Aviva Trivia

Smarter Students: Research indicates that fruit containing lots of potassium can make students more alert. So technically, the key to acing that difficult calculus test, SATs, or GREs could be a handful of ripe bananas.

Hangover-No-More: Drank just a little more than intended the night before? No problem – banana milkshakes with honey rehydrate, soothe a queasy stomach, and restore blood sugar levels to their pre-hangover state.

PMS – Pretty Measly Symptoms: Instead of popping Midol like candy every time the crimson wave hits, try eating a banana. It contains a vitamin (B6) that regulates blood glucose levels, which can make you feel a lot less irritable.

Head Off Heartburn at the Pass: Eat bananas for welcome relief from the painful symptoms of heartburn. Bananas have a completely natural antacid effect that will banish the unbearable burning in no time.

Deadend Depression: Bananas have a small amount of a certain protein, tryptophan, that the body makes into serotonin. Tryptophan helps you relax and makes you happier. Yes, you read it correctly – the same protein that makes you fall asleep after a hearty Thanksgiving dinner is present in a banana, and can improve your mood.

Master Morning Sickness: Pregnant women can keep their blood sugar levels high by eating bananas between meals, thereby reducing morning sickness.

Avoid Anemia: Bananas increase the creation of hemoglobin in the blood, so consuming these delightful yellow treats is a good way to prevent the the uncomfortable symptoms associated with anemia.

Unsavory Ulcers: Bananas have such a soft and smooth texture that they are the dietary food of choice to prevent intestinal disorders. They also reduce stomach irritation and instances of ulcers by coating the stomach lining.

Murder Mosquito Bites: Forget about calamine lotion, oatmeal, anti-itch cream, and all of the other time-honored ways of combatting the dreaded mosquito bite itch. Instead, rub the bite with a banana skin’s inside layer, and watch as the swelling and irritation practically disappear. 

Stymy Strokes: “The New England Journal of Medicine” performed research that suggested eating bananas regularly may slash the risk of a stroke death by up to 40%.

War on Warts: A popular natural alternative for getting rid of warts is to put a piece of skin from a banana with the yellow side facing outward on top of the pesky bump, held securely with surgical tape or plaster.

SAD to GLAD: As mentioned before, bananas contain the mood-upper tryptophan, so say goodbye to the negative moods Seasonal Affective Disorder can bring by chowing down on this tropical fruit.

Cure Constipation: Bananas contain tons of fiber, which is integral to having regular bowel movements. They’re a handy, painless way to avoid laxatives. 

Stop Smoking: Bananas can help smokers kick the habit? That’s going too far – or is it? The B6, B12, potassium, and magnesium inside bananas can lessen the impact of nicotine withdrawal.

Beat High Blood Pressure: The US Food and Drug Administration recently permitted purveyors of bananas to officially declare the ability of the fruit to lessen the threat of stroke and blood pressure. Why? Bananas are very high in potassium, but relatively low in salt, which is the ideal combination for lowering high blood pressure levels.

Soothe Stress: Since bananas are so high in potassium, they aid in getting oxygen swiftly to the brain, regulating the water balance in our bodies, and normalizing our heartbeats. All this comes in handy when we are stressed and our metabolic rates rise, severely decreasing the amount of potassium in our bodies. Bananas restore the potassium levels to normal states, reducing our stress. All this, and they’re tasty, too!