Is it possible to eat bananas while losing weight: expert opinions

Nutritional value of the fruit

Bananas are considered a relatively high-calorie fruit compared to others. For every hundred grams of fruit without peel there are about 95 calories, and in one average banana there are about 120 grams.

Compared to a number of products, this is not so much, but if you compare, for example, with green apples or vegetables, you get an average figure.

The main harm of bananas is that most of the calories come from carbohydrates, and simple ones. The ratio of nutrients is approximately as follows:

• proteins - about one and a half grams;
• fats - about half a gram;
• carbohydrates - about 20 grams, including 7 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fructose, 4 grams of glucose, the rest are complex carbohydrates.

At the same time, bananas are quite healthy due to the content of many important components, such as:

• B vitamins;
• carotene, vitamin A;
• vitamin C;
• a number of other vitamins in smaller quantities;
• magnesium, manganese, potassium and other minerals.

Important! Bananas are also rich in iron. And it is necessary for the normal course of the formation of red blood cells (erythrocytes) and their transfer of oxygen to tissues. Also, consuming foods containing iron helps prevent anemia, and for those people who have it, it can significantly alleviate its course, or even get rid of the disease.

There are so many vitamins in bananas that one hundred grams of fruit will amount to 10 to 20% of the daily requirement. For example, it is especially rich in B vitamins, as well as minerals such as manganese, potassium and magnesium.

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Kislitsa

Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.

The particular benefits of bananas are due to their high potassium content. This is due to the fact that this mineral is necessary for the normal course of all physiological processes at the cellular level. The reason is that potassium is the leading link in the potassium-sodium pump, a natural mechanism that ensures the entry of nutrients into the cell and the removal of toxic and unnecessary biological compounds from it. On the surface of each cell there is a cell membrane - a kind of “gate” through which some substances enter the cell, and others are removed from it. Potassium ions accumulate inside the cell, and sodium ions are located outside (the space inside the cell is limited from the space outside it by the cell membrane). The accumulation of ions with different charges on opposite sides of the cell membrane (potassium has a negative charge, and sodium has a positive charge) leads to a change in the charges inside and outside the cell: a negative charge is created in the cell, and a positive charge outside it. Whereas normally the cell charge is negative (approximately). For the normal existence of a cell, the charge must be equalized. It happens like this: upon reaching peak charges inside and outside the cell, special receptors located on the cell membrane are activated. As a result, the “gate” opens, and potassium ions leave the cell, and sodium ions enter it. The vital activity of every cell, and therefore every tissue, every organ in the body directly depends on the course of these processes.

The glycemic index of banana is 60 when fresh. After heat treatment it will grow significantly. This is an average, but many fruits are less important.

Important! The glycemic index shows how much carbohydrates from a particular food can raise blood glucose levels. And since glucose is a source of energy, knowing the glycemic index of a product, you can calculate your diet or quickly restore energy reserves. However, foods with a high glycemic index should be consumed with caution by those who suffer from diabetes. After all, abnormally high blood glucose levels are dangerous not only for health, but also for life. And with diabetes, there is a deficiency of insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels.

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Composition and calorie content

Calories 89 kcal

• Fat:
  0.3 g
• Proteins:
  1.1 g
• Carbohydrates:
  22.8 g
• Water:
  75 g
• Ash:
  0.8 g
• Fiber:
  2.6 g

Full chemical composition ➤

Other important connections:

• Phytosterols

  — 16 mg (29% of RDA)

• Purines

  — 11 mg (8.3% of RDA)

• Oxalic acid

  — 0.7 mg (0.2% of RDA)

Beneficial features

You can eat bananas while on a diet, but you should limit the amount and time of consumption.

Bananas not only quickly saturate the body, but also have a number of beneficial properties that are determined by the composition of the fruit:

• The fruit almost never causes allergic reactions, which allows it to be consumed even by small children. It can also be safely eaten by allergy sufferers;
• quickly replenish blood sugar levels, which is necessary, for example, after a workout or on the road, when there is no other opportunity to have a snack;
• rich composition, including a number of useful components, which have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, heart, skin, hair, and hormonal levels;
• help fight depression and have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system;
• relieves tension, fatigue, improves tone.

