One of the most nutritious fruits known to humans, bananas are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that a bunch of fruits together cannot compete with. They are rich in potassium, which are crucial in maintaining blood pressure levels in our body. Bananas are also natural antacids that make them an excellent remedy for soothing an upset stomach. Moreover, having banana can eliminate the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers, further ease heartburns. The high fibre content of bananas helps bowel regularity and ease constipation. They are extremely good for drooping energy levels, too. Bananas contain slow release sugars, which act as energy boosters. With so many health benefits, all packed into one delicious fruit, yet there are many who are weary of having them at certain points in a day. For instance, according to old wives' tale, eating banana during the night may aggravate cold and cough.

Is It Safe To Have Bananas During Night?

According to Ayurveda expert Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, "There is nothing unsafe about eating bananas at night. But, one may want to avoid it late at night. It is known to aggravate cough and cold. As banana is a heavy fruit, it takes a long time to digest. If you want to eat it make sure you have it 2-3 hours before you hit the bed. Bananas make you feel lethargic and lazy too."It is a common belief that eating bananas or citrus fruits should be avoided by those who have cold and cough, especially at night. It is true that during night you are more vulnerable to infections. It is also true that one should avoid eating anything close to bedtime, as that is when our metabolism is the lowest and our body is looking to wind down. If you feed your body with food, it would transform into energy, which our body is not exactly looking for at that time.

However, does that put our favourite banana at spot? Not entirely. According to many experts, nothing in moderation can harm. Bananas are rich in vitamin C, which boosts our immunity system. Experts also say that nutrient-dense banana helps replenish lost minerals and antioxidants that may help soothe cold and fever.

According to Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora, "Bananas are extremely healthy and energising; however, according to ancient Indian medicine, bananas are not recommended for people of 'kapha' prakriti. As per Ayurveda, your prakriti is classified into three: Vata, Kapha and Pitta. Those who are prone to cold, cough or are asthmatic should avoid bananas in the evening as it produces toxins in the digestive tract. But, that being said, bananas are extremely nutritious and must not be ruled out of your diet. "

So Should You Have Bananas At Night?

It is best to avoid eating sweet things at night, especially very sweet fruits, as they escalate energy levels at the time when your body is actually demanding sleep. But, if you must have something, then bananas may not be a bad bet. Bananas have decent quantum of magnesium, which has been known to aid sound sleep. Bananas are low in carbohydrates; therefore, they release sugar slowly, which doesn't elevate your blood sugar levels. But, those struggling with cold and fever, may want to consult their physicians in before having a banana, late in the evening.

Mosambi, also known as sweet lime, is one the most delicious and nutrient-dense citrus fruits. Apart from being immensely versatile in nature, sweet lime is a rich source of vital nutrients as well. Including it in daily diet can provide you with a lot of health benefiting properties. However, what makes this fruit more versatile is its ability to treat a lot of skin woes as well. Yes, you read that right! Mosambi can be easily used on face, either as a whole or as a face pack. It is an inexpensive way to treat skin problems. Here's how you can use mosambi to get a soft and supple skin that too in the comforts of your kitchen. Just get hold of few ingredients and get going.

Mosambi For Face Cleansing

Mosambi is an excellent source of vitamin C and the citric juice present in it acts as a great cleansing agent. To begin with, cut a mosambi in two halves and use one half to gently scrub your face in a circular motion. Continue doing this for 7-8 minutes and then wash off your face with water. Pat dry your skin and feel refreshed.

Mosambi Face Pack For Stubborn Tan

If you are suffering from summer tan and wish to get rid of the same, then this face pack will come to great use. All you need is ground mosambi peel, just a pinch of cosmetic turmeric, and 1 tbsp of natural honey. Mix the ingredients thoroughly till a fine paste-like consistency is attained. Apply on the face and allow it to stay for 5 minutes. Rinse off with water. Repeat this procedure twice a week and say bye-bye to stubborn tan.

