Bananas causing weight gain?

Sebani

Hi.

I'm wondering if you guys ever experienced weight gain when eating 1 banana a day. I ask this because nothing else in my diet has changed besides the addition of 1 banana and about 8 strawberries each day. I noticed that I'm not losing and in fact, gaining weight so I thought that maybe this was the cause, but I'd like to confirm. Thanks!

snazzyjazzy21

You gain weight from consuming more calories than you burn. So if you have ADDED in a banana to your diet and continue to burn the same number of calories as before then yes, you will slowly gain weight but you can't blame the banana for that as that would happen regardless of where the extra calories came from.

kelli_panzera

I absolutely love bananas...my doctor told me NO MORE BANANAS!! For the past month and a half I've avoided them, and maybe that's helped some. They are all carbs, and because I'm diabetic and overweight I am going low(er) carb and that's worked for me.

Sebani

@snazz I didn't just add a banana on top of my diet, I started subbing it for chips and whatnot but still seeing a gain

Sreneesa

I eat anywhere from a half of banana (50 grams) to an entire one (110 grams in weight) a day, sometimes one in a half and hasn't affected my weight loss.

Krys052490

Definitely need more information to give an accurate answer....

BUT.... Let's say you ate exactly 2000 calories a day, everyday, for days/weeks/months and that was your maintenance calories. Then you added in a banana and 8 strawberries.

One 130g Banana - 98 cals

Eight Strawberries - 46 cals (estimate since I can't weigh them)

Your adding 144 calories a day, so 1008 calories a week or 4.6 oz a week.

So yes, it COULD make you gain weight.

Sovi_

666 devil food!

19TaraLynn84

A banana is not causing you to gain weight unless said banana is putting you over your calorie limit.

tigersword

Maybe it was the strawberries... Try only eating 7...


In all seriousness, calorie deficit = weight loss, calorie surplus = weight gain. If you're gaining weight, you're eating a calorie surplus.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

bellevie86

In the last yr and a half I have had one banana a day every morning in my shake. It has never hindered me and I lost 38 pounds. The banana is not the culprit. The only way you could is by not accounting for them into your diary, if you log everything then you should still hit your cal goal. Doesn't matter if it came from bananas or spinach. Bananas themselves have nothing in them that would magically make you gain, not logging or adjusting for them, would. Depending on how big they are they can be anywhere from 75-140 cals. They are high and high in carbs but if you adjust for them they are great for you.

tmauck4472

I've been eating one a day for a few weeks now (to help with leg and foot cramps) and I am going up some days, down some days so who knows. But I just made some of the best banana's foster to take to work tomorrow to go on top of the most amazing cheesecake I made a couple of days ago, so if it's the cause of weight gain, I'm in serious trouble :sad:

pamperedhen

You gain weight from consuming more calories than you burn. So if you have ADDED in a banana to your diet and continue to burn the same number of calories as before then yes, you will slowly gain weight but you can't blame the banana for that as that would happen regardless of where the extra calories came from.

^ THIS!!!

TenebraeBloodwake

I eat two or three a day and it doesn't seem to do me any harm...at least I don't think so.

19TaraLynn84

OP, if you're still in a deficit, you are probably seeing water weight gain, which will go away.

TriShamelessly

Bananas in and of themselves do not cause weight gain. Excess calories cause weight (setting aside medical issues). Anecdotal evidence - I lost 50+ pounds eating 1-3 bananas a day depending on exercise load. Make sure you measure all of your food to accurately log your calories in. If you've recently started exercising or added in additional salt to your diet, water weight may be a factor. These are guesses on my part but I wish you luck in finding what works for you. :happy:

BigVeggieDream

I eat 6 bananas a day and have been losing weight.

hill8570

@snazz I didn't just add a banana on top of my diet, I started subbing it for chips and whatnot but still seeing a gain

What sort of time period are we talking about? Bananas aren't predigested crud like chips or candy, and they have a bit of fiber, so you're probably going to have a bit more weight in the intestinal tract. Hard to quantify, 'tho. I'd expect that it would stabilize to the higher weight in a few days to a week, 'tho, and then start dropping from there.

Kinda reaching for straws here, I admit...

mypersonalfitnessjourney

Bananas are pure fructose, a simple carb which spikes blood sugar almost immediately. I used to eat a banana every morning back in my high-carb days and, as soon as I cut it out and replaced it with something less carb- and sugar-dense (usually nuts, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake, etc), I began losing weight again. Everyone's bodies are different, but it seems that you have a similar issue with carbs and sugar as I did/do.

deksgrl

ZOMG, the dreaded banana!

In

Erikalynne18

I love my bananas and I will not give them up!! :noway:

Honestly though I don't believe the addition of 1 banana and a few strawberries would cause weight gain. Are you sure this is the ONLY difference?

GGDaddy

I've had a banana for breakfast every single day of the past year.

It's worked out okay for me. VVVVVVV

kdeaux1959

Depends on the size of the banana and how close you are to your calorie restriction... It is more likely that you were near a plateau anyway.... Increase your exercise or decrease a bit of your intake to begin to see further progress.

SugaryLynx

Oh banana, long and yellow. You taste sweet like honey, better with peanut butter in a bun. The banana. A mysterious potassium beast. I beckon you into the depths of my stomach. For you are good and wholesome. Make me smile.

