General Chat

Thanks for nudging this Purple, I missed it the first time around. Have copied and will certainly pass on to my friends.

I love bananas but don't eat them very often because I was lead to believe they were fattening. Think the good effects outweigh the bad though. Hubby has one every day in his lunch box.

I remember being presented with my first banana at age 3yrs by this strange man,. He was an uncle, in full naval uniform, on leave during WWII. I burst into tears, not sure if it was the sight of my first banana or the strange man.

Linda

nudge

Ros, no but I don't get too close to banana eaters lol

Lindy, pmsl, the silly things we do when we are young lol


xxxx

Noooooooooo...not the banana!

The only time I had a funny smell coming from my mouth is when we tried to make homemade beer from pineapples..and a kingsize headache when it fermented....

The errors of youth...

Lindy ;)))))))))

Covers mouth with hand and mubbles.I have one every morning!

have you ever noticed that someone who has eaten a banana has a funny smell coming from their mouth!

Tina, my o.h. won't eat them if they are turning ripe, he likes them almost green urgh! but I like them the way Lindy describes, yellow with black on the skin.
In fact we have two like that in the fruit bowl, so here goes, yum yum,
Unzip a banana lol!

Lizx

I was brought up eating banana's, even had a tree in our previous house.
They are at there best when the skin is a bright yellow with black specked dots.
My boys won't eat them unless the skin is a mixture of green and yellow which is only half ripe.
If banana's were good for dieting I would be as skinny as a rake.

Lindy ;))))))

Oh no you're not! LOL

Liz, perhaps I should try the more riper ones then. I will give it a go, as I do miss eating bananas, the last time I ate one I was in bed for two days with chronic indigestion, did wonder if i was having a heart attack it was that bad! But they are so good for you that I feel I am missing out. OH loves them but buys them as green as possible!

Tina x

Tina, I don't like bananas until they are ripe, can't eat those woody tasting ones when they are still green or very firm, ugh!
I used to love mashed banana with milk and sugar when I was young so have eaten them most of my life lol


Mac, you are such a joker!

Lizxx

Mac, you do make me laugh out load - literally. lol

Liz, I cannot eat bananas, I find it very hard to digest, gives me chronic heartburn and indigestion.

Tina x

Oo, no wonder I am such a brain box, with no hint or depression or high blood pressure, and not a wart in sight??

(Why am I such a liar, and I love bananas?!!!)

When I was an army nurse, we often shined our shoes with banana skin.

I love a banana and always have done.
I did know all those things.... except for the mosquito bites one....
We live and learn don't we? ;-0)
Deanna X

They are always handy to grab and eat on the run if you're pushed for time, or need a fairly healthy snack with you. Funny tho, my son used to love them but now he says he isn't so keen, perhaps I gave him too many lol
Marion, I usually slice one on my cereal too, Somerfield's muesli with extra helping of porridge oats ( see my thread Getting your oats lol) Our Somerfield is closing at the weekend and changing over to a Budgen's a week later, so while it was on offer and available we stocked up, have 8 boxes stored away lol


Lizx

Morning ladies :))

Intersting...I'm sitting here eating weetabix and chopped banana for breakfast.I eat a banana most day's.
That explains why I'm so fit and healthy...not lol

>>>>runs of to swing from the lights>>>>.

That's interesting, Liz. I love em! Am having one right now with my porridge and my young niece got rid of a troublesome verucca with the banana skin treatment....BCXX

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 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 So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!! ?

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain.
Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting.
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.
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.

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.

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

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

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.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were help ed 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.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

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.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

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.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.


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 chips. 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.

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.

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.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

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.

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%!