Banana's friend or foe ?

Cyclingbonnie

I personally feel that the banana is a miracle food. After I swim a mile, I am starving. I need something immediately and I know from the past I'll go through a drive thru unless I eat a banana. I think it is the fact that there is potassium and that it is easy to digest and it does a good many calories. But it doesn't have as many as a hamburger, french fries, and a coke would have and that is what I got at the drive thru.

Lleldiranne

Bananas, like most fruit, are good for you. But 3 or more a day? I don't know if that's helpful. Because they do have a lot of sugar (granted, it's natural fruit sugar, but there is still such a thing as too much), and they can take the place of other nutritious foods. 1 a day would be fine if it doesn't slow you down (some people get constipated from too many bananas), but unless you're using them to replace candy and such, I would suggest more variety - other fruits and vegetables, whole grain, and lean proteins, and make sure that it all fits in your calories. Ultimately, the law of thermodynamics (calories in - calories out) will determine your weight loss.

Donnarose82

I eat Banana's and to be honest I don't particularly like the taste of them BUT i eat them for their nutritional value plain and simple. They are fantastic fruit and I have one every day.
If you are worried about the calories of a banana, half them, quarter them and eat them over the day depending on how big they are.. but truly I'd rather eat a banana then most fruits.. they are just packed with goodness.

BettyIW

I eat one or two bananas daily. When grocery shopping I choose the smallest size banana I can find. So many bananas are huge and then I'll eat only half of it and share the other half with my husband who also is on MFP.

Dr. Oz had stated sometime ago too that by eating a banana about an hour before bedtime also helps one to sleep better through the night! True? I've never had problems sleeping through the night with or without a banana. :yawn:

sarahmoo12

I got a pack of "fun size" (medium2 me) yesterday, they are only 103 cals each :-/ I dont think thats much to add to my branflakes or as a snack

TheVimFuego

My daily large banana works well for me, I look forward to it like I used to look forward to chocolate ... Although I tend to have chocolate daily too ... Hmmm ... Anyway, it fits in well for my day and is packed with loads of good stuff in amongst those 'high' calories.

Living in Queensland, Australia means they tend to be cheapish too, bonus.

Pretty good bang for buck nutritionally I'd say.

healthy4heidi

Bananas are great. Eat em. Eat what you like. 2 a day sounds fine to me.

I really want a Yonanas machine to turn my frozen bananas into ice cream. Anyone else love banana ice cream or have any good Yonana machine recipes?

TheVimFuego

Bananas are great. Eat em. Eat what you like. 2 a day sounds fine to me.

I really want a Yonanas machine to turn my frozen bananas into ice cream. Anyone else love banana ice cream or have any good Yonana machine recipes?

Now that sounds like a plan, banana ice cream ....

foxro

Indeed, why is it that on just about every fitness site that annoying anti-banana add appears !! I like bananas and they are high in nutrients. I usually have a banana for pre-work out or in a protein shake.

Roni_M

Thank you! I must get a new progress one up there soon, it's been a while.

And nope... Not using them as a candy substitute. I actually don't have a sweet tooth at all (chocolate makes me gag! LOL). I follow the plan "eat things I like the taste of" and don't care for most fruit (strawberries and cantelope I like, so eat those when they're "in season"). Whole grains also disgust me. I can't do the "twigs & berries & green smoothies" diet. I eat lots of veggies and lean meats though (also some not so lean meat... Is bacon lean? LOL).

Funny you say 3 bananas a day are "bad" for you. My vitamin blood panel & blood sugar blood work would beg to differ (run after about a year of 2-3 bananas a day). I'll keep doing what works for me... but thanks for your opinion. :drinker:

Bilbobradshaw

Unnecessary apostrophe's, friend or foe?

hahahahahahahahaha

sarah5423

My usual nightly treat was chobani (no fat) with frozen blueberries but I would still crave something else soon after. When losing on 1200 calories I stayed away from bananas due to the higher calorie count compared to other fruits. Recently I've changed my nightly treat to a parfait with my usual greek yoghurt and blueberries with the addition of 30g bananas and a couple of chopped hazelnuts which fills me completely and I don't crave anything after. I don't know if its the banana or nuts or a combination of both but in my opinion bananas are a great addition to your diet, added to oatmeal makes it even more filling!

JennetteMac

Unnecessary apostrophe's, friend or foe?

Aaah, a fellow apostrophobic? :laugh:

mmapags

They are neither. They are just a food with a certain calorie density and certain nutrients. Fit them into your daily eating plan if you like them. Just hit your calorie targets and your macronutrient targets and, within the bounds of common sense, don't worry about whether indvidual foods are good or bad. If you are hitting your target foods will self select in or out of your diet based on what you need to do to hit your targets on any given day.

NicoWoodruff

My favorite banana recipe is take a fresh ripe banana, a cup of crushed ice, a dash of cocoa, a big splash of cold brewed coffee, a glass of milk (I use unsweet almond milk but use whatever milk you like) and a few tablespoons peanut butter whatever kind you like; put it in a blender and mix it all up. Adjust the ingredients to taste, If you want it sweeter add a bit of honey. It comes out like a Frozen Reeses Peanut Butter Cup! The banana gives texture and sweetness.

RipperSB

I support bananas, so I am a banana's friend... but I eat bananas so I am a banana's foe.

I usually have a banana everyday... weekdays after PT, along with a Kashi bar and, on weekends, on top of cereal. The red delicious apple I usually have for lunch comes in at around the same calories.

Jongfaith

Banannas are enemy! Eat them before they take over the world! I scoff at zombies but bananas are the real threat! lol

couldn't resist

AnvilHead

They are neither. They are just a food with a certain calorie density and certain nutrients. Fit them into your daily eating plan if you like them. Just hit your calorie targets and your macronutrient targets and, within the bounds of common sense, don't worry about whether indvidual foods are good or bad. If you are hitting your target foods will self select in or out of your diet based on what you need to do to hit your targets on any given day.

^ Exaaaactly. Dosage and context apply. A banana (or two, or three), while staying within a caloric deficit and appropriate macronutrient ranges, is not a bad thing. A diet consisting mostly or entirely of bananas is a different matter.

purplegoboom

Bananas are awesome. I eat 1/2 a banana every morning in my oatmeal with chunky peanut butter and cinnamon.

I mean, which is worse, a banana or candy? Yeah, bananas have sugar, but the also have all that yummy fiber and potassium. Eat your banana if you love it and it works for you.

JessiC1984

Unnecessary apostrophe's, friend or foe?

The apostrophe is why I clicked on the thread... I didn't understand what it would be about. I was thinking along the line of; banana's friend, I would say is yogurt. Banana's foe would be a sandwich, I just don't get that...