Today’s Amazing Fact: Stop that heartburn with a Banana.

Nothing ruins a great day as much as a painful bout of heartburn. Although over-the-counter medicines are often effective, Banana remedies will help without the trip to the pharmacy. ‘Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.’

Heartburn is an uncomfortable but common feeling of burning or warmth in the chest. Although the pain of heartburn is felt in the chest, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Instead, heartburn is caused by stomach acid. Heartburn is a common symptom in most people. About one-third of adults experience heartburn. Anywhere from 17%-45% of pregnant women have heartburn or related symptom.

Continual bouts of heartburn can be a symptom of a more serious condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Frequent or severe heartburn may limit daily activities and lead to further complications such as ulcers in the esophagus. With proper understanding of heartburn and its treatment, relief can be obtained from this condition. However, banana is here to the rescue.

Bananas are healthy for you and that’s a good thing since they are the most popular fruit in North America. Everyone loves bananas. There are more songs, jokes and and silliness with this food than with any other plant on earth. Bananas are powerfoods!

Intake of Banana is associated with a number of preventive and remedial health benefits :

• A cup of bananas has a whopping 800 mg of potassium which help normalized Blood Pressure and improves Heart Functions.  Most people have an imbalanced sodium/potassium balance which is correlated with hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. This is also critical for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. 
• Bananas contain significant amounts of pectin, a soluble fiber.Low Glycemic Level.Although bananas have a lot of sugars, these digest relatively slowly with a glycemic index of 30 for unripe bananas and 60 for ripe.  This means you get energy without the rapid blood sugar yo-yo.
• Bananas are high in fructooligosaccharide, a probiotic that encourages growth of friendly bacteria. These friendly bacteria promote proper digestion, including calcium and other minerals.  They also reduce the risk of colon cancer. Banana also Improves calcium absorption. Bananas are known to have a positive impact on everything from depression and PMS, to anemia, high blood pressure, constipation, hangovers, heartburn, morning sickness, mosquito bites, ulcers, and nerves.
• The potassium in bananas is also known to improve brain power in students, making them more alert.
• Bananas can help lower blood sugar levels and reduce stress, helping alleviate the desire to gorge on comfort foods.
• Bananas can help lower the physical and emotional temperature of expectant moms.
• The natural mood enhancers bananas contain, tryptophan, can help those dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
• The magnesium, potassium, B6, and B12 in bananas can help smokers trying to kick the habit recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
• Regular banana consumption can cut the risk of death by stroke by up to 40 percent.
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Banana Nutrition cannot but be ove-emphasized: Bananas are a rich source of potassium. A 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Bananas have three times the vitamin C as apples. There are about 110 calories in a banana. Like many fruits, bananas are alkaline-forming. One banana contains 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. They are a good source of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Bananas also have minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese.

The banana health benefits far outweigh those of the apple because it has many more vitamins and nutrients than their round counterparts.So, the banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. It has four times the protein of an apple, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice all other vitamins and minerals. So maybe it’s time to change that well-known phrase to: “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

However, a person with latex allergy should stay away from Banana. The ideal way to consume fruits and vegetables is in an empty stomach (see old post ‘ EatingFruit and Veggies Correctly’) so as to avoid constipation.