Are bananas and peanut butter a bad thing?

Options
MeganMeCrazy247
MeganMeCrazy247 Posts: 16 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I found this awesome recipe online that helps replace ice cream cravings. Basically you freeze a bunch of chopped bananas then blend it with some vanilla extract and a choice of your flavor, in this case I use my Peanut Butter Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams, and it tastes delicious. The thing I'm worried about is if its too much. Basically when it comes down to the ingredients and macro nutrients, I'm eating about 2-3 bananas and 3-4 tbsp of peanut butter along with a tsp of vanilla. Now I feel like that is a lot of bananas. I might even be eating more. I usually eat this when I'm about to exercise a lot or for a post workout smoothie type thing. Anyone have any suggestions or comments, concerns? I don't want to get backed up with bananas to be honest haha, I just feel like with the amount of banana and chocolate peanut butter I'm basically eating the equivalent of chocolate ice cream. What do you think???
«13456

Replies

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    Options
    Weigh the bananas you toss in the mix, weigh the peanut butter and the flavoring. Use the recipe tool to figure out how many calories are in the pot, and set your portion size appropriately for your calorie budget. It sounds delicious.
  • MeganMeCrazy247
    MeganMeCrazy247 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    arditarose wrote: »
    It's probably more calories than a serving of ice cream. What is your goal with this recipe? Are you trying to find a lower calorie alternative to ice cream, or meet a macro goal? If you weigh a banana, depending on how many grams it is, it can have up to 120 calories. So 3 bananas could be 360 calories right there. 2 tablespoons of PB is 190, if you're have 4....do the math. This is not a low calorie dessert.

    I realized that the calories were going to be high, but do you think it's better than eating creamy ice cream? I felt it would have at least less sugar...idk
  • BigTandthesquatters
    BigTandthesquatters Posts: 151 Member
    edited August 2016
    Options
    I will say that the recipe sounds good, but dang why so much? I am a big eater and my smoothie is only a yogurt, one banana, pbfit, whey protein. It comes to around 350-400 calories depending on the yogurt and the weight of the fruit. It fills me up quite nicely and makes a great post workout meal. Whenever I buy bananas i take a couple and chunk them up and freeze. That way you don't have to use ice in your smoothie and thinning out the taste.
  • B4Rachael
    B4Rachael Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    You could try using chocolate soy milk instead of chocolate peanut butter
  • MeganMeCrazy247
    MeganMeCrazy247 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    I mean I know I should probably not chop up as many bananas as I usually do any ways. I'll chop up about 5-6 then store that so that I don't have to worry about too ripe of a banana. But I do have to confess that I can't really tell how many bananas I'm dumping in when I make the "ice cream." Then I just scoop a big *kitten* serving of peanut butter. I'm usually guestimating the entire time...maybe I shouldn't eat it anymore or just plan it better...
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Options
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    It's probably more calories than a serving of ice cream. What is your goal with this recipe? Are you trying to find a lower calorie alternative to ice cream, or meet a macro goal? If you weigh a banana, depending on how many grams it is, it can have up to 120 calories. So 3 bananas could be 360 calories right there. 2 tablespoons of PB is 190, if you're have 4....do the math. This is not a low calorie dessert.

    I realized that the calories were going to be high, but do you think it's better than eating creamy ice cream? I felt it would have at least less sugar...idk

    The amount of sugar (unless you have medical conditions which require monitoring) is less important for weight loss than total calories. However, as WinoGelato did the math for you, looks like your concoction doesn't come out ahead in either category. Personally, I like bananas and peanut butter, but I just take the banana and put peanut butter on it. If I want ice cream, I eat a serving of that. Achieving your goals requires awareness of calories consumed, number of calories burned (throughout the day, not just during activity), and paying attention to nutrition and hunger cues. These ridiculous substitutes for everything to make it "healthier" just muddy the water.
  • MeganMeCrazy247
    MeganMeCrazy247 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    It's probably more calories than a serving of ice cream. What is your goal with this recipe? Are you trying to find a lower calorie alternative to ice cream, or meet a macro goal? If you weigh a banana, depending on how many grams it is, it can have up to 120 calories. So 3 bananas could be 360 calories right there. 2 tablespoons of PB is 190, if you're have 4....do the math. This is not a low calorie dessert.

    I realized that the calories were going to be high, but do you think it's better than eating creamy ice cream? I felt it would have at least less sugar...idk

    The amount of sugar (unless you have medical conditions which require monitoring) is less important for weight loss than total calories. However, as WinoGelato did the math for you, looks like your concoction doesn't come out ahead in either category. Personally, I like bananas and peanut butter, but I just take the banana and put peanut butter on it. If I want ice cream, I eat a serving of that. Achieving your goals requires awareness of calories consumed, number of calories burned (throughout the day, not just during activity), and paying attention to nutrition and hunger cues. These ridiculous substitutes for everything to make it "healthier" just muddy the water.

    Well I mean I burned over 2,000 calories today and before my bananas and pb I only ate 875 cals for the whole day...so for my total I ate about 1,800 cals today with over 800 cals still available...
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Options
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    It's probably more calories than a serving of ice cream. What is your goal with this recipe? Are you trying to find a lower calorie alternative to ice cream, or meet a macro goal? If you weigh a banana, depending on how many grams it is, it can have up to 120 calories. So 3 bananas could be 360 calories right there. 2 tablespoons of PB is 190, if you're have 4....do the math. This is not a low calorie dessert.

