Apples or Bananas?

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maffc911
maffc911 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2016 in Food and Nutrition
I've noticed that most days I'm going over my sugar allowance. The only thing I eat that's sugary is fresh fruit, generally one banana, some berries and 3 or 4 apples a day. I notice that the bananas contain no sugar and more protein than the apples. Would I benefit from eating 1 apple and 3 or 4 bananas instead. A bit worried about other effects the bananas may have?
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Replies

  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    edited November 2016
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    What do you think bananas are going to do to you?
    I would recommend comparing the amount of fiber instead of the amount of sugar or protein. Fruit is probably a better source of fiber than protein.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Why do you have a sugar allowance? Is it for a medical condition? If so, replace several pieces of fruit with veggies. If not, why are you concerned? Fruit is very healthy, although getting in a broader variety might be good. Bananas have sugar in them, around 14 grams--where the heck are you getting that they don't have sugar??!!
  • jvcjim
    jvcjim Posts: 812 Member
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    98g of peeled banana has 87 calories, 1g protein, 22g carbs, 3g fiber and 12g sugar
    230g honey crisp apple (cored) 137 calories, 1g protein, 33g carb, 5g fiber and 22g sugar

    usually people ignore naturally occurring sugar and try and limit added sugar, of course diabetics might look and that differently.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2016
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    maffc911 wrote: »
    I've noticed that most days I'm going over my sugar allowance. The only thing I eat that's sugary is fresh fruit, generally one banana, some berries and 3 or 4 apples a day. I notice that the bananas contain no sugar and more protein than the apples. Would I benefit from eating 1 apple and 3 or 4 bananas instead. A bit worried about other effects the bananas may have?

    That's a lot of fruit (particularly high cal fruits like bananas and apples), but if you are sticking within your calories, getting enough protein, healthy fats, fiber, and vegetables while eating that way, then I wouldn't worry about the sugar. (I would have a really hard time meeting my other goals with all that fruit in one day, personally, but perhaps I have a lower calorie limit than you do.)

    The bigger concern is that it is simply not true that bananas have no sugar and meaningfully more protein than the apples. 100 grams of banana (many bananas are larger) has 75 calories, a gram of protein, and over 12 grams of sugar. 100 grams of apple (in my experience apples are often more like 140 grams or more) have 86 calories about .25 g of protein, and 10 grams of sugar. So depending on the size the sugar may be a wash, the calories are going to depend on size, and neither has enough protein to bother about, IMO.

    If you are using banana entries showing appreciable protein and NO sugar, I'd work on being able to recognize the good entries. Checking with the USDA site: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list is a good plan when starting out.

    Oh, also curious about what other bad effects bananas would have. Not aware of any bad effects of bananas although like I said I personally wouldn't eat a bunch of them in a day (because they'd displace other foods I think would be more beneficial to my overall diet if eaten in such numbers -- that might not be true for you).
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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  • maffc911
    maffc911 Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks, I'm not sure I understand your answer though. The site I've found suggests that apples are higher in fibre than a banana, though this is comparing a medium apple with a medium banana, not actual weights. Does the increase in fibre outweigh the increase in sugar. Still not sure whats best?
  • jvcjim
    jvcjim Posts: 812 Member
    edited November 2016
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    i try and have one of each and maybe some citrus as well daily.... i like fruit

    as for fiber if you peel the apple you lose a good portion of it... fiber only really matters if you are having digestive issues.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    You can't compare medium. How do you know what's medium?

    Using a banana and an apple I've logged recently, the banana (110 g) had 3 grams of fiber, the apple (145 g) had 3.5 grams of fiber, but of course more calories. I don't consider either a great source of fiber, and I don't worry about "outweighing" the sugar, the sugar is fine. It's about overall diet.

    Where are you getting your numbers?
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    You're majoring in the minors. Sugar is not evil lol. Is the reason you are eating so much fruit because you like it because it seems a little excessive.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited November 2016
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    maffc911 wrote: »
    I've noticed that most days I'm going over my sugar allowance. The only thing I eat that's sugary is fresh fruit, generally one banana, some berries and 3 or 4 apples a day. I notice that the bananas contain no sugar and more protein than the apples. Would I benefit from eating 1 apple and 3 or 4 bananas instead. A bit worried about other effects the bananas may have?

    If you think bananas have no sugar, you are picking an erroneous entry...bananas have more sugar than most fruits.

    Personally, I put a premium on veg and keep my fruit to a couple of servings per day...if you're eating berries, a banana, and 3-4 apples per day, that's a lot of fruit...so yeah...you're going to over on sugar...probably way over. Whether or not that is a concern for you really, I don't know...it would be for me personally for medical reasons.
  • leodru
    leodru Posts: 321 Member
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    maffc911 wrote: »
    I've noticed that most days I'm going over my sugar allowance. The only thing I eat that's sugary is fresh fruit, generally one banana, some berries and 3 or 4 apples a day. I notice that the bananas contain no sugar and more protein than the apples. Would I benefit from eating 1 apple and 3 or 4 bananas instead. A bit worried about other effects the bananas may have?

    Bananas contain 12.3 g of sugar per medium banana that is around 90 calories. Why do you think they have no sugar?
  • jvcjim
    jvcjim Posts: 812 Member
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    eat 2 clemintines (148g peeled), 70 calories, 2g protein, 18g carbs, 3 g fiber 14g sugar
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    @maffc911
    I do not track sugar at MFP, because they mix natural sugars with the added sugars on processed foods
    I have replaced that label with "fiber" instead.
    I tried to avoid high sugar processed foods and I do not add sugar to my drinks
    I have decreased 20 pounds body weight through MFP and not tracking sugars
    Good luck in your healthy journey
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    I don't eat bananas for ethical environmental reasons. The plantations destroy rainforests, and the workers are exposed to dangerous pesticides.

    I'll take a blotchy organic off-the-tree apple from my own biome, thank you.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2016
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    jvcjim wrote: »
    eat 2 clemintines (148g peeled), 70 calories, 2g protein, 18g carbs, 3 g fiber 14g sugar

    Why?

    I mean clementines are good, I will eat lots of them when they appear again, but apples and bananas are fine too. I am in favor of eating a variety of fruits if one likes them (but maybe not all on the same day as there are other foods that one should include in one's diet too).
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
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    it doesnt matter unless you have a medical reason to avoid sugar/carbs. i love fruit!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    Holy crap that's a lot of apples.
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
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    Keeping a whole office of doctors away!

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