Mosambi For Dark Circles And Puffy Eyes

Sweet lime is known to effectively reduce dark circles. If you happen to have puffed eyes, then apply this mixture on your under-eye skin and watch out for results. For this, you need is 1/2 tsp of sweet lime juice, 1 tsp of banana paste, 1 tsp of cucumber juice and 1 tsp of vitamin E gel. Add the four ingredients in a bowl and combine them to form a smooth paste. Refrigerate the bowl for 3-4 minutes and with the help of a cotton pad, apply this paste on your under-eye are. Let it sit for 10-12 minutes and after that massage for few seconds and rinse off with water.

So, make your skin feel rejuvenated by using this inexpensive home remedy.

Banana is probably one of the most commonly available fruits throughout the world. Botanically classified as a berry, it packs a nutrition punch. Bananas grow on large herbaceous flowering plant in bunches and can be of red, brown, purple, yellow and green variety. Be it the flower, leaf, trunk or the fruit itself, the entire shrub is useful in various ways. In the Indian subcontinent, bananas are widely used in cooking; banana chips, banana jelly, raw banana subzi are some of the most popular dishes in our country. The flowers of banana are a delicacy in both Bengali and south Indian cuisines. Banana leaves are used for making eco-friendly disposable eating bowls as they are waterproof and flexible enough to be moulded into shapes. Other than this, fish and rice is often wrapped in these leaves for cooking purpose. Whereas, the soft inner core of the banana trunk is used across Southeast Asian cuisines for cooking.

In addition, the fibre from the shrub has been used for making clothes since the 13th century and it is also used for making paper.

Despite being abundantly rich in essential nutrients, bananas have always been associated with obesity for some strange reason. Hence, to understand its health quotient, let's have a closer look at the nutrients.

Calories: At less than 100Kcal per serving, this is a perfect in-between meal snack. It provides important vitamins and minerals too.

Carbohydrates: A good source of carbs, bananas provide quick energy and are a perfect pre-workout snack. Carbs are the main source of energy for our body, so a healthy carb snack goes a long way in keeping our energy levels up. Bananas have a low Glycaemic index (51+/- 3), which means that the fruit isn't going to increase your blood sugar too much. Diabetics need to speak to their nutritionist for individual guidance.

Fat: Bananas contain .22gms of fat! It's negligible, so stop worrying and add bananas to your meals as one of the seasonal fruits to have in rotation.

Fibre: Bananas have a modest amount of fibre but what makes it an ideal choice for healthy digestion is the fact that within its fibre is one type called Pectin. A soluble fibre, the quantity of pectin increases as the fruit ripens. Pectin is linked to decreasing cholesterol and lipids in the blood. It has also shown glucose and insulin lowering activity, and in addition it increases the gastric emptying time, which further promotes satiety.

Folates: One of the preferred weaning foods for babies is mashed banana. The folates present in bananas help meet the need for folic acid in infancy and early childhood. Folates are required for converting carbs to energy, for making red and white blood cells and for production of DNA & RNA. Folic acid is also associated with a decreased risk of heart diseases and stroke.

Potassium: It is a key mineral that is associated with important functions in the body. Potassium is required for maintaining the electrolyte balance in the blood and also help in controlling blood pressure by negating the effects of salt. It is essential for the muscles to work effectively, especially those that control the heart beats and breathing; potassium also helps the nerves work properly.

Every food that nature provides us with comes along with health benefits; therefore, eliminating it from diet because of some myth not just deprives us of good nutrition but also variety, which is the spice of life. The only contraindication for consuming bananas are for people with kidney diseases, or people on medication, which may lead to an increase in potassium.

Here in full swing and so is the need to binge on summer fruit like mango. Mango is not only delicious but also packs a host of health benefiting properties. It can do wonders for your overall health, provided it's consumed in moderation. Other than its consumption, mango can be used on the face as well in the form of face packs. Mango pulp when applied onto the skin can treat a host of skin problems, one of which being tanned skin. With summer comes tanned skin. A lot of us look out for various beauty treatments to get rid of that summer tan. However, not many know that the same condition can be treated using natural stuff like mango. This humble summer fruit can be used to get rid of even the most stubborn tan. In order to get rid of that tanned skin, here are a few mango face packs that can come to great help. Read on to know how they can be applied.

