throw up.

30th August 2004, 08:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
Misanthropy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Dundee Posts: 4,101	well AREN'T YOU THE DRAMA QUEEN? they make my mouth feel weird but I'm ok if I have a glass of water afterwards

30th August 2004, 08:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
gav Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Dundee Posts: 7,595 Band: Brickshithouse	i'm a fan of bananas

30th August 2004, 08:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
Misanthropy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Dundee Posts: 4,101	yeah ok whatevs, drama queen

30th August 2004, 08:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
earmuffin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: I'm there. Posts: 1,657	i enjoy bananas.

30th August 2004, 08:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
Scooter Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: The Great White North Posts: 388	Thanks, I like bananas. But I ain't no monkey boy! Ritchie.

30th August 2004, 09:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
Fox Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Monifieth Posts: 528	I always seem to forget we have bananas in the house... Bananas are good! I ought to have one of those instead of apples or toast for a wee change.

31st August 2004, 11:52 AM	#11 (permalink)
Abi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Edinburgh and Dundee. Posts: 932	Bananas are tasty, but only when they are really yellow. I don't like them green and I don't like them with brown/black bits. Also, you have to open them from the bottom. Much more fun

31st August 2004, 12:51 PM	#12 (permalink)
Misanthropy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Dundee Posts: 4,101	I'm going to start opening them in the middle like monkeys do

31st August 2004, 01:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
~smack Excuse me, who are you? Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Dundee Posts: 3,139	Banananas I like, apples I like, grapes I like. Every other fruit sucks ass.

31st August 2004, 08:47 PM	#15 (permalink)
Pink Lady

31st August 2004, 08:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
kaleidoscope Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: GLASGLOW Posts: 1,346	woooooooot. i think bananas are grand. especialy when slightly green and very firm. yum. yum. yum. they are nice in between 2 slices of white bread and honey, and they are nice in milkshakes, and they are especialy nice in cereal.