BigVeggieDream

Bananas are pure fructose, a simple carb which spikes blood sugar almost immediately. I used to eat a banana every morning back in my high-carb days and, as soon as I cut it out and replaced it with something less carb- and sugar-dense (usually nuts, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake, etc), I began losing weight again. Everyone's bodies are different, but it seems that you have a similar issue with carbs and sugar as I did/do.

If you cut out fat, fruit, even bananas do not spike the blood sugar. I'm a diabetic and I eat 6 bananas a day. I eat 80/10/10 high carb diet and since doing this, my blood glucose levels have been great. Also as you can see by my banner, i've lost 23 lbs. in 30 days.

mypersonalfitnessjourney

Bananas are pure fructose, a simple carb which spikes blood sugar almost immediately. I used to eat a banana every morning back in my high-carb days and, as soon as I cut it out and replaced it with something less carb- and sugar-dense (usually nuts, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake, etc), I began losing weight again. Everyone's bodies are different, but it seems that you have a similar issue with carbs and sugar as I did/do.

If you cut out fat, fruit, even bananas do not spike the blood sugar. I'm a diabetic and I eat 6 bananas a day. I eat 80/10/10 high carb diet and since doing this, my blood glucose levels have been great. Also as you can see by my banner, i've lost 23 lbs. in 30 days.

As I specifically stated, everyone's bodies are different. What works for you, your health, your weight loss, and your body will not necessarily work for someone else. I am glad you've found a way of eating that keeps your blood sugar in check, but that exact same diet has wreaked havoc on other diabetics (as well as non-diabetics) I know. The point of developing a healthy lifestyle is to find something that works for you - both short-term and long-term. It appears you have found that, but the OP has not as of yet, which is why I offered my input and advice, since it appears their body and metabolism function in a similar way to mine.

paperpudding

I don't eat a banana a day but I eat about 4 per week, and usually quite a few strawberries per week, probably 20 at an estimate.

Has not hindered my weight loss journey.

Bananas are not pure fructose - they do have natural sugar in them but also many other components; fibre and potassium, for example.

BigVeggieDream

Bananas are pure fructose, a simple carb which spikes blood sugar almost immediately. I used to eat a banana every morning back in my high-carb days and, as soon as I cut it out and replaced it with something less carb- and sugar-dense (usually nuts, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake, etc), I began losing weight again. Everyone's bodies are different, but it seems that you have a similar issue with carbs and sugar as I did/do.

If you cut out fat, fruit, even bananas do not spike the blood sugar. I'm a diabetic and I eat 6 bananas a day. I eat 80/10/10 high carb diet and since doing this, my blood glucose levels have been great. Also as you can see by my banner, i've lost 23 lbs. in 30 days.

As I specifically stated, everyone's bodies are different. What works for you, your health, your weight loss, and your body will not necessarily work for someone else. I am glad you've found a way of eating that keeps your blood sugar in check, but that exact same diet has wreaked havoc on other diabetics (as well as non-diabetics) I know. The point of developing a healthy lifestyle is to find something that works for you - both short-term and long-term. It appears you have found that, but the OP has not as of yet, which is why I offered my input and advice, since it appears their body and metabolism function in a similar way to mine.

Research is showing that kind of diet isn't a bad one. Research is showing that fat has a much larger impact on blood glucose levels than thought before. Fat inhibits the effectiveness of insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Not knowing that before is why the medical community was saying to reduce carb intake. When you cut out the fat, your insulin is able to function properly and you can eat carbs again. This will not wreak havoc on other diabetics.

neanderthin

Bananas are pure fructose, a simple carb which spikes blood sugar almost immediately. I used to eat a banana every morning back in my high-carb days and, as soon as I cut it out and replaced it with something less carb- and sugar-dense (usually nuts, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, a protein shake, etc), I began losing weight again. Everyone's bodies are different, but it seems that you have a similar issue with carbs and sugar as I did/do.

If you cut out fat, fruit, even bananas do not spike the blood sugar. I'm a diabetic and I eat 6 bananas a day. I eat 80/10/10 high carb diet and since doing this, my blood glucose levels have been great. Also as you can see by my banner, i've lost 23 lbs. in 30 days.

As I specifically stated, everyone's bodies are different. What works for you, your health, your weight loss, and your body will not necessarily work for someone else. I am glad you've found a way of eating that keeps your blood sugar in check, but that exact same diet has wreaked havoc on other diabetics (as well as non-diabetics) I know. The point of developing a healthy lifestyle is to find something that works for you - both short-term and long-term. It appears you have found that, but the OP has not as of yet, which is why I offered my input and advice, since it appears their body and metabolism function in a similar way to mine.

Research is showing that kind of diet isn't a bad one. Research is showing that fat has a much larger impact on blood glucose levels than thought before. Fat inhibits the effectiveness of insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. Not knowing that before is why the medical community was saying to reduce carb intake. When you cut out the fat, your insulin is able to function properly and you can eat carbs again. This will not wreak havoc on other diabetics.

Interesting I'm sure, but wrong. It slows digestion and moderates insulin spikes as does protein as well.

eldamiano

A banana has about 90 calories, so if you were previously 90 calories under your maintenance calorie allowance... well I am sure you know how it works.

It is just as much the banana as it is the burger or what ever else is accumulating your calories.

wannakimmy

The answer to your question, no.

SonicDeathMonkey80

If you up it to two bananas a day, you'll lose weight like me