Bananas are bad for breakfast!?

FS717
FS717 Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hope everyone is doing fine!

I'm currently on my 3rd week of dieting and I'm trying my best to get used to the new lifestyle. I'm not following a strict diet. I'm just trying to form a habit of watching what I eat and try my best to control and choose healthy choices.

For the past 2 weeks, I've been having a banana for breakfast on my way to work. Minutes ago, as I was reading about bananas, I found many articles saying that since they contain 25% sugar and moderately acidic, it is unhealthy to start the morning having them. Some even say that they lower testosterone.

Would appreciate everyone's opinion on this & whether or not you know something different.

It would also be great to leave a recommendation on what type of fruit would be best for a quick breakfast.

By the way, this is my first time posting something here on MFP :)
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Replies

  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
    They're fine to eat for breakfast, provided that they fit your macros and you like them. I just don't usually eat them often because they don't keep me full as long as apples or oranges do.
  • ashesnposies333
    ashesnposies333 Posts: 59 Member
    Actually the science of balancing acidity is chemistry. Acidic foods you intake effect your natural ph levels, and too much acid can cause heart burn as well as the obvious acid reflux. Alkaline foods will balance that. The natural ph of your skin and hair is 4.5-5.5, acid.
    It is an actual science so it gets pretty complicated, but you can google alkaline foods to help balance out the banana, or just have it with a glass of water. Water is neutral on the ph scale with a rating of 7.
  • ashesnposies333
    ashesnposies333 Posts: 59 Member
    I like to eat a banana as an after workout snack.
  • lilmiss_sunshine29
    lilmiss_sunshine29 Posts: 136 Member
    Love bananas however they're high in carbs and sugar but the way I see it, it's gotta be better than some high sugar cereal or even chocolate biscuits.

    I'd suggest having no more than 1 a day however if it fits in with your calorie allowance and macros then why not?

    In summer I love smoothies (which can include bananas, kiwi fruit and cucumber as examples of other foods that will fill you up whilst loaded with goodness) for breakfast as they're easy to have on the go. You do need to watch what you're putting in your smoothies.
  • FS717
    FS717 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you everyone for such valuable information.
    I can now have bananas in peace :smiley:

    I'll also try to switch to different fruits every now & then for a change.
    Any recommendations?
  • ShaleSelkies
    ShaleSelkies Posts: 251 Member
    fs717 wrote: »
    Thank you everyone for such valuable information.
    I can now have bananas in peace :smiley:

    I'll also try to switch to different fruits every now & then for a change.
    Any recommendations?

    I find cold things are nice in the morning personally, how about snacking on some frozen berries or other kinds of frozen fruit on your way to work? A canned peach half and something like yoghurt or granola in a small container could also be nice!
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    When I eat at maintenance, a banana and latte is my favorite post-run breakfast.
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
    Eat them. They are good for you. Runners often eat them after a run. Fruit is good for you so eat whatever you enjoy. Fit it into your daily calorie budget.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Since you are eating on the go and looking for a fruit breakfast, an orange may be a bit too messy. Try apples or pears. Have you tried things other than fruits? You could prepare a breakfast wrap the night before and just grap it and go. It will have more calories than a banana, but it could me more filling and macro friendly.

    If you find yourself doing okay on a tiny fruit breakfast saving your calories for other meals I wouldn't change a thing. Continue with bananas or grab another random piece of fruit whenever you feel like it. There are no rules for how you wish to split your calories and nutrients. Don't worry about sugar, either. It won't affect your weight loss. What you need to focus on for now is finding a way of eating that you find comfortable and foods that you find delicious and satisfying within your calories. Everything else will take care of itself or you may decide to tackle later.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    Nothing wrong with bananas as long as you're fitting them into your calorie targets :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    ashesnposies333 wrote: »
    Actually the science of balancing acidity is chemistry. Acidic foods you intake effect your natural ph levels, and too much acid can cause heart burn as well as the obvious acid reflux. Alkaline foods will balance that. The natural ph of your skin and hair is 4.5-5.5, acid.
    It is an actual science so it gets pretty complicated, but you can google alkaline foods to help balance out the banana, or just have it with a glass of water. Water is neutral on the ph scale with a rating of 7.

