Bananas and "natural" sugar-should I feel guilty?

chicago_dad

It's all relative. Some people intermittently fast, and eat only pure protein sources + a tiny % of vegetables, and some fiber supplements. They are professional body-builders. Some are athletes who need peek physical fitness for a living. Or actors who literally get paid millions of dollars to look good shirtless.

If you are in one of those categories, 1 banana = HUGE SUGAR CHEAT!!! ALARM ALARM!!!

But, if you are just a person trying to not feel embarrassed in a bathing suit at the beach, but don't care about "vascularity" or being able to see every fiber of every muscle under your skin, then bananas are awesome, and so much better than candy, ice-cream, or cookies.

Speaking of cookies-- try these instead of cookies:

"Chicago Dad Cookies":
2.25 cups rolled oats + 1/3 cup oil + 3 med. bananas + 1/4 cup raisins + 1/4 cup chopped pecans + 1/4 cup dried cherries + 1.25 tblsp vanilla extract. Combine in a bowl until it is pasty. Let sit for 15 minutes. Put on oiled cookie sheet in cookie form, and bake at 350 for 23 minutes.

angiemartin78

I think the guilt is more detrimental than the sugar regardless of whether it comes from fruit or ice cream.

^^^^Such a good point!

Erica27511

Honestly, if you can't eat natural foods that are unprocessed wtf can you eat? Just eat the banana. Like everything, use moderation. Don't eat 6 bananas in one sitting, etc.

this ^^^

Jeff0416

Just make sure you log them like any other food you log with MFP.

ElizabethRoad

Think of it this way. Have you ever heard of anyone gaining weight from eating fruit?

Fruit is just as detrimental to weight loss as any type of food. Have you ever heard of anyone gaining weight from eating pizza? I doubt it. Most people do not eat a diet of one single food so you aren't going to hear of people gaining from eating a particular thing. We gain weight when we eat too many calories, no matter what they are from.

Actuallly...Arthur From biggest loser would eat two pizzas every night...he pretty much gained his weight from the horrible diet of pizzas. But I get your point. But a banana every morning is NOT detrimental to weight loss...

I'm not saying a banana is detrimental to weight loss. I'm just saying I hate that question, because most people cannot point to any one food that made them gain weight. I think it promotes the idea that certain foods are going to make you gain weight.

joan41

I eat a banana every day! As well as other fruits! Most days I have a peanut butter and banana sandwich, or either I will eat it with a vitamuffin after my workout! Sometimes I'll even eat a small banana before I work out! It's not too heavy! I'm down 91 lbs and July 11, 2012 will be 2 years! I don't think bananas are my enemy!

rml_16

Think of it this way. Have you ever heard of anyone gaining weight from eating fruit?

Fruit is just as detrimental to weight loss as any type of food. Have you ever heard of anyone gaining weight from eating pizza? I doubt it. Most people do not eat a diet of one single food so you aren't going to hear of people gaining from eating a particular thing. We gain weight when we eat too many calories, no matter what they are from.

Actuallly...Arthur From biggest loser would eat two pizzas every night...he pretty much gained his weight from the horrible diet of pizzas. But I get your point. But a banana every morning is NOT detrimental to weight loss...

I'm not saying a banana is detrimental to weight loss. I'm just saying I hate that question, because most people cannot point to any one food that made them gain weight. I think it promotes the idea that certain foods are going to make you gain weight.

I agree. My mother has the healthiest diet of most people I know and she's been obese her whole life. She just eats more than she should.

A banana contains 80-100 calories, so you could easily eat too many of them and go over your calories and gain weight. Any food within the appropriate calories is fine to eat, though.

bagge72

I'm glad someone mentioned this!! I like pure fresh orange juice in the morning but even for 125ml bang goes half my 'allowance' of sugar for the whole day. I've been good at keeping to (or under) the daily total for almost all other measurables but my sugar content is nearly double the 24g recommended. I don't eat chocolate or fizzy drinks, but the sugar in orange juice, bananas, apple, low-fat yoghurt etc can mean I'm over before 11am!

Loathed to give up the fruit juice/fruit from the Vitamin C point of view though. Weight loss is steady, not spectacular so not too concerned about a rethink at this stage.