Fact! Since bananas contain a lot of glucose, they can be used in the treatment of hypoglycemia (a condition when blood glucose levels drop to health-threatening levels) in those people who suffer from diabetes. The condition can develop both with insulin deficiency and prolonged fasting, and if an excessive dose of insulin is administered. To restore the balance of glucose in the blood, a person with hypoglycemia should be given 1-2 bananas to eat as soon as possible. As a result, your health status quickly returns to normal.

Bananas are also useful for proper nutrition because they have a fibrous structure, which has a positive effect on digestion.

Expert opinion

Evgeniy Kislitsa

Practicing surgeon. Certified massage master. Two-time vice-champion and heavyweight champion of regional kettlebell lifting competitions.

The concept of fibrous structure means a high content of hard-to-digest dietary fiber - fiber. The latter has a beneficial effect on intestinal function. It normalizes peristalsis (rhythmic contractions of the intestinal wall), thereby improving digestion. Also, regular consumption of foods rich in fiber will help you get rid of a whole list of intestinal diseases. Those who want to lose weight are advised to consume more fiber than the average person, as it prevents the absorption of toxins from food and speeds up their elimination. In addition, fiber improves the absorption of nutrients and allows you to quickly overcome hunger. The latter property is associated with the filling of the stomach, which has special receptors that respond to the stretching of its wall. Fiber leads to stretching of the stomach wall, in response to which special receptors transmit information to the brain about the need to stop eating. Fiber also regulates the balance of microflora in the intestines. It prevents the increase in the population of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms (removes them from the human body), thereby preventing the development of many diseases, and not only the digestive system. Those who suffer from dysbiosis should also consume foods rich in fiber, because the fewer harmful microbes in the body, the better conditions are created for the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms.

What are the benefits of dried bananas?

Dried bananas are no less beneficial for human health than fresh bananas, however, the calorie content of such products is higher. 100 g of dried bananas contain about 346 kcal. Therefore, people with excess body weight should avoid using the product. It is not recommended to include dried bananas in the menu of patients with diabetes.

You can offer dried bananas to children as an alternative to chocolate and candy. This dessert will definitely please your child and will also benefit the body. After all, the vitamins and minerals contained in fresh bananas do not disappear from dried fruits.

Dried bananas are an excellent source of potassium. Eating them helps normalize the condition of the heart and blood vessels. The fruits are beneficial for nails, hair, and skin. Dried bananas are a source of energy and strength. With their help you can get rid of depression and cheer up. Dried bananas very rarely provoke allergic reactions.

It is useful to eat dried fruits from bananas for people prone to constipation and anemia. This product can be included in the menu for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The fruits contain a lot of ascorbic acid, which helps the body in the fight against infectious diseases.

For people involved in active sports or heavy physical labor, dried bananas will quickly replenish energy reserves. Eating them helps normalize blood pressure.

Cooks actively use dried bananas in various dishes. Fruits are added to porridges, they are used to decorate cakes, pastries and other sweets.

Bananas are easy to dry at home. For this purpose, you will need to purchase ripe fruits, wash them, peel them and cut them into thin slices. Then the bananas are placed on a baking sheet, previously covered with parchment, and sent to the oven. The drying temperature should be about 50 °C, but no more. Cooking time for bananas is 3 hours. The oven door should be left ajar to allow air flow and allow the temperature to be adjusted.

After the required time has passed, the bananas are cooled and placed in glass jars for storage. Such fruits can be eaten in their pure form, or can be added to various dishes.

Is there any harm

The harm of bananas is mainly due to the high content of simple carbohydrates. They are contraindicated on a diet, as well as for diabetics.

The relatively high glycemic index indicates that the fruit is not very suitable for weight loss, but is allowed in limited quantities.

Attention! Bananas can be harmful not only when losing weight, but also in other situations when there are certain diseases, for example, diabetes, allergies, varicose veins, and so on.

Bananas are also not recommended after a heart attack or stroke, as they can increase the risk of blood clots, and therefore can lead to recurrent disease. But the presence of allergic reactions to bananas is very rare, but sometimes it happens.

