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 highpotassium 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

calories

%DV

105.02

calories from fat

3.50

calories from saturated fat

1.19

protein

1.29 g

carbohydrates

26.95 g

dietary fiber

3.07 g

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

saturated fat

0.13 g

mono fat

0.04 g

poly fat

0.09 g

trans fatty acids

0.00 g

cholesterol

0.00 mg

water

88.39 g

ash

-- g

Vitamins
nutrient
vitamin A IU
vitamin A RAE

amount
75.52 IU
3.78 RAE

%D

A - carotenoid

7.55 RE

A - retinol

0.00 RE

A - beta carotene

30.68 mcg

thiamin - B1

0.04 mg

riboflavin - B2

0.09 mg

niacin - B3

0.78 mg

niacin equiv

0.96 mg

vitamin B6

0.43 mg

vitamin B12

0.00 mcg

biotin

3.07 mcg

vitamin C

10.27 mg

vitamin D IU

0.00 IU

vitamin D mcg

0.00 mcg

vitamin E alpha equiv

0.12 mg

vitamin E IU

-- IU

vitamin E mg

-- mg

folate

23.60 mcg

vitamin K

0.59 mcg

pantothenic acid

0.39 mg

Minerals
nutrient
boron

amount
-- mcg

calcium

5.90 mg

chloride

-- mg

chromium

0.93 mcg

copper

0.09 mg

fluoride

0.00 mg

iodine
iron
magnesium

9.44 mcg
0.31 mg
31.86 mg

%D

manganese

0.32 mg

molybdenum

-- mcg

phosphorus

25.96 mg
422.44
mg

potassium
selenium

1.18 mcg

sodium

1.18 mg

zinc

0.18 mg

Saturated Fats
nutrient

amount

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

%D

Mono Fats
nutrient

amount

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

%D

20:1 eicosen

0.00 g

22:1 erucic

0.00 g

24:1 nervonic

0.00 g

Poly Fats
nutrient

amount

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

%D

Other Fats
nutrient

amount

omega 3 fatty acids

0.03 g

omega 6 fatty acids

0.05 g

%D

Amino Acids
nutrient

amount

alanine

0.05 g

arginine

0.06 g

aspartate

0.15 g

cystine

0.01 g

glutamate

0.18 g

glycine

0.04 g

histidine

0.09 g

isoleucine

0.03 g

leucine

0.08 g

lysine

0.06 g

methionine

0.01 g

%D

phenylalanine

0.06 g

proline

0.03 g

serine

0.05 g

threonine

0.03 g

tryptophan

0.01 g

tyrosine

0.01 g

valine

0.06 g

Other
nutrient

amount

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

choline

11.56 mg

taurine

-- mg

lutein+zeaxanthin
lycopene

%D

25.96 mcg
0.00 mcg

Note: The nutrient profiles provided in this website are derived from Food Processor for Windows, Version

by ESHA Research in Salem, Oregon, USA. Of the 21,629 food records contained in the ESHA foods data
most of them - including those of the World's Healthiest Foods - lacked information for specific nutrients.
designation "--" was chosen to represent those nutrients for which there was no measurement included in t
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 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 hairs 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 dont
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 lets 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, lets go bananas!

THE END