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

Skinny_Beans
Skinny_Beans Posts: 405 Member
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
Some people say "screw it! fruit is better than ice cream anyway", others say "Noooo too many carbs and sugars don't do iiiiiiit"

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What do you do/feel about bananas? It's making me go bananas...
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Replies

  • annafonte
    annafonte Posts: 82 Member
    I think bananas are about 100 cals. But I always have one in the morning for energy as they are good for providing energy. Just don't eat to many of them :smile:
  • Queen_M
    Queen_M Posts: 70
    I have one every single morning. Sometimes I throw it into a smoothie, sometimes I just chop it up and eat it as is with the rest of my breakfast. If we're in a world that discourages eating a damn banana, then what CAN we eat?
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
    I have one every single morning. Sometimes I throw it into a smoothie, sometimes I just chop it up and eat it as is with the rest of my breakfast. If we're in a world that discourages eating a damn banana, then what CAN we eat?

    Hear, hear! Bananas provide all sorts of excellent chemicals and enzymes including potassium, and are a fantastic source of energy. The carb content is primarily complex carbs ie. the 'good' ones, and in my view, many people worry too much about natural sugars in fruits etc, which the body is well-equipped to handle. My $0.02...
  • T9MDL
    T9MDL Posts: 1
    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.
  • Lorleee
    Lorleee Posts: 369 Member
    Fruit is good for you. I keep to 2-3 fruit servings a day and the natural sugars are not a problem. I think if you ate fruit all day long instead of including veggie servings, then it would become an issue.
  • andieb75
    andieb75 Posts: 26
    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.


    yes! I go over sugar too and not because of any jusnk food, i do not eat it. My sugar comes from fruit and yogurt. I can not have artificial sweeteners, they make me ill. And I often eat sweet potatoes with just a little but the sugar in those are so high. isnt it supposed to be a "super" food?
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
    As a diet/exercise controlled diabetic, I don't drink juice or eat bananas because it's too much sugar for me without enough fiber. I do eat a lot of strawberries, granny smith and fuji apples, blueberries, etc. that have lots of fiber along with my sugars.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I think the guilt is more detrimental than the sugar regardless of whether it comes from fruit or ice cream.
  • GreenTeaForDays
    GreenTeaForDays Posts: 166 Member
    Have you ever heard of banana island?

    http://www.30bananasaday.com/

    I think it seems really interesting.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Bananas are the worst possible food to eat when trying to lose weight.

    I know this to be true because I read it right here on MFP. So there.
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    Think of it this way. Have you ever heard of anyone gaining weight from eating fruit?
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I think the guilt is more detrimental than the sugar regardless of whether it comes from fruit or ice cream.
    I agree. I don't have feelings about bananas. I just think they are tasty and nutritious, and I eat them.
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    Have you ever heard of banana island?

    http://www.30bananasaday.com/

    I think it seems really interesting.
    I'm.. I'm scared to click it. It sounds like a pr0n. O_O
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    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.
  • Annette_rose
    Annette_rose Posts: 427 Member
    I LOVE bananas and usually have one a day so I was sure hoping to see some good news about them on this thread, lol. I guess between a candy bar and a banana we are doing good in eating our banana hopefully.
  • Stinkerbelle84
    Stinkerbelle84 Posts: 328
    I don't think that you should feel guilty about eating a fresh banana. I have a friend that only eats dried bananas, and I don't feel like that is the same. That is more of a candied friut. But like someone said earlier, if you can't eat fresh friut, then what CAN we eat??? I like to eat a banana on most mornings. It gives me energy and keeps my muscles from cramping.
  • jwuchef87
    jwuchef87 Posts: 110 Member
    thank you!!! I'm eating alot more fruits and veggies and MFP is telling me i'm eating too many sugars...i don't even use sugar in anything else...splenda or nada. i'm going to continue eating my bananas!!!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Fruit is good for you. It has a lot of sugar so that is one thing to think about if you are trying to watch that... I'm not though. I eat as much fruit as my heart desires. I think as long as it fits into your calorie goal, go for it.
  • lovemykids58
    lovemykids58 Posts: 195 Member
    Biggest loser says they are great!
    http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/social/rachels-nutrition-blog/2012/03/when-youre-hungry-go-bananas/
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
    I love me some bananas. I have one almost every morning, and they are quite filling. An average banana has 3 grams of fiber.
  • 2befit2
    2befit2 Posts: 58 Member
    I just have banana with my steel cut oats, yumm:blushing:
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
    Fruits and veggies are things i don't worry about in terms of sugars and carbs. If I did, Id never eat them. I average nearly 100g of carbs a day just in fruits and veggies. I dont track my sugar so Idk where Im at there.. I eat a banana everyday!!
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    Bananas killed my parents when I was a boy. Now, I patrol the streets of Gotham at night and vow to avenge their deaths by fighting bananas wherever I find them.
  • kym117
    kym117 Posts: 315 Member
    This just confuses me, surely fruit and vegetables are far better for you than the junk that we consumed before getting here and form part of a healthy balanced diet? I don't think I am going to stress too much over this as I think that everything is fine in moderation.
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
    If I have cereal in the morning I almost always have it topped with a chopped banana - porridge, muesli, weetabix - LOVE them. Wouldn't eat 10 of them in a day though, one or 2 is fine :smile:
  • SofaKingRad
    SofaKingRad Posts: 1,592 Member
    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.
  • redcat17
    redcat17 Posts: 267 Member
    Unless you have a medical reason for not eating them, you shouldn't feel guilty for eating any foods. Bananas have protein and potassium along with sugars and carbs, and are a good source of energy. Just like everything else, it is about portions.

    Now, if you are eating ten bananas as a snack that's a different discussion entirely.
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
    Unless you have really bad problems with carbs, (e.g. insulin resistance etc) then don't worry about them. Just make sure you log them so you don't go over your daily calorie allowance. You can gain weight eating healthy food if you eat more than you burn off that's why it's important to log all your calories. Some people's bodies don't react well even to healthy carbs, so those people might do better to be careful about the sugars in fruit. However if you're not getting problems with blood sugar etc from eating bananas or other whole fruit, then eat them and enjoy them and log them in your diary :)

    I don't agree with people saying it's just as bad as eating refined sugar etc. It's not. Fruit is full of all kinds of vitamins and minerals and eating whole fruit can help keep you feeling full so you end up feeling full on fewer calories compared to many other kinds of foods.
  • vmclach
    vmclach Posts: 670 Member
    is this a joke?

    why would you feel bad about eating a banana. Get real...
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    This just confuses me, surely fruit and vegetables are far better for you than the junk that we consumed before getting here and form part of a healthy balanced diet? I don't think I am going to stress too much over this as I think that everything is fine in moderation.
    What's confusing? You seem to understand perfectly well.
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