Attention! Those who have bradycardia (abnormally slow heart rate - less than 60 beats per minute) or other heart rhythm disorders such as blockades should not get carried away with bananas. In this case, eating bananas may negatively affect the functioning of the heart.

How can banana peels be useful?

Banana peels may be beneficial for human health. It contains the same vitamins and microelements as the fruit itself, but the peel is an absolutely non-calorie product. It contains carotenoids and polyphenols, which speed up metabolic processes in the body. It also contains serotonin to improve mood and lutein to prevent cataracts.

However, many suppliers, in order to prevent banana spoilage, treat the peel with various chemicals that can be harmful to the human body. Therefore, before using banana peels, they must be properly processed.

You can use the peel as follows:

• Prepare a decoction of banana peels. It must be placed in boiling water for 10 minutes, then remove the broth from the heat and cool. The peel must be discarded, and the resulting broth can be added to any juices, compotes or smoothies. This will make your favorite drinks more fortified.
• The peel can be used to whiten tooth enamel. To this end, after each brushing of your teeth, you need to wipe their surface with the soft side of a banana peel. This will help get rid of stains on your teeth enamel, and will also make it possible to reduce the harm from using toothpaste that contains various chemical compounds. In addition, the peel contains minerals that will be beneficial for teeth.
• You can use ripe banana peel to improve the condition of your facial skin. For this purpose, you need to gently massage your face with the peel, rubbing the soft contents into the skin. It is useful to perform this massage once every 3-4 days. Banana peel will act as a soft peeling, gradually whitening the skin of the face, evening out its tone, and smoothing out fine wrinkles.
• Banana peels can help get rid of warts. To do this, you just need to wipe the growth with the soft side of the peel every day before going to bed.
• Fruit acids, minerals and vitamins contained in banana peel help eliminate minor inflammations on the skin. To do this, you just need to wipe the problem area with the soft side of the peel. This method can be used to reduce itching and inflammation from bites of various insects: mosquitoes, wasps or bees. In the same way, you can relieve skin irritation after shaving.
• Laying a banana peel on the bottom of the pan and then frying the meat on it will make it soft and juicy. In addition, the product will not burn or spoil. Naturally, before using the peel, you need to wash it well.

Who should not eat and why

Bananas are not recommended for the following people:

• those losing weight in large quantities, as well as in the evening;
• except in situations where there is an urgent need to increase blood glucose concentrations;
• with an increased risk of blood clots, since eating bananas further increases the likelihood of blood clots;
• if you have an allergy;
• in case of heart rhythm disturbances in the direction of blockades or bradycardia;
• if there are varicose veins.

If you have these problems, you should not eat bananas or carefully monitor the body’s reaction and consume them in very limited quantities.

How to use before and after training

First of all, you should pay attention to the quality of the fruit .
They must be ripe and fresh. Next, you need to accurately enter the product into the daily menu, where the total number of calories consumed is accurately calculated, taking into account physical activity. It is also recommended to eat bananas separately from other foods 20-30 minutes before training so that the blood is saturated with sugars. Then playing sports will be easier to bear. At the same time, you need to monitor your drinking regime and consume more liquid, which is what bananas remove from the body. Green tea without sugar and mineral water without gases are good options. For about 40-60 minutes after a fitness class, you can’t eat anything, only water . Since at this time the body’s recovery after exercise begins and a kind of “window” opens when all products are better absorbed. This period of time must be endured in order to burn excess fat (they are burned precisely at this time). Then you can eat a banana so as not to cause weakness, but you cannot eat too much, otherwise the meaning of the diet will be lost.

The banana diet is short-term – no more than 7 days . During this period, you need to almost completely limit yourself from fatty and sweet foods. You need to eat about 1.5 kg of bananas per day, but this figure is arbitrary, since each person has his own physiology, goals and lifestyle. You can optimize the amount of fruit per day by paying attention to your well-being and the body’s reaction. It is difficult to find the correct numbers the first time, so you will have to try.

Is it worth consuming the fruit with proper nutrition and while losing weight or not?