    Really? Can you please share some of your research?
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited January 2017
    ashesnposies333 wrote: »
    Actually the science of balancing acidity is chemistry. Acidic foods you intake effect your natural ph levels, and too much acid can cause heart burn as well as the obvious acid reflux. Alkaline foods will balance that. The natural ph of your skin and hair is 4.5-5.5, acid.
    It is an actual science so it gets pretty complicated, but you can google alkaline foods to help balance out the banana, or just have it with a glass of water. Water is neutral on the ph scale with a rating of 7.

    Actually water is slightly acidic, 6.6-6.8.

    OP, I don't buy the acidic foods/alkaline food issue. If you have an issue from eating certain things, just don't eat them. A banana in the morning is perfect. 100 calories, prepackaged and tasty. Eat all the 'naners you want.
  • Sweets1954
    Sweets1954 Posts: 507 Member
    Bananas are great for breakfast, it's my favorite way to eat cereal the few times I have cereal. They are high in potassium which is something that can be lacking on a reduced calorie diet.
  • FFeric
    FFeric Posts: 100 Member
    evileen99 wrote: »
    ashesnposies333 wrote: »
    Actually the science of balancing acidity is chemistry. Acidic foods you intake effect your natural ph levels, and too much acid can cause heart burn as well as the obvious acid reflux. Alkaline foods will balance that. The natural ph of your skin and hair is 4.5-5.5, acid.
    It is an actual science so it gets pretty complicated, but you can google alkaline foods to help balance out the banana, or just have it with a glass of water. Water is neutral on the ph scale with a rating of 7.

    You can't change your body's pH. Your body maintains pH in the 4.35-4.45 range and it usually doesn't vary outside of 7.38-7.42. As soon as your pH changes, your brain causes you to immediately breathe more to lower pH or less to raise pH to get it right back where it's supposed to be.

    If your pH is routinely out side of the normal limits, you're quite ill and most likely in the hospital.

    And your stomach acid has a pH of less than 1.5, so your banana isn't going to make a bit of difference to that.

    Your body has a pH of 4.35-4.45? Was that a typo?
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    FFeric wrote: »
    evileen99 wrote: »
    ashesnposies333 wrote: »
    Actually the science of balancing acidity is chemistry. Acidic foods you intake effect your natural ph levels, and too much acid can cause heart burn as well as the obvious acid reflux. Alkaline foods will balance that. The natural ph of your skin and hair is 4.5-5.5, acid.
    It is an actual science so it gets pretty complicated, but you can google alkaline foods to help balance out the banana, or just have it with a glass of water. Water is neutral on the ph scale with a rating of 7.

    You can't change your body's pH. Your body maintains pH in the 4.35-4.45 range and it usually doesn't vary outside of 7.38-7.42. As soon as your pH changes, your brain causes you to immediately breathe more to lower pH or less to raise pH to get it right back where it's supposed to be.

    If your pH is routinely out side of the normal limits, you're quite ill and most likely in the hospital.

    And your stomach acid has a pH of less than 1.5, so your banana isn't going to make a bit of difference to that.

    Your body has a pH of 4.35-4.45? Was that a typo?

    Oops, typo. 7.35-7.45
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    SLLeask wrote: »
    Bananas grow in our garden so for the past 5 years, on and off when it's the season, I eat them for breakfast, lunch, after dinner and snacks, haha. I'm in the middle of eating two for breakfast right now...! They are great for a quick, on the go brekkie or snack. Don't know about the lowering of testosterone thingy, never heard of it, but if it helps, I live on an Island where just about everyone eats bananas since they are plentiful and mostly free and there are MORE than enough children here... :D

    OMG I am so jealous! :heart: Do you also have mango trees of deliciousness just hanging around?
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Bananas are awesome. If you enjoy them and you feel full after eating one, there's no reason to stop unless they're causing you a medical issue.
  • mumblemagic
    mumblemagic Posts: 1,090 Member
    kristikitter wrote: »
    Was the article in the Daily Mail or something?

    Cos the Daily Mail likes to :trollface:


    seriously, come on. You know a banana isn't going to do anything negative. Maybe if you ate, like, 100 in one go.

    If you eat 100 in one go you're likely to feel very very sick. My limit is 4. I've known people at sports competitions go up to 10 but they had practise.

    Op: if you're diabetic you need to watch the carbs in fruit as well as everything else. If not, eat bananas all you want.


  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
    Honestly don't think any food that grows from the ground can be bad for you.

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