Eating bananas as a substitute

[bertdru]

People keep saying that it is better for us to eat fruits in order to reduce carb intake and so on, right? My question is - Can I start eating bananas instead of my regular carb laden food? Are bananas full of fat? Are they healthy? You see, eating bananas instead of other fruits will be very cost effective for me. They are low priced AND satisfy my hunger at the same time. But I am worried about the fat content of bananas.

[sidehop]

It's like any fruit, moderation is the key. They are full of nutrients but you don't want to completely substitute them with general 'carbs'. Healthy carbs have different nutrients as well as fibers. If you're eating whole wheat, you could take in more insoluble fibers vs. soluble fibers from fruits and vegetables. You still need both while taking in variety of nutrients.

[Happy Bunny]

People keep saying that it is better for us to eat fruits in order to reduce carb intake and so on, right? My question is - Can I start eating bananas instead of my regular carb laden food? Are bananas full of fat? Are they healthy? You see, eating bananas instead of other fruits will be very cost effective for me. They are low priced AND satisfy my hunger at the same time. But I am worried about the fat content of bananas.

 

Why are you worried about the fat content?

 

Your average raw banana has a whopping 0.5 g fat, roughly 110 calories, and 4 g fiber. They're also very high in potassium and vitamin C.

[bertdru]

Oh no I do eat some wheat in the night. It is in the morning I am talking about. I have noticed that in the morning I don't need much food. Often I am in a hurry to reach work and I don't care. But at night I am quite hungry.

 

I won't eat 5 bananas at a go. But I would eat maybe 2 bananas. They would satisfy my hunger in the morning. But people say that bananas cause weight gain. So I am worried.

[Happy Bunny]

Oh no I do eat some wheat in the night. It is in the morning I am talking about. I have noticed that in the morning I don't need much food. Often I am in a hurry to reach work and I don't care. But at night I am quite hungry.

 

I won't eat 5 bananas at a go. But I would eat maybe 2 bananas. They would satisfy my hunger in the morning. But people say that bananas cause weight gain. So I am worried.

 

Eat something with protein in it for breakfast. That'll keep your blood sugar in check so you're not starving later.

 

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

[sidehop]

Oh no I do eat some wheat in the night. It is in the morning I am talking about. I have noticed that in the morning I don't need much food. Often I am in a hurry to reach work and I don't care. But at night I am quite hungry.

 

I won't eat 5 bananas at a go. But I would eat maybe 2 bananas. They would satisfy my hunger in the morning. But people say that bananas cause weight gain. So I am worried.

 

Bananas wouldn't cause an unhealthy weight gain as long as your general diet is healthy. You have to consider the nutrients and fibers you're getting from a single banana for 100 calories. It's when people start eating processed foods and getting less nutrients for more calories is when the body starts to change and cause them to overeat, gain weight and ultimately make themselves ill.

[botticelli]

Bananas are VERY high in sugar. I wouldn't eat more than 1 small banana a day.

[BellaDonna]

Bananas are VERY high in sugar. I wouldn't eat more than 1 small banana a day.

 

I agree. They are not "bad" for you- but the are definitely not a low carb fruit.

 

The best fruits for your metabolism are ones with high antioxident and high fiber content- and with lower sugar.

 

Too much sugar is not good, even if it is natural sugar from fruit. Sugar turns into fat if you don't burn it off.

[bertdru]

I agree. They are not "bad" for you- but the are definitely not a low carb fruit.

 

The best fruits for your metabolism are ones with high antioxident and high fiber content- and with lower sugar.

 

Too much sugar is not good, even if it is natural sugar from fruit. Sugar turns into fat if you don't burn it off.

 

Ok I guess I am stuck with eating overpriced, hard-enough-to-break-my-teeth apples. How come the tasty foods are unhealthy?

[Cognitive_Canine]

I eat bananas every day. Usually one, sometimes two. If I'm gaining weight, it's definitely not due to the bananas. If you eat them before they are ripened, they are less sugary. But, when it comes to fruits and vegetables, I really don't limit myself if they are raw and portioned correctly.