You can eat bananas on a diet, but the product should be strictly limited.

It is necessary to calculate the calorie content of the diet, the balance of nutrients, which will allow you to control the menu and calculate the permissible amount of simple carbohydrates.

It is also worth remembering that bananas are best eaten at certain times of the day.

Important! Bananas are not considered a very unhealthy food, but are limited due to their high carbohydrate content, including simple ones.

A healthy diet may include some simple carbohydrates. It’s better to eat a banana than to suddenly break loose and attack other sweets, such as cakes, sweet pastries, and so on. In addition, bananas are much healthier than any baked goods or sweets.

How much can you eat per day when losing weight?

During the period of active weight loss, it is worth monitoring the total calorie intake of the diet.

The permissible amount of energy is first calculated approximately, then determined empirically, since each organism has a number of characteristics (metabolic rate, hormonal levels, lifestyle, and so on).

It is also worth considering the characteristics of the body constitution (body type). Thus, in thin and most often tall people with long limbs (exomorphs), metabolic processes proceed the fastest. Such people are not prone to gaining excess weight, and even if they do gain it, they will quickly get rid of it. Short but large people who are prone to gaining excess weight (endomorphs) have the slowest metabolism. They are the ones who gain excess weight most easily, and getting rid of it is the most difficult for such people. People of average height and moderate “dimensions” (mesomorphs) have an average metabolic rate. They are equally prone to weight gain and weight loss. It is easiest for such people to correct their figure.

It is believed that one or two bananas per day with high physical activity will be acceptable. If a person losing weight moves little, then it is better not to eat more than one banana per day.

What time of day: morning, afternoon or evening

You should not eat bananas while losing weight at night, as they contain a lot of simple carbohydrates, which can be stored in the body as fat. Bananas are best consumed either in the morning or during the day. It is best to eat the fruit with breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

At a later time, bananas are allowed after an intense workout. The fruit will help restore glycogen reserves in the body, which will speed up recovery after physical activity.

Attention! In the case of hypoglycemia, bananas can be consumed regardless of the time of day.

Recipes

Ideal banana breakfasts

• Cottage cheese

Finely chop 1 banana into 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese and season with 10% sour cream. This dish can be eaten as is, or can be blended in a blender.

• Boiled

It is believed that if you boil a banana, it will not be so sweet and high in calories. However, don’t count too much on maintaining delicate taste either. Place 1 fruit in boiling water (it doesn’t matter whether it’s peeled or peeled). Keep on low heat for 10 minutes. Eat chilled.

• Oatmeal for breakfast

One of the simplest and healthiest recipes for a boost of energy in the morning for the whole day. First, the oatmeal is cooked in water (preferably from whole grains). Then banana puree is added to it (the proportions are arbitrary). This will allow you to eat the porridge without sugar, and at the same time it will be sweet due to plant glucose.

Cocktails and smoothies with banana

Good for snacks and after workouts.

• Kefir with banana

Coarsely chop the banana and puree it in a blender. Pour in 250 ml of low-fat kefir, beat. The perfect diet smoothie.

• Milk with banana

Milk is not as beneficial for weight loss as kefir, so it is better to give preference to the previous recipe. However, this cocktail turns out softer, since there is no sourness in it. It also belongs to the dietary and protein category, so it can be safely included in the diet. The proportions are the same. You can also add any other low-calorie fruits and berries to banana puree. An excellent combination - with strawberries or oranges.

• Cinnamon

If you add a pinch of cinnamon to any of the previous recipes, the fat-burning properties of the drinks will increase.

With peel

According to research, banana peel contains several times more nutrients than the fruit itself. For example, it has pronounced bactericidal and antihistamine properties. It contains a lot of lutein, which can improve vision. Nutritionists insist that those losing weight include it in their diet too. How can I do that?

1. Boil or bake fruits directly in the peel, and then eat them in the same form.
2. You can make a decoction: only the skins are dipped into boiling water and boiled for a quarter of an hour, then squeezed out, and the drink is drunk throughout the weight loss process on an empty stomach in the morning.