Not sure if this is something you want to do, but I was having the same problem with OJ. I tried that simply 50, and I didn't like it, because it uses some artificial additives instead of sugar to bring the sugar content down, so now I just have a half and half. Half water, and half OJ, and it taste better than the simply OJ, and you get half of everything you would if you just drank the straight up OJ.

ElizabethRoad

I don't understand the feeling of guilt associated with eating anything. Okay, well maybe eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's in one sitting, but that guilt only lasts so long...

See, I don't understand the guilt in that case either. I am sure I'd have regret as I sat in the bathroom wondering why I ate that much, but not guilt. Unless it was someone else's ice cream.

cyncetastic

I think it all comes down to what your goals are. Me, for example - I am aim to keep my body fat considerably low in order to compete so I watch my sugars like a hawk and keep them below 35g per day (including fruit). If you are just looking for overall weight management and to just feel good about yourself, a banana a day isn't going to hurt you. It's certainly better than refined sugars.

With that said, I will also share that there are optimal times to have sugars so that your body completely metabolizes them. Typically natural sugars are best to have first thing in the morning or immediately following a workout. These are the times when your body is best able to take that insta-energy and put it to use.

Lleldiranne

I wouldn't eat more than one banana in a day. You do need variety, after all. But sugar from fruits is so much better than added sugar/refined sugars in ice cream or other sweets. I recently read an article where a nutritionist even said that fruits have other chemicals which tell your body what to do with the sugars so it has less impact on your blood sugar, and is used more for energy, than refined and added sugars. While I can see some benefit in limiting refined sugars and starches, carbohydrates from whole, natural foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains) are not the enemy. We do need some, after all! And they come with so many vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients.

Donnacoach

I usually eat no less then 2 banana's a day. I need the potassium. They haven't hurt me any.

Lleldiranne

Lol, and guess which ad is at the top of my page? Yep, the "5 foods you must not eat:" with a picture of a banana. Hahaha.

rextcat

Have you ever heard of banana island?

http://www.30bananasaday.com/

I think it seems really interesting.

i read some of there site and well, they seem friggin nuts, the diet seems ok tho

MJ723

NEVER feel bad about eating a fruit! As a future dietitian, I cannot emphasize the importance of eating fruits and vegetables to get necessary vitamins and minerals. The sugars added into products are what you need to be concerned about. It's all about balance.

AFluffyNyamma

I eat bananas and fruits all day to pad my diet and curb my endless sweet tooth. I've heard of the whole bananas being bad for weight loss but that's kinda dumb as many have pointed out already. Eat in moderation. Better a banana worth 100 cals than half a cupcake

DelightITL

Bananas have all kinds of good nutrients in them. I include them in part of my clean eating. When you want something a little sweet they are great. Try them frozen, yummy. We are making lifestyle choices here and I foresee a banana in my life. I believe you can eat most things in moderation. Stay stron.

Dave198lbs

NEVER feel bad about eating a fruit! As a future dietitian, I cannot emphasize the importance of eating fruits and vegetables to get necessary vitamins and minerals. The sugars added into products are what you need to be concerned about. It's all about balance.

sugar is sugar. our body doesnt know where we found it...in a banana or in a cupcake. ther is nothing wrong with a banana but it is also the most over rated "health" food next to oatmeal. if you can fit in a banana then eat it. but there is nothing magical about or more beneficial about it.

Heatherbelle_87

Think of it this way. Have you ever heard of anyone gaining weight from eating fruit?

Actually YES! My cousin is a "vegetarian" but not a blanaced one as she prefers fruit over vegetables and doesn't get proper protein and balanced nutrition so she manages to gain eating large quantities of fruit. She has worked with multiple nutritionist and dieticians who get very frustrated with ehr and she gives up because she "doesn't like those vegetables"

My 2 cents though. NO a Banana is NOT going to kill you! As long as you are getting plenty of your other macro and micro nutrients I would choose natural sugar over processed sugar any day!

iamers

I eat quite a lot of fruit and I always feel disheartened when I see the amount of sugar. It is natural though and fruit is good for you!