Thoughts on bananas. ..

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Replies

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I honestly do not understand the need to moralize what essentially comes down to personal preference. This seems to happen a lot when it comes to food choice.

    This is how I feel as well. If you like bananas, or any food, excellent. If not, then don't eat it. Food and food and none is good or bad. :)
  • AlanEstrada35
    AlanEstrada35 Posts: 5 Member
    They are fine to eat as long as you are in a caloric deficit. I normally have a banana and a protein shake post workout.
  • 555_FILK
    555_FILK Posts: 86 Member
    Several people have mentioned that bananas have about 100 calories. If you Google search it, you will find the same answer. But here's where I'm confused:

    Banana

    Total fat 0.4 g
    Total carbohydrate 27 g
    Protein 1.3 g

    According to my math: 0.4*9 + 27*4 + 1.3*4 = 116.8 calories


    I come across this issue with a lot of foods. Am I doing the math incorrectly? I understand rounding can cause some slight differences, but 100 vs 117? Take that difference times most of the food you eat every day, over the course of a lot of days, it adds up.

    How are those 17 calories disappearing?

  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    555_FILK wrote: »
    Several people have mentioned that bananas have about 100 calories. If you Google search it, you will find the same answer. But here's where I'm confused:

    Banana

    Total fat 0.4 g
    Total carbohydrate 27 g
    Protein 1.3 g

    According to my math: 0.4*9 + 27*4 + 1.3*4 = 116.8 calories


    I come across this issue with a lot of foods. Am I doing the math incorrectly? I understand rounding can cause some slight differences, but 100 vs 117? Take that difference times most of the food you eat every day, over the course of a lot of days, it adds up.

    How are those 17 calories disappearing?

    Because bananas come in different sizes?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I honestly do not understand the need to moralize what essentially comes down to personal preference. This seems to happen a lot when it comes to food choice.

    This x 1000.

    I don't even like bananas that much. I only eat them in the winter. But this discussion is making me super pro banana.
  • 555_FILK
    555_FILK Posts: 86 Member
    maidentl wrote: »
    555_FILK wrote: »
    Several people have mentioned that bananas have about 100 calories. If you Google search it, you will find the same answer. But here's where I'm confused:

    Banana

    Total fat 0.4 g
    Total carbohydrate 27 g
    Protein 1.3 g

    According to my math: 0.4*9 + 27*4 + 1.3*4 = 116.8 calories


    I come across this issue with a lot of foods. Am I doing the math incorrectly? I understand rounding can cause some slight differences, but 100 vs 117? Take that difference times most of the food you eat every day, over the course of a lot of days, it adds up.

    How are those 17 calories disappearing?

    Because bananas come in different sizes?

    Of course they do, but the math still doesn't add up. The numbers supplied are for a typical banana, and the macros do not add up to the total calorie count.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited September 2015
    Maybe the fiber?

    Do they add up worse than other fruits?
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Does every single listing for bananas give that breakdown or is that just one you found?
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    edited September 2015
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Maybe the fiber?

    This might be it. I am looking at a similar breakdown but it lists the banana at 105. Fiber is 3g. So if you subtract three grams of carbs from 117, you get 105.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I honestly do not understand the need to moralize what essentially comes down to personal preference. This seems to happen a lot when it comes to food choice.

    This x 1000.

    I don't even like bananas that much. I only eat them in the winter. But this discussion is making me super pro banana.

    Agreed.

    After reading through this thread, I am officially a banana advocate.
  • ilovecereal1982
    ilovecereal1982 Posts: 1,194 Member
    I think they go great in a split....
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Bananas Foster is the bomb
  • 555_FILK
    555_FILK Posts: 86 Member
    maidentl wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Maybe the fiber?

    This might be it. I am looking at a similar breakdown but it lists the banana at 105. Fiber is 3g. So if you subtract three grams of carbs from 117, you get 105.

    Oh is that what it is? You subtract fiber? I was taught incorrectly then! I'll keep that in mind and see if it resolves my counting issues!
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    555_FILK wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Maybe the fiber?

    This might be it. I am looking at a similar breakdown but it lists the banana at 105. Fiber is 3g. So if you subtract three grams of carbs from 117, you get 105.

    Oh is that what it is? You subtract fiber? I was taught incorrectly then! I'll keep that in mind and see if it resolves my counting issues!

    I didn't know that either but it explains the discrepancy. I guess we learned something new!
  • 555_FILK
    555_FILK Posts: 86 Member
    maidentl wrote: »
    555_FILK wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Maybe the fiber?

    This might be it. I am looking at a similar breakdown but it lists the banana at 105. Fiber is 3g. So if you subtract three grams of carbs from 117, you get 105.

    Oh is that what it is? You subtract fiber? I was taught incorrectly then! I'll keep that in mind and see if it resolves my counting issues!

    I didn't know that either but it explains the discrepancy. I guess we learned something new!

    I'm trying to find something online to confirm this, but can't find it. Hmm.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    555_FILK wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    555_FILK wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Maybe the fiber?