If you are a banana lover and are afraid of losing weight just because they are on the forbidden list of most diets, you can calm down. If everything is organized correctly, these delicious tropical fruits will help you get rid of extra pounds and will not become an obstacle on your way to a slim figure.

Ways to burn fat with the help of the fetus

It’s obvious why you can’t build a diet on bananas alone - they contain a lot of carbohydrates and little protein, which is exactly the opposite of the principle of losing weight, when there should be more protein foods.

However, fasting days on bananas are allowed, as they will allow the gastrointestinal tract to take a break from eating heavy food and adjust to the subsequent diet.

At the same time, doubts about whether it is worth arranging such unloading when losing weight or not are quite obvious. A large amount of simple carbohydrates can be deposited in the body as fat, which will negate all past achievements. However, with such a fasting day, no other food will be consumed, and accordingly, the total calorie content of the diet will be small.

So, a person losing weight needs to eat a couple of bananas for breakfast, then for lunch, and one in the late afternoon, but not just before bed. In addition, you need to drink at least two liters of water per day. You should not arrange such a fasting often and for more than one day in a row, because excessive consumption of bananas can be harmful to your health, especially if you have problems with the cardiovascular system.

Important! The given volume of water is aimed at the average person. People with more or less than the average body weight need to increase or decrease their fluid intake by 0.5 liters, respectively.

The banana diet is considered short-term, that is, it is used for no more than a week in a row. It is necessary to select ripe fruits, avoiding green ones, as they contain even more sugar.

The simplest diet option that is suitable for beginners is a three-day diet. You need to consume 3-4 fruits a day, adding skim milk or kefir to your diet. It is not recommended to combine products; it is better to alternate. As a result, meals will be frequent, but low in calories.

The second diet option is a weekly one. During the day, only bananas and water are consumed, any other food is excluded. You can eat several fruits a day; if the feeling of hunger is too strong, you can add another one, but the last meal should be a maximum of 3 hours before going to bed.

Results and reviews

Since everyone makes a menu at their own discretion, the results of losing weight using this method are ambiguous. You shouldn’t count on a serious plumb line, because you are not fundamentally changing your diet, but only eating bananas for breakfast. Some manage to lose 5-7 kg in a month, others only 2-3 kg.

Depending on the effect obtained, people respond differently to the Japanese banana diet.

For example, the girl Vera writes: “I spent a long time beating around this diet because I came across a couple of reviews where they write that bananas are harmful to your figure and the results leave much to be desired. Then I finally decided and didn’t regret it. For breakfast I ate 1 large banana with warm water, 3 hours later - a portion of oatmeal, a couple of hours later there was lunch, and then dinner. I also worked out in the gym twice a week and lost 5 kg.”

Another girl, Christina, left the following review: “I’ve already tried many diets, but I settled on this one because there are no hard and fast rules. Probably many will agree with me that this is one of the most delicious diets. I lost 4 kg in a month, but, to be honest, I don’t think it was because of the bananas. I think the point is that I didn’t overeat, didn’t eat after 8 pm and went jogging.”

Expert opinions

Experts believe that it is possible to eat bananas on a diet, but in very limited quantities and preferably in the first half of the day.

Due to their high carbohydrate content, bananas cause an increase in blood glucose, which is dangerous for those people who suffer from diabetes, because due to low insulin production or cell insensitivity to it, a health- and even life-threatening state of hyperglycemia develops.

At the same time, it is worth taking into account other possible limitations, primarily allergies, diseases of the cardiovascular, urinary, digestive systems, and lack of enzymes that ensure the absorption of carbohydrates. In case of other disorders in the body, a small amount of bananas will not cause harm, unlike regular consumption.

Ekaterina Usmanova, fitness bikini

An athlete, winner of a number of titles and coach Ekaterina Usmanova, who performs in a fitness bikini, believes that bananas, like other foods containing sugar, can be eaten in small quantities in the off-season, even when you need to lose a little weight, the main thing is to carefully consider the total calorie content and do not eat bananas at night.

But during the drying period it is better to abandon them.