[Happy Bunny]

Bananas are VERY high in sugar. I wouldn't eat more than 1 small banana a day.

 

It's fructose. Unless you're a diabetic, don't worry about it.

[BellaDonna]

Ok I guess I am stuck with eating overpriced, hard-enough-to-break-my-teeth apples. How come the tasty foods are unhealthy?

 

Well bananas are not unhealthy- but more than one a day might not give you the benefits you were looking for, which was:

 

reduce carb intake

 

Moderation is key with any food.

[Happy Bunny]

I agree. They are not "bad" for you- but the are definitely not a low carb fruit.

 

The best fruits for your metabolism are ones with high antioxident and high fiber content- and with lower sugar.

 

Too much sugar is not good, even if it is natural sugar from fruit. Sugar turns into fat if you don't burn it off.

 

A banana has 21 g sugar--breakfast cereal has more than twice that amount. It's less than 100 calories and you can burn that off no problem.

 

This low-carb stuff is NOT good. Neither is low-fat. There needs to be a balance. The problem is processed foods--not raw foods like fruits and veggies.

[sidehop]

Bananas are great for mood enhancers too!

 

Eat organic though, bananas are one of the things that you can really tell the difference in taste and smell. It's not much more expensive either.

[BellaDonna]

A banana has 21 g sugar--breakfast cereal has more than twice that amount. It's less than 100 calories and you can burn that off no problem.

 

Breakfast cereal is definitely full of sugar. I wouldn't eat a banana or cereal in the morning, especially. Within an hour I'd be craving carbs again.

[bertdru]

Breakfast cereal is definitely full of sugar. I wouldn't eat a banana or cereal in the morning, especially. Within an hour I'd be craving carbs again.

 

I eat rice based foods, in the morning. Would you say that has more carbs than bananas?

[BellaDonna]

It depends on the serving size, the fiber content, and whether is whole grain rice.

[botticelli]

How about blueberries? They are very low in sugar and high in antioxidants.

 

In the mornings I make myself a smoothie using Plain kefir (a really great yogurt that everyone should look into), blueberries, and Stevia for sweetness. Stevia is an herb, not a sugar substitute.. and it's great for your health.

 

Tastes delicious.

[SongCoyote]

A couple of bananas a day is fine as long as it's part of your normal food intake and not in addition to your other meals. They're certainly better than a pastry, candy bar, or other sugary snack, and while they do have a fair amount of fruit sugar in them, they are very good for between meals snacks.

 

I highly recommend not eating 3-4 hours before your bed time. If you are particularly hungry before bed, you might want to consider adjusting how you eat during the day. The general current consensus is that it's better to eat 4-5 small meals a day (including a good breakfast) than 2-3 big ones.

 

I've been starting my day with a good breakfast much more often recently, and it has made an amazing difference in my overall appetite. I just plain eat less during the day, and I feel better and healthier. Your mileage may vary, but it works for the vast majority of people. Good luck in finding the right balance for your body!

 

Light and laughter,

SongCoyote

[bertdru]

The weird thing is this - you would think that a good breakfast would be enough to last at least half a day, right? Wrong. No matter how much I eat in the morning, I would feel REALLY hungry during the afternoon. So it really doesn't make a difference whether I eat more or less in the morning. That is why I said I plan to eat 2 bananas in the morning. Because that will fill my stomach for the time being but to be honest, in the afternoon, I would feel hungry again, anyway. So what's the point in eating well in the morning? Fill myself up with more carbs and fat?

 

Yes, maybe I am a freak of nature. Because people generally say that a good breakfast will ensure that I won't eat a lot during the rest of the day. But it just isn't true in my case.

[sidehop]

Well if you're getting hungry easily then you're not eating enough, whole foods and especially any food with more insoluble fiber will make you feel full longer. And you should eat between breakfast and lunch if you're not, healthy snacks or a small meal.