Healthy Inside, Radiant Outside
Banana
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Bananas are one of the foods with the highest potassium-to-sodium ratio, which makes them an excellent snack for women prone to developing cellulite. Sodium (salt) increases water retention associated with unsightly cellulite, while potassium has the opposite effect. Furthermore, bananas are known to promote healthy blood flow in the body. Healthy blood circulation ensures that skin cells receive the nutrients they require. Blood flow also rids the body of toxins that may be responsible for cellulite build-up. Stay away from banana chips, though: they are packed with calories and contain added fat and sugar.
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1. Foods rich in potassium—like bananas, plus avocados, kiwis, oranges, and pistachios—prevent water retention by regulating sodium levels in your body and can thus reduce salt-induced bloating. Bananas also have soluble fiber, which can relieve or prevent constipation.
2. Each banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, which is roughly 10% of the daily fiber you should be consuming. The fiber in bananas helps to prevent constipation, bloating, and other unwanted digestive symptoms. Fiber helps to regulate restoration and maintenance of regular bowel functions because it binds to waste and toxins within the digestive tract, helping to pull them out of the body. Fiber helps to reduce inflammation as it removes waste and toxins from the body, keeping arteries clear from dangerous plague build-up. Additionally, bananas are easy to digest and can help prevent cases of diarrhea. This is because of their starches and fiber which can help to bind waste within your digestive tract, while their potassium facilitates in balancing water retention in the gut and keeping you from becoming dehydrated.
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Bananas are a great pick-me-up snack because they provide carbohydrate in the form of quick-releasing sugars which your body can use for energy. After a workout, your body uses carbohydrates to refuel and repair muscle fibers that have been broken down. After exercising, banana nutrition contains sugar molecules that are able to reach muscle tissues fast right when they are needed most. This helps restore glucose reserves quickly, which is vital for giving your body the energy it needs to build muscle and strength. Bananas are useful either before exercise or immediately after, providing your body with the sufficient carbs and nutrients that it needs. At just 100 calories, bananas make a great pre or post workout snack choice, especially considering they are a whole food and contain no processed or artificial ingredients like many packaged snacks do.
Depression-Anxiety (Reduction)
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Bananas contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which is facilitates in the regulation of serotonin, one of our main “happy hormones". Healthy levels of serotonin work to lift your mood and prevent mood disorders including anxiety and depression.
Banana nutrition also includes antioxidants that help with the release of dopamine within the brain, another mood enhancing hormone. Regularly consuming bananas can help to increase your energy, prevent fatigue from over-exerting yourself, and to keep a positive mindset.
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Banana nutrition can benefit your brain, skin and bones because just one banana contains 16% of the manganese you need for the day. Studies have shown that manganese can help with healthy brain function and to prevent conditions including epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
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Bananas are a good source of Vitamin C (about 14%DV) that aids in collagen production to keep you looking young. Manganese benefits the health and appearance of your skin by contributing to the production of collagen, an important structural component that maintains skin’s youthful appearance and elasticity. Manganese also acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, two crucial properties that are useful in naturally slowing aging since they reduce free radical damage and oxidative stress.