Bananas. YES or NO if I wish to lose weight?

[hocarroll]

Anybody got any insights here. I'm reading mix reports

[JenniLacey]

Losing weight is about calorie intake vs. calorie expenditure. If you eat more calories than you expend, you gain weight. Eat less and you lose weight so as long as you're not eating 30 bananas a day, you're fine.

I eat half a banana everyday and lost 60 lbs. Just make sure you weigh or measure them so you know how many calories you're taking in.

[Anomoly]

There is a lot of factors that play, some say that the fructose found in fruit is what is making us fat, others say it's all about calories in vs calories out.

I think that it has more to do with your body and where it is at. If you are insulin resistant than eating as little sugar as possible until you're in a better place is a great start... if you are insulin sensative and operating on a high level, eating whatever you want especially in moderation should not be a problem. 

Bananas are better than other some options. If you can, try to put sugary and/or carb laden snacks/meals close to your workouts. 

Check out Gary Taubes 'Why we get fat' or 'Fat Chance' Robert Lustig. Personally I'm on the fence about it all, However experiment of 1 is the best way to know what works for you. 

[hocarroll]

Thanks Jenni

[hocarroll]

Thanks. Interesting response

[JenniLacey]

Yes, the whole good calorie/bad calorie debate is controversial and not proven. I'm not an expert or anything so I don't have a strong opinion on this but most accepted knowledge to date is that fat loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out. The keyword here being fat loss. There are other factors that will affect your weight and sugar is definitely one of them. Carbs, particularly simple carbs like sugars cause fluid retention (much like sodium) so if you eat a lot of sugar one day, you'll notice your weight goes up for the next couple days (depending on how much you eat). Of course this is temporary weight gain and reducing the amount of sugar in your diet will reduce your weight (fluid retention).

I don't think that anyone can blame a single food/meal or macronutrient for weight gain. What matters is your overall diet and the calorie deficit you're creating over time. If you enjoy bananas, eat them but everything in moderation. What's more important is the bigger picture that makes up your entire diet when it comes to health. If you eat nothing but fruit and neglect veg, there's a problem. If you eat a high carb diet, you're likely neglecting the other macronutrients; protein and fats. If you eat mostly processed foods, your diet will be lacking in fiber and will be high in sodium.

From my own experience, someone who has diligently tracked everything that has gone in my mouth for the last year and a half and who lost 60 lbs in 8 months. My weight loss has lined up almost perfectly with the amount of calories I expend vs. the amount I consume. The only time it doesn't is due to fluid retention from eating too much sugar or sodium. Taking these out of the equation and looking at my entire weight loss as whole, instead of daily/weekly and my weight loss flawlessly lines up with how many calories I expended vs. how many I took in.

Point being, it's moderation that is the key to successful weight loss and a single food will not make or break your success. Even *if* a calorie is not just a calorie, it would play a very small role in your overall weight loss. Calories in vs. calories out is the main reason your lose/gain/maintain your weight. This is why I prefer to look at food as "how healthy of a choice is this?" rather than "will this help/hinder my weight loss?"

[Inga]

They are a great, portable snack. I eat a couple of bananas every day. The fitbit files list them as 110 calories.

[Shelley]

I eat bananas almost every day and have been losing on average 2 pounds a week for the past few months. I don't think they interfere at all.  

[cdale600]

I eat 4-6 bananas a week (basically whenever they are offered or available) and I'm down 60+ since I started over a year ago.  Not saying whether you should or shouldn't eat them, but myself and I'm sure a plethora of others here eat them regularly (see what I did there) and are losing.  I find them to actually be an awesome food for apetite control since the high fiber makes me feel full and they are only 90-120 calories.    

[AlexandraM]

Sure, why not?! Banana's get a bad reputation amongst some because of the high sugar content. But I think they have far more redeeming qualities. Bananas are great for a pre-cardio snack--easy on the stomach, provide energy quickly and can help prevent muscle cramping. They're also a great addition to baking and smoothies. 

[AABergq]

what?!, bananas are great!! i always put one in my breakfast smoothie, when i have one. there are so many things you can do with bananas, many of my vegan desserts include them. i think every food has to be considered in moderation and exercise as well. 

[flojoh]

I have a banana and tablespoon of peanut butter prior to my morning workouts!....several times a week! 🙂

[Lovelizabell]

As long as the banana isnt too ripe, it can even help your weight loss efforts.

This is because bananas have a type of carbohydrate called resistant starch, and unlike other carbs, resistant starch resists degestion, and isn't entirely broken down by the body. It actually digests kinnda like fiber. But resistant starch may even be more benificial than soluble and insoluble fiber becuase it ferments by the time it reaches the large intestine, and this creates butyrate (fatty acid). Butyrate blocks your liver's ability to use carbohydrates for fuel, thus causing stored body fat, and recently consumed dietary fat to be burned as an alternative source of fuel.

On top of that, a recent study showed that replacing 5.4% of the total carbohydrate in a meal with resistant starch increased fat oxidation (large fat molecules are broken down into smaller molecules, which are then used for energy) by 20-30%. 

So i would say yes to bananas. Personally, i freeze them, and use them as a dessert swap for ice cream or frozen yogurt 🙂

[Dominique]

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@Lovelizabell wrote:

bananas have a type of carbohydrate called resistant starch, and unlike other carbs, resistant starch resists digestion, and isn't entirely broken down by the body. It actually digests kinda like fiber. But resistant starch may even be more benificial than soluble and insoluble fiber because it ferments by the time it reaches the large intestine, and this creates butyrate (fatty acid). Butyrate blocks your liver's ability to use carbohydrates for fuel, thus causing stored body fat, and recently consumed dietary fat to be burned as an alternative source of fuel.

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Interesting stuff! Are there other common food items that include "resistant starch", in addition to bananas?

[Lovelizabell]

Indeed, it can be found in foods like corn , potatoes, yams, pasta, pearl barley, whole grain bread, navy beans, oatmeal, lentils and brown rice. However, Some foods (yams, potatoes, beans, pasta, etc.) have a much higher resistant strach content after they have been cooked then cooled.

Here is a pretty good article that elaborates a little more on resistant starch: 

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-resistant-starch

[Dominique]

Thanks for the link, I highly appreciate it! Amidst the low carb craze, it's good to know it's still OK to eat them.

[lmallas]

YES!  I eat one chopped into my bowl of porridge every day and I lost four and a half stone.

[Dominique]

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@Lovelizabell wrote:

Personally, i freeze them, and use them as a dessert swap for ice cream or frozen yogurt 🙂

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I wouldn't have thought of that! I assume you peel them before freezing them, right? How long do you need to take them out of the freezer before they can be eaten?

[Inga]

I peel mine break them in half and freeze them in baggies. I have a yonanas machine that is awesome fun for desserts! I got mine at Fred Meyer but Amazon carries them too

[Dominique]

Thanks for the suggestions! I had never heard of Yonanas, but I see even Amazon UK has them (I'm in Europe). I now have ten bananas duly bagged in the freezer. Live and learn.