Jacqueline is a former member of the Canadian National Swim Team with over 10 years experience as a fitness professional. She holds a graduate degree in Health Sciences and is also a nutrition expert. Jacqueline is the co-owner of Move to Heal, a sport injury, yoga, and pilates clinic located in the heart of downtown Toronto in the Thompson Hotel Residences.
“A banana a day will keep the sadness away!” I didn’t really think anything of this quote, until I started to focus more of my research on nutrition. Whether or not this person knew it, what they said is actually partially true. Bananas are a great source of many nutrients, and the combination of some of these do help to make you “feel better.” How does this work? Well, bananas are the only fruit that contain the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6 together. In combination, these two nutrients help to produce serotonin, which is a naturally produced hormone in the body that helps to alleviate mental stress.
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To help you relax even more, you can sleep easy at night knowing that bananas are also one of the best sources of potassium and an awesome source of energy! They are great for both pre and post workout energy and are delicious; plus, they are a great alternative to traditional desserts. With sales at around 100 billion bananas per year, they sit in the top 5 most consumed agricultural products in the world.
Easy Ways To Get Your Banana On:
– On your oats in the morning
– With a little organic peanut butter or hazelnut butter for dessert (rolled in fresh coconut or cacao nibs is outta this world!)
– Chopped up, frozen, and then used to make green-nana ice cream in a food processor
– In a smoothie with kale or spinach, your favourite protein powder, ground flax, chia seeds, and coconut water
My favourite seasonal banana recipe: Pumpkin Pie Banana Ice Cream
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Ingredients:
3 chopped and frozen bananas
1/2 cup pumpkin purée (fresh made or canned – but be sure not to buy pumpkin pie filling!)
1/8 cup full fat coconut milk
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
Optional: 1 tbsp of raw honey or maple syrup to sweeten it up
Directions:
Put it all in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy! You can also top with maple syrup and crushed pecans. For a chocolate antioxidant omega kick add cacao nibs! Enjoy!
How do you like your bananas? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.
