Whether or not you love them, bananas are great. They are full of nutrients like potassium, fiber, good carbohydrates, Vitamin C, and many more essential minerals and vitamins. They are a breakfast source in almost every household as it gives us instant energy to kick-start our day.
We may have often been suggested to eat bananas to put on weight, but you may have also heard that bananas are excellent for weight loss. Confused? Is Banana A Weight Gain Or A Weight Loss Fruit ?We have all the answers you’re looking for right here.
Yes, bananas[1] are indeed loaded with carbohydrates that you are often told to limit or not avoid to shed weight. But bananas contain the beneficial carbohydrates in the form of resistant starch, supporting both weight maintenance and weight loss. Besides, they are low in calories and are also packed with fiber that keeps you full for longer.
Although loaded with carbohydrates, bananas have a low to the medium GI (glycemic index). Therefore, they do not cause sudden spikes in the blood sugar levels as compared to other high-carbohydrate foods and so, keep your metabolic rate in control.
By keeping your metabolic rate and blood sugar levels in control, your body will burn more fat for energy. But these are just the fundamentals, and the confusion still prevails – are bananas good to gain weight or lose weight?
Bananas are full of energy and nutrients and are a great source of vitamins and essential minerals. Bananas do not make you gain or lose weight by themselves. The timing, combinations in which you take, and how you consume bananas contribute to weight management.
[Read: The Morning Banana Diet]
The Truth About Bananas
There’s no concrete evidence that bananas make you lose or gain weight. No one food is responsible for weight gain or weight loss. Instead, consider your overall daily nutrient consumption. Weight loss happens when you make a calorie deficit, either by burning more calories, consuming fewer calories, or combining both.
Bananas contain calories, and calories are calories, no matter what’s the source.
For the most part, bananas can be an excellent snack. They are more filling than many other snacks, though maybe not as much as some other fruit choices. For instance, half a medium banana has 1.5 grams of fiber and about 60 calories, while one cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber and 60 calories.
Due to the raspberries’ fiber content and volume, they will be more filling than the banana.
Taking a single banana can be a healthy snack, but if you add 3 large bananas to your daily diet, you’ll consume more than 350 excess calories. Whether or not you include bananas into your diet plan will depend on your goals, and if you love bananas.
If you are simply attempting to eat a healthier diet, eating a banana (or half of a medium banana, which is regarded as one whole serving of fruit) can be a great way to boost nutrition. Replacing high calorie, high-fat items such as cake or cookies with fresh fruit like bananas can decrease calories while increasing satiety.
If you are trying to put on weight, you might consider taking an extra snack daily. Banana, combined with peanut butter, can increase nutrient-dense calories to achieve healthy weight gain.
[Read: Benefits of Banana Peel]
How to Eat Bananas to Lose Weight
A medium banana contains 27 grams of carbohydrates, just 105 calories, 3 grams of satiating fiber, and about 14 grams of naturally occurring sugar and a host of crucial micro-nutrients. The fruit keeps you full longer, boosts your metabolism, preventing you from snacking in between meals.
Bananas contain slightly more carbohydrates and calories as compared to other fruits. So, to incorporate bananas in your weight loss diet, here are a few ground rules:
- Limit your intake to one 5″ piece a day.
- The best time to consume a banana is pre or post-workout as a snack. It helps in recovery and also boosts your stamina.
- Use them to control bloating that some foods tend to cause. The potassium in bananas helps reduce water retention, which helps in weight loss.
Bananas can be consumed to shed weight healthily as they don’t bring your energy levels down or make you starve.
[Read: How do bananas aid in weight loss?]
How to Eat Bananas to Put On Weight
Bananas are one of the fruits that we resort to when we are planning to gain weight. They are rich in good carbohydrates and may help you gain weight when consumed in specific ways. The best way is to include them in a milkshake. Add lots of milk, nuts, and other fruits to make a nutrient-packed shake.
Another way is to blend it with yogurt and prepare smoothies. These banana shakes and smoothies can help you gain weight safely without taking unhealthy, empty calories. The nutritional value of these recipes is rich, and the weight gain happens healthily.
So, don’t forget to add this wonder fruit to your daily diet for whatever purpose you choose to. It is an all-rounder and offers some super benefits for your overall well-being and health.
[Also Read: How Bananas Improve Your Health]
Banana Snack Ideas
Go beyond peel-and-eat with these snack and meal choices for bananas.
Oatmeal: Include sliced bananas in your daily oatmeal. You may also mash the fruit and add it to your oatmeal while it cooks.
Cinnamon-sprinkled: Bananas are great with cinnamon. Just slice it, dust it with cinnamon, and relish.
Yogurt: Mix chopped banana into plain fat-free Greek yogurt along with some cinnamon. You can also layer yogurt and bananas with sliced almonds and high-fiber bran cereal.
Frozen coins: Most people love the texture of a frozen banana. It also takes a bit longer to consume, which means you’re more likely to feel full by your time. Top banana slices with chopped peanuts and no-sugar-added strawberry yogurt before freezing them—it’s like a deconstructed, nutritious banana split.
Bottom Line
There isn’t any evidence that bananas contribute to weight loss or weight gain. Like any other diet, bananas have calories, and calories add up. As a healthy snack, bananas can be more nutritious than options with the same number of calories and a healthy replacement for sugary foods. If you love bananas, enjoy them as part of a balanced diet.
