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Healthy Reasons to Add Bananas to Your Diet

Sure, bananas are a healthful treat. But you may not know all that they can do for you. Bananas have fiber and 3 natural sugars including glucose, sucrose and fructose. If you work out regularly, you may want to consider this: eating 2 bananas will sustain you through a vigorous workout lasting up to 90 minutes. Of course, athletes may already know this. The benefits don't stop with providing energy for sustained workouts. Let's see what else this amazing fruit can help you with.

Stress - Bananas put potassium back into the body, which is lost during stress.

• Skip the comfort foods - One of the leading habits that people under stress have is stress eating. Instead of the comfort foods like sugar and chocolate, try regulating your sugar levels with bananas, to regulate your blood sugar levels. And bananas are definitely better for your waste line.

Depression - Bananas contain a protein called tryptophan. The body converts this protein to serotonin which is known to have a soothing effect. It makes you feel happy, in general improving your mood.

Seasonal Affective Disorder - It's the tryptophan again that helps the body to feel good.

Blood pressure - Another important ingredient in bananas is potassium, which is very important in the regulation of blood pressure. When you consider that the banana has very low salt, it's a perfect way to adjust your pressure. It's no wonder the US Food and Drug Administration is allowing the banana industry to officially claim the effectiveness of bananas in the fight against high blood pressure and stroke.

Nerves in general - Bananas have a calming effect on the general nervous system.

Strokes - In the New England Journal of Medicine, it was reported that deaths as a result of strokes were reduced by as much as 40% in the patients who added bananas as a regular part of their diet.

Constipation - The high fiber content promotes healthy bowel action. Consider adding bananas to your regular fruit regimen to help your bowels.

Heartburn - Bananas can relieve symptoms of heartburn because they act on the body as antacids.

Ulcers - If you experience intestinal disorders, bananas can come to your rescue here as well. It's smooth, soft texture is easy on the stomach as it goes to work neutralizing the excess acidity and coats the stomach lining.

PMS - Bananas contain vitamin B6, which is important in the regulation of glucose levels in blood. Since sugar levels can affect your mood, it's a good practice to make sure you're getting an adequate supply. Bananas are a much more pleasurable way to restore your body's healthy levels, than with pills.

Bananas and pregnancy - You can find relief by eating bananas when you suffer from the following:

• Temperature control - It helps your emotional temperament and it may help physical temperature too. In India, expectant mothers eat bananas for their babies to be born with a cool temperature
• Morning sickness - This works because of the banana's property to sooth the stomach and maintain good blood sugar levels

Smarten up with bananas - The studies show that potassium in bananas increases alertness. In a study of children the remarkable banana actually increased their learning ability

Are you feeling the effects of nicotine withdrawal? - Bananas to the rescue! The vitamins B6 and B12 and potassium and magnesium replenish your body and relieve the symptoms of withdrawal.

Hangovers - A fast cure for a hangover is bananas. Try making a banana milkshake using honey to sweeten it to taste. This drink soothes your stomach and replenishes depleted body sugars. And drink plenty of purified water to relieve dehydration caused by drinking alcohol.

Mosquito bites - Rub the inside of the banana peel on your bug bite for soothing relief.

Warts, be gone! - Affix a piece of banana peel to your skin, yellow side out. Use tape to hold it in place and watch the results.

Compared with apples, the banana has more protein, carbohydrates, vitamin A, phosphorus and iron, and other minerals and vitamins. Remember the B and tryptophan and potassium. The banana is an amazing fruit rich in vitamins and minerals, and it's an easy way to help yourself to better health.