1. Mango Pulp Face Pack

Having an uneven skin complexion could be a nightmare for many. In order to get rid of the same, mango pulp can prove to be quite beneficial. Mango has exfoliating properties that can help in keeping the skin well hydrated. Just extract mango pulp and rub it over your face for around 2-3 minutes. Allow it to stay for 5 minutes and rinse off with cold water. Doing so will help you bring back the glow back after a tan, further improving your skin complexion. Repeat the procedure thrice a week to see effective results.

2. Mango And Besan Face Pack

This particular face pack can effectively keep tanned skin at bay. To make this face pack, you need to have pulp of ripe mango, two teaspoons of besan, 1/2 teaspoon of honey and few ground almonds. Take a bowl and add mango pulp in it. Then add Bengal gram flour (besan), almonds and honey into the pulp. Mix the ingredients properly to get a smooth paste-like consistency. Gently rub over the face and allow it to stay for around 10-12 minutes. Once it is done, rinse off with water. Use this face pack twice and watch out for results.

3. Mango And Curd Face Pack

If you happen to have an oily skin, then this face pack is just apt for you. Apart from the goodness of mangoes, this face pack has curd and honey as well. These ingredients are readily available in the kitchen and can help you fight with pigmentation and tanning in one go. Extract pulp from a ripe mango and add 1 tablespoon of curd and 1 teaspoons of honey in it. Mix the ingredients well. However, make sure that the face pack is of thick consistency. Apply this pack on your face and wash it off after 10 minutes.

So, what are you waiting for? Make the most of this refreshing and healthy summer fruit by making the above mentioned face packs and say bye-bye to tanned skin.

Mosambi, also known as sweet lime, is one the most delicious and nutrient-dense citrus fruits. Apart from being immensely versatile in nature, sweet lime is a rich source of vital nutrients as well. Including it in daily diet can provide you with a lot of health benefiting properties. However, what makes this fruit more versatile is its ability to treat a lot of skin woes as well. Yes, you read that right! Mosambi can be easily used on face, either as a whole or as a face pack. It is an inexpensive way to treat skin problems. Here's how you can use mosambi to get a soft and supple skin that too in the comforts of your kitchen. Just get hold of few ingredients and get going.

Mosambi For Face Cleansing

Mosambi is an excellent source of vitamin C and the citric juice present in it acts as a great cleansing agent. To begin with, cut a mosambi in two halves and use one half to gently scrub your face in a circular motion. Continue doing this for 7-8 minutes and then wash off your face with water. Pat dry your skin and feel refreshed.

Mosambi Face Pack For Stubborn Tan

If you are suffering from summer tan and wish to get rid of the same, then this face pack will come to great use. All you need is ground mosambi peel, just a pinch of cosmetic turmeric, and 1 tbsp of natural honey. Mix the ingredients thoroughly till a fine paste-like consistency is attained. Apply on the face and allow it to stay for 5 minutes. Rinse off with water. Repeat this procedure twice a week and say bye-bye to stubborn tan.

Mosambi For Dark Circles And Puffy Eyes

Sweet lime is known to effectively reduce dark circles. If you happen to have puffed eyes, then apply this mixture on your under-eye skin and watch out for results. For this, you need is 1/2 tsp of sweet lime juice, 1 tsp of banana paste, 1 tsp of cucumber juice and 1 tsp of vitamin E gel. Add the four ingredients in a bowl and combine them to form a smooth paste. Refrigerate the bowl for 3-4 minutes and with the help of a cotton pad, apply this paste on your under-eye are. Let it sit for 10-12 minutes and after that massage for few seconds and rinse off with water.

So, make your skin feel rejuvenated by using this inexpensive home remedy.