Mikhail Gavrilov, nutritionist

The author of weight loss methods and nutritionist Mikhail Gavrilov believes that bananas can be given to someone who is losing weight if there is a need for them. But you should always know when to stop, since an excessive amount will lead to an exacerbation of chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, intestines, and can cause allergic-type reactions.

Ekaterina Krasavina, fitness bikini

The winner of numerous fitness bikini competitions, Ekaterina Krasavina, believes that you can eat a lot, with the exception of the most harmful foods, which do not include bananas. But those who suffer from diabetes should not eat them in unlimited quantities, as this can excessively increase blood sugar levels, which can provoke a dangerous state of hyperglycemia. Also, those who have problems with the cardiovascular, urinary, digestive systems, or have previously had allergies to bananas, should not get carried away with bananas. It is better to eat bananas either in the morning or after training.

Recommendations

How to choose

A quality banana should have:

• streamlined, smooth, rather than ribbed shape;
• matte rather than glossy (waxy) surface;
• dry, not wet skin;
• pronounced aroma, not the smell of mold and fermentation;
• the peel is bright yellow, not green, without black spots or dents.

It should feel dense and elastic to the touch. Softness indicates that it is beginning to rot. Size does not affect quality in any way.

Dried bananas are not classified as dietary products by any measure: the calorie content is off the charts - 298, the glycemic index is prohibitive - 70, and nutrients are not retained. Therefore, when losing weight, it is better not to use them.

How to store

The problem is that the shelf life is too short. But not everyone can regularly run to the store to get them. The solution is to freeze:

1. To peel.
2. Cut into slices.
3. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice.
4. Pack in a plastic container and close.
5. Place in the refrigerator.

Thawed fruits can be used to make salads and fat-burning smoothies.

The second way to extend their shelf life is to tightly wrap the stalks with food foil.

If you purchased them too green, you can make them ripen right at home. To do this, place apples and pears next to them. These fruits produce ethylene, which will speed up ripening.

Do not store them in the refrigerator.

Rules of use

Be sure to wash bananas with the skins still on. Otherwise, phenols may get onto your hands and fruits, which they are treated with to improve their presentation, and they are considered poison.

They can be combined with liquids only as part of cocktails, but it is not advisable to use them separately together - they will cause intestinal disorders.

Be careful with green bananas. On the one hand, their glycemic index is the lowest and there is not much sugar in them, which is useful for weight loss. On the other hand, their starch content is off the charts (as the fruit ripens, it is converted into glucose), which contributes to excess weight gain and provokes gastric disorders.

To speed up and improve the absorption of fruits, eat them in small pieces and chew them thoroughly.

The maximum daily dose is 1.5 kg of ripe bananas (allowed only for weight loss on a fasting day). For a mono-diet, this figure is reduced to 1 kg. For other diets - up to 500 g.

When is the best time to eat

1. Definitely not before the main meal and not before bed. Bananas take a long time to digest (about 40 minutes) and can cause heaviness in the stomach and heartburn.
2. The ideal time is after training to speed up the body's recovery. You can make a milkshake or kefir-banana shake.
3. Considering that this fruit provides a sufficient dose of energy and increases strength and endurance, it can also be eaten before training (about half an hour before).
4. This is an excellent snack during lunch or an afternoon snack: it allows you to hold on until your next meal without bouts of hunger.
5. Given the increased glucose content, it is better to eat them in the first half of the day.

Additional Tips

Banana weight loss is effective only against the background of fasting days, diets or proper nutrition. If you leave high-calorie and unhealthy foods in your diet (fatty, fried foods, fast food, alcohol, soda), you can’t count on weight loss, even if you drink an infusion of banana skins in the morning instead of breakfast. Approach solving the problem comprehensively.

You need to drink a lot of water (about 2 liters) so that the plant fiber contained in banana pulp swells in the intestines, absorbing harmful substances and providing long-term saturation.

Move and exercise throughout the day to burn more calories than you eat.

Help your body lose weight: get enough sleep (hormones produced during sleep accelerate lipolysis) and don’t be nervous (the stress hormone cortisol will never allow your figure to be slim).

When arranging diets, do not forget about the rules of entry and exit: the body must be carefully prepared for any hunger strike and minimize stress by switching to a regular diet after them.