    This might be it. I am looking at a similar breakdown but it lists the banana at 105. Fiber is 3g. So if you subtract three grams of carbs from 117, you get 105.

    Oh is that what it is? You subtract fiber? I was taught incorrectly then! I'll keep that in mind and see if it resolves my counting issues!

    I didn't know that either but it explains the discrepancy. I guess we learned something new!

    I'm trying to find something online to confirm this, but can't find it. Hmm.

    Well if you think about it, it does make sense. Fiber is a carbohydrate, so it would be in the total grams of carbohydrates. However, insoluble fiber is not digested, so we wouldn't absorb the calories in the 3 g of fiber in the banana.

    IMO, that would account for those 12 calories.
  • 555_FILK
    555_FILK Posts: 86 Member
    edited September 2015
    555_FILK wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    555_FILK wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Maybe the fiber?

    This might be it. I am looking at a similar breakdown but it lists the banana at 105. Fiber is 3g. So if you subtract three grams of carbs from 117, you get 105.

    Oh is that what it is? You subtract fiber? I was taught incorrectly then! I'll keep that in mind and see if it resolves my counting issues!

    I didn't know that either but it explains the discrepancy. I guess we learned something new!

    I'm trying to find something online to confirm this, but can't find it. Hmm.

    Well if you think about it, it does make sense. Fiber is a carbohydrate, so it would be in the total grams of carbohydrates. However, insoluble fiber is not digested, so we wouldn't absorb the calories in the 3 g of fiber in the banana.

    IMO, that would account for those 12 calories.

    OK yes, that is it. The fiber is counted in the total carbs, but it is indigestible.

    Thanks everyone!

    Here's a link:

    http://www.foodiefiasco.com/how-to-correctly-count-calories/
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Does anyone else have a sudden urge to make sure they're not being "charged extra" for fiber?
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    Personally I eat half a plantain at a time. They're also a staple in some cultures. As far as I know they're starchy and have to be cooked prior to eating, so although so similar to bananas in appearance, it's hard for me to place them under the same category since bananas are ready to eat raw once ripe

    Yes, I always place them in the same category as potato (and sweet potato). Though they look like a banana, they are actually very different - but I like plantains too.



  • ilovecereal1982
    ilovecereal1982 Posts: 1,194 Member
    When it comes to bananas. ..there is always money in the stand....
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    edited September 2015

    SLLRunner wrote: »
    I honestly do not understand the need to moralize what essentially comes down to personal preference. This seems to happen a lot when it comes to food choice.

    This is how I feel as well. If you like bananas, or any food, excellent. If not, then don't eat it. Food and food and none is good or bad. :)

    For me, it's not about good or bad, it's about whether the food is likely to keep me feeling full. I have my deficit set to .5lb per week and that's all I'm losing, but I'm still hungrier than I want to be if I'm not careful.

  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    edited September 2015
    Just checked Holt's Satiety Index. My own experience matches her ranking of fruit for satiation. From least to most: bananas, grapes, apples, oranges. In comparison to white bread bananas are ranked as more satiating, but less satiating than wholemeal bread.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    I honestly do not understand the need to moralize what essentially comes down to personal preference. This seems to happen a lot when it comes to food choice.

    This is how I feel as well. If you like bananas, or any food, excellent. If not, then don't eat it. Food and food and none is good or bad. :)

    For me, it's not about good or bad, it's about whether the food is likely to keep me feeling full. I have my deficit set to .5lb per week and that's all I'm losing, but I'm still hungrier than I want to be if I'm not careful.

    I understand. I feel perfectly full after eating a banana, or any carb, but some things like fats and protein do not always do it for me.
  • 555_FILK
    555_FILK Posts: 86 Member
    maidentl wrote: »
    Does anyone else have a sudden urge to make sure they're not being "charged extra" for fiber?

    Exactly. Looks like Cheerios are back on the menu! :D
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    Tonight at WM I picked up 7 very green baby bananas ($1.18) and ate two. They were crunchy and very good. There was no bad aftertaste.
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  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Tonight at WM I picked up 7 very green baby bananas ($1.18) and ate two. They were crunchy and very good. There was no bad aftertaste.

    Crunchy :open_mouth: They must have been super duper green! :lol:

  • DanGemmell
    DanGemmell Posts: 6 Member
    Bananas are usually 100-130kcals, and are obviously solely carbohydrates. But the downside is they don't contain a lot of fiber. So you end up eating all that glucose, but there's nothing to keep you feeling full.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Tonight at WM I picked up 7 very green baby bananas ($1.18) and ate two. They were crunchy and very good. There was no bad aftertaste.

    Crunchy :open_mouth: They must have been super duper green! :lol:

    Astringent, I would think.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,307 Member
    Bananas are high in potassium. If you have kidney disease you will be told bananas are a 'to avoid' food for that reason.

    If you are diabetic you will have to watch the amount because of the sugar level ( just like most fruits)

    For everyone else, just be sensible - don't eat 15 or 20 per day.

    Unless you are Peter Siddle - last banana thread I learnt he eats 15 - 20 per day.
    But he is well over 6 foot tall, young healthy male, and an activity level way above most of us.
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