    I realized that the calories were going to be high, but do you think it's better than eating creamy ice cream? I felt it would have at least less sugar...idk

    The amount of sugar (unless you have medical conditions which require monitoring) is less important for weight loss than total calories. However, as WinoGelato did the math for you, looks like your concoction doesn't come out ahead in either category. Personally, I like bananas and peanut butter, but I just take the banana and put peanut butter on it. If I want ice cream, I eat a serving of that. Achieving your goals requires awareness of calories consumed, number of calories burned (throughout the day, not just during activity), and paying attention to nutrition and hunger cues. These ridiculous substitutes for everything to make it "healthier" just muddy the water.

    Well I mean I burned over 2,000 calories today and before my bananas and pb I only ate 875 cals for the whole day...so for my total I ate about 1,800 cals today with over 800 cals still available...

    Are you logging all your foods accurately using a food scale?

    When you say you burned over 2000 cals today, do you mean total burn or that is your exercise burn? If the latter, what sort of exercise are you doing and how do you measure your burns?

    Are you saying that over half of your total calorie consumption was from your banana PB concoction? Where are you getting protein from? Why are you eating so little food other than this?
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited August 2016
    Options
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    It's probably more calories than a serving of ice cream. What is your goal with this recipe? Are you trying to find a lower calorie alternative to ice cream, or meet a macro goal? If you weigh a banana, depending on how many grams it is, it can have up to 120 calories. So 3 bananas could be 360 calories right there. 2 tablespoons of PB is 190, if you're have 4....do the math. This is not a low calorie dessert.

    I realized that the calories were going to be high, but do you think it's better than eating creamy ice cream? I felt it would have at least less sugar...idk

    The amount of sugar (unless you have medical conditions which require monitoring) is less important for weight loss than total calories. However, as WinoGelato did the math for you, looks like your concoction doesn't come out ahead in either category. Personally, I like bananas and peanut butter, but I just take the banana and put peanut butter on it. If I want ice cream, I eat a serving of that. Achieving your goals requires awareness of calories consumed, number of calories burned (throughout the day, not just during activity), and paying attention to nutrition and hunger cues. These ridiculous substitutes for everything to make it "healthier" just muddy the water.

    Well I mean I burned over 2,000 calories today and before my bananas and pb I only ate 875 cals for the whole day...so for my total I ate about 1,800 cals today with over 800 cals still available...

    Are you logging all your foods accurately using a food scale?

    When you say you burned over 2000 cals today, do you mean total burn or that is your exercise burn? If the latter, what sort of exercise are you doing and how do you measure your burns?

    Are you saying that over half of your total calorie consumption was from your banana PB concoction? Where are you getting protein from? Why are you eating so little food other than this?

    These questions, plus, you just said that you don't measure your bananas and you guesstimate your peanut butter. You really don't know how much you're eating.

    ETA: Sorry, I should have been clearer when I was talking about the substitutions to make everything healthier. I just mean that there are so many unsubstantiated eating rules that are being spread across the internet, and are really unnecessary.
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
    Options
    Bananas and peanut butter are life.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    So I found this awesome recipe online that helps replace ice cream cravings. Basically you freeze a bunch of chopped bananas then blend it with some vanilla extract and a choice of your flavor, in this case I use my Peanut Butter Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams, and it tastes delicious. The thing I'm worried about is if its too much. Basically when it comes down to the ingredients and macro nutrients, I'm eating about 2-3 bananas and 3-4 tbsp of peanut butter along with a tsp of vanilla. Now I feel like that is a lot of bananas. I might even be eating more. I usually eat this when I'm about to exercise a lot or for a post workout smoothie type thing. Anyone have any suggestions or comments, concerns? I don't want to get backed up with bananas to be honest haha, I just feel like with the amount of banana and chocolate peanut butter I'm basically eating the equivalent of chocolate ice cream. What do you think???

    a banana with peanut butter on is my favorite post run refuel. its quite a lot of calories (i like a generous amount of peanut butter) but much better nutritionally than a chocolate bar.

    that being said, eat whatever fits your calories and macros.
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
    Options
    Yes bad. Bad! (But only because I'm in the minority on here and don't like peanut butter. :wink: )
  • berolcolour
    berolcolour Posts: 140 Member
    Options
    If you want something lower calorie I make the same thing into a milkshake, 1 frozen banana, 1 tbsp of peanut butter, milk (I use soy) and any other flavourings and protein powder (optional!) blended together. Not as many calories but still good! It has the consistency of an ice cream milkshake too. If I'm running out of kcals for the day I skip the PB, half the banana and add some ice.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
    Options
    MeganMeCrazy247 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    It's probably more calories than a serving of ice cream. What is your goal with this recipe? Are you trying to find a lower calorie alternative to ice cream, or meet a macro goal? If you weigh a banana, depending on how many grams it is, it can have up to 120 calories. So 3 bananas could be 360 calories right there. 2 tablespoons of PB is 190, if you're have 4....do the math. This is not a low calorie dessert.

    I realized that the calories were going to be high, but do you think it's better than eating creamy ice cream? I felt it would have at least less sugar...idk

    If it has less sugar but more overall calories then it is not necessarily "better". Not worse either. Depends on what the rest of your diet looks like...
  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
    Options
    Those are only bad if you're on a potassium-restrictive diet. Both bananas and peanut butter are high in potassium.

Categories