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Bananas

This is interesting. After Reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas . Containing 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 the 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 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.

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 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

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: 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 balanced 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%!

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!"

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Apples
Apples are excellent detoxifiers and apple juice can destroy viruses in the body. In one recent study , Riu Hai Liu of Cornell University, has found although apples has only a small amount of vitamin C, eating 100 grams of apple provides the same amount of antioxidant activity as taking 1,500 milligrams of the same vitamin.
Just make sure you do not take too many apple seeds because it could be toxic if taken in large amount.

Benefits Of Apples
1. Apple cleans teeth and strengthens gum

2. Will make the cholesterol level lower

3. Detoxify the body and has an antiviral property

4. Apple will also prevent constipation because it helps digestion

5. One large apple supplies almost 30% of minimum amount of fiber that should be consumed daily

The use :
1. For people who suffer from gout and rheumatism, eat apple regularly because it will aid healing

2. Eating 2 apples a day will reduce your cholesterol level up to 10 %

3. Drinking an apple juice, 3 times a day, is said to prevent virus from settling in the body.

4. Another benefit of apple is for those who have problem with their stomach. If you have problem with indigestion, eat apples before meals.

5. Grated apple, when mixed with live yogurt may be helpful in cases of diarrhea


Tips :
1) Never buy apples that have not been kept cold since they can be over-ripe in a few days.

2) Apples should be hard. If you can dent an apple with your finger, DO NOT BUY IT.

3) Keep your apples refrigerated. If not, it will decay fast.

4) To prevent browning, rub the cut surfaces with a mixture of lemon juice and water.
5) Canadian researchers analyzing eight popular varieties found that the old standby, Red Delicious, and an apple called Northern Spy contain more disease-fighting antioxidants in their skin and flesh than any other studied. In English this means red apples are better than other apples.

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Oranges
You have been told many times that oranges are good for you because they have a Vitamin C.
Which is true but there are many other forms of health benefits. Oranges are very full of Vitamin C but in addition to that there are other vitamins called citrus limonoids. These limonoids help fight certain cancers such as mouth, skin, lung, breast, and stomach and colon cancers in animals.

Researchers are looking for ways to incorporate those studies into helping humans.

Oranges are a great source of iron and they help keep your cholesterol low. Oranges are a good source of calcium that is great for your bones, with Vitamin C and milk as an extra and important source of Calcium can help protect your bones from breaking.

The main source of Vitamin C, oranges can help fight off bacteria and prevent colds and the flu. The Vitamin C is a great way to fight off airborne germs during the winter months. There are many different forms of Vitamin C, which are the actual orange and orange tablets.

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Pineapple
Pineapple is one of those foods that is heaven to eat. A good, juicy ripe pineapple can satisfy a sweet craving as well as any chocolate bar. In addition to being a delicious food, there are many health benefits of pineapple.

Pineapple is Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals
The obvious benefits of pineapple are all the vitamins and minerals the fruit is loaded with. Its nutrients include calcium, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. In addition it is low in fat and cholesterol.

The benefits of pineapple can be achieved through eating fresh, canned, or frozen pineapple or by drinking its juice.

Pineapple Strengthens Bones
One of the benefits of pineapple is that it helps to build healthy bones. Pineapples are rich in manganese, a trace mineral that is needed for your body to build bone and connective tissues. Just one cup of pineapple provides 73% of the daily recommended amount of manganese. The benefits of pineapple can effect the growth of bones in young people and the strengthening of bones in older people.

Pineapple is Good for Colds and Coughs
While many people often take extra vitamin C or drink extra orange juice when they have a cold, few consider eating pineapple. The benefits of pineapple when you have a cold or cough are the same as the benefits of orange juice, but there is an additional benefit of pineapple. Bromelain, which is found in pineapples, has been found to help suppress coughs and loosen mucus.

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Cranberries
Cranberries are actually a type of acidic berries that are rich in vitamin C and believed to contain excellent infection fighting properties.

A source of pythochemicals known as condensed tannins; these berries are powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effect. The good news about tannins is the fact that cooking could not destroy it. Although most of us only know that cranberries are good for urinary tract infection, studies have also showed that there are other benefits of this humble fruit. Scientists now believe that this same fruit can help ward off health problems like ulcer and gum problems.

Benefits of Cranberries

1. Improve the body's circulatory system.
2. A daily glass of cranberry juice will treat diseases like cystitis.
3. Provide relief for asthma patients.
4. Condensed tannins in cranberries can inhibit the oxidation of bad cholesterol and as a result protects body against atheroscelrosis.
5. Tannins are also considered an important contributor to a healthy heart.
6. Acts as bactericide and affects the acidity of the urine. In effect, it disrupts the development of kidney stone formation.

The Uses of Cranberries

1. Asthma Attack
   To overcome an asthma attack, cranberries can be used. Crush the berries, boil it in distilled water and skin. This is effective relief from an attack since the berries contain active ingredients similar to drugs prescribed by your doctors to control asthma.
2. Urinary Tract Infection
   As known, the juice has been long known to treat this disease. This is because the juice reduce the number of bacteria adhering to the body's urinary tract lining. A study among elderly patients suggested a 50% reduction of infection among patients who drank 300 ml of cranberry juice everyday for over 6 months. A daily portion of cranberries would also help in treating the disease.
3. Reduces Cholesterol
   Laboratory results have also shown that cranberry extract reduces the oxidation of "bad cholesterol". This helps promote healthy heart.
4. Prevent Ulcers
   New studies have shown the ability of this fruit has the ability to prevent peptic ulcer by inhibiting the adhesion of bacteria to certain parts of the stomach.
5. Anti-Aging
   An exciting new research has shown that cranberries could help protect the brain from neurological damage.

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Blueberries
Although blueberries may be tiny, they pack a healthy punch with phytochemicals -- the component that contains antioxidants responsible for the many healthy benefits of blueberries.

Free radicals are atoms that are formed when oxygen in the body interacts with other elements. The body uses these when it performs a bodily function. While not all free radicals are harmful, others can cause cellular damage to our brains, our bodies, as well as cause various cancers. As we grow older our ability to fend off free radicals is impaired. We can minimize the damage by eating blueberries.

Blueberries are chockfull of antioxidants, which work by defusing the harmful effects that free radicals inflict on our DNA, organs, and reproductive cells.

Specifically, here are four healthy benefits of blueberries:

Improve Neurological Functions
Tufts University neuroscientist James Joseph called the "Blueberry- the brain berry." Studies have shown that blueberries are beneficial for lessening the effects of neurological sicknesses.

Prevents Cholesterol Build Up
The second healthy benefit derived from blueberries is that it prevents the build up of cholesterol and stops blood cots from forming in the body.

Improves Eyesight
The third healthy benefit of blueberries is that it can improve your eyesight and prevent age related loss of vision, as studies conducted in Europe have shown.

Urinary Tract Health
The fourth healthy benefit of blueberries is that it keeps your urinary tract healthy by stopping bacteria from lining your bladder walls.

Reap the full healthy benefit of blueberries by eating these little wonders freshly washed or mixed in a yogurt-based smoothie.