The other day, I tried to make homemade banana ice cream for the first time.  I put frozen bananas through a juicer and it tasted really good!  Bananas contain three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, so I didn’t need to add anything else!  Last night, I did some research and found that bananas are good for you – so much more than you can imagine.

• Energy: A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.  Just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. 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.

• Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure.  In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration now allows the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

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

• 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.

• Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6 and B12 that they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

• 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.

• 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 percent!

Bananas really are a natural remedy for many ills. Surprised? When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

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