FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 18, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 37
wellness
6 reasons you need more bananas in your life
Bananas are a tasty snack that many
people eat regularly without much
thought, but there’s more to the iconic
yellow fruit than just its convenience
and color. Bananas are a superfood loaded
with nutrients and have been enjoyed
worldwide for hundreds of years. In fact,
there are many reasons to consider eating
more bananas.
Versatility: Bananas are one of the most
versatile foods available. Th ey come in
their own container and you can eat them
right out of the peel. You can slice up fresh
bananas to enhance favorite snack foods,
like cereal, yogurt or smoothies. Th ey are
a natural alternative to sugar to sweeten
desserts and can be used in a variety
of recipes, including savory ones. Th ey
are even tasty dried and eaten as banana
chips.
Nutrient powerhouse: Bananas are not
only a powerhouse for potassium with
nearly 10 percent of the recommended
daily value, but also boast many other
nutritional benefi ts. Just one banana has
35 percent of the daily recommended B-6,
which helps with cell growth. In addition,
you’ll be giving your body important vitamins
and minerals like magnesium, manganese,
vitamin C and copper. Bananas
are also a good source of antioxidants to
support a healthy immune system.
Don’t believe the sugar rumors: Bananas
are a wonderful source of natural sugars
(the good kind) and carbohydrates, which
help provide sustained energy. It’s a common
misconception that bananas aren’t as
healthy due to the higher sugar content,
however, the natural sugars in bananas
come with fi ber, which slows digestion
and gives the body time to use it as fuel
instead of storing it as fat.
Low-fat, low-cal: Bananas have no fat,
cholesterol or sodium, making them ideal
for nutritious eating as well as a good
option if you’re on many specialty diets.
Plus, they’re just 100 calories per banana,
providing you all-natural, long-lasting
energy. Whether it’s a snack or addition
to a recipe, you can feel good about eating
bananas.
Digestive health: Bananas are oft en one
of a baby’s fi rst foods. Th ey are also one of
the fi rst things we eat when we are sick.
Why? Because they are soft to chew and
easy to digest. In fact, bananas can support
digestive health thanks to their pectin
level that acts as a fi ber. If you prefer
your bananas a bit on the unripe side,
you’re also in luck because unripe bananas
contain higher levels of resistant starches,
which are a soluble fi ber.
Banana bread: One of the most popular
ways to bake with bananas is banana
bread. What many people might not know
is the history of the moist, sweet loaf featuring
the classic yellow fruit. Banana
bread is the creation of thrift y housewives
during the Great Depression who
had to stretch their family’s food supplies,
including utilizing overly ripe bananas.
Recipes have evolved over the years to
include diff erent ingredients and fun variations,
such as adding in nuts, chocolate
chips and fl avoring like almond and
vanilla. Try this classic recipe to treat your
friends and family.
Chiquita Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients:
• 4 ripe Chiquita bananas
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup almond fl our/spelt fl our
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 can coconut milk (13.5 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
Directions:
Purée 3 bananas with a hand mixer.
Scoop the bananas into a big bowl.
Chop nuts coarsely. Now add all other
ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Pour batter into greased pan. Cut the
fourth banana lengthwise in half and
place the slices on top of the batter.
Bake loaf for about 45 minutes in oven.
Th e night before, put the coconut
milk in the fridge (to separate fl uid from
cream). Scoop only the top layer of cream
from the can into a big bowl. Add 1 tablespoon
of honey and 1 teaspoon of vanilla
and mix it until you get a smooth mixture.
Serve with the loaf.
Courtesy BPT
Sweet cherries: Your on-the-go, healthy summertime snack
Summer is peak vacation season.
According to a recent AAA Travel survey,
nearly 100 million Americans will
take a vacation in 2019, with 68% of those
vacations occurring in the summer. While
vacations are fun, traveling can be hectic,
making it that much more important
to have healthy on-the-go snacks to keep
you energized throughout your trip.
Sweet cherries are an ideal grab-andgo
summer snack, with high concentrations
of nutrients and bioactive components
like fi ber, polyphenols, carotenoids,
vitamin C and potassium. Long praised
for their many health benefi ts, they can
help tackle several chronic health issues,
according to a review of nearly 30 published
studies. Read on to learn how this
snack can help you manage fi ve common
health concerns.
1. Oxidative stress
Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals
and antioxidants are out of balance
in your body. Under normal conditions,
free radicals help the body by fi ghting
off pathogens that can lead to infection
or disease. But when antioxidants are far
outnumbered, free radicals can go rogue
and attack the body’s fatty tissue, protein
or even DNA. Once compromised, the
body becomes more susceptible to various
diseases over time, such as heart disease,
diabetes and hypertension, to name a few.
Sweet cherries are rich in polyphenols
and vitamin C, which have powerful antioxidant
properties. Studies have shown
that eating sweet cherries can increase
antioxidant capacity and reduce oxidative
stress, bringing the body back into a
healthy balance.
2. Infl ammation
If you’re among the 54 million
Americans who suffer
from arthritis or
another rheumatic
disease, sweet cherries
may be able
to provide some
relief. Research
shows that their
anti-inflammatory
properties
can have the
same eff ect as
ibuprofen.
3. Gout
Gout is a form of
arthritis, and suff erers
tend to experience
severe pain, redness and
tenderness in their joints.
Th e condition is associated
with elevated levels of uric acid in
the blood, levels that have been reduced
with a diet incorporating sweet cherries.
A recent study with gout patients found
a 35% lower risk of gout attacks among
those who consumed the fruit over two
days. When that was combined with their
prescribed medicine, specifi cally allopurinol,
the risk of a gout attack was 75%
lower.
4. Sleep
Vacation and travel can
throw off your sleep
patterns, and a good
night’s sleep is essential
in a great vacation.
With sweet
cherries, you
have a reliable
source of tryptophan,
serotonin
and melatonin.
Tryptophan is
necessary to the
development of
serotonin, which,
in turn, plays an
important role
in regulating sleep,
mood and appetite.
Adequate levels of serotonin
can contribute to feelings
of well-being, while depression
has been linked to low measures.
Additionally, melatonin helps maintain
your body’s internal clock, regulating your
sleep and wakefulness patterns.
Studies show that along with this
enhanced sleep quality and quantity,
mood and anxiety also display improvement.
Researchers say enjoying the fruit
about an hour before bedtime can help
stabilize your sleep cycle.
5. Blood pressure
Finally, studies point to a link between
the consumption of sweet cherries and
lower blood pressure, both systolic and
diastolic measures. Prolonged consumption
correlates with a decrease in a potent
vasoconstrictor, a compound that narrows
blood vessels and restricts blood fl ow. Th e
fruit is also associated with increased
eff ectiveness of vasodilators, which help
widen blood vessels and reduce blood
pressure.
Th e addition of sweet cherries to your
diet can reduce common health concerns
and minimize the risk for developing illnesses
such as cardiovascular disease and
diabetes. Best of all, they are delicious!
Th ey are only in season for a short time,
so grab them while they’re at their freshest,
then freeze, dry or preserve them to
enjoy throughout the year.
Courtesy BPT
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