Can Bananas Help You Lose Weight?
Bananas are one of the most popular fruits worldwide, and they also have great benefits for weight loss. Nutritionally, the banana’s relatively low calorie count, high vitamin and nutrient content and high amount of fiber make it a healthy choice, especially in comparison to prepared or processed diet foods that contain far more calories, sugar and fat.
Benefits
Bananas are rich in carbohydrates, the body’s main energy source, and they contain essential vitamins and nutrients that encourage optimal health. In addition to aiding weight loss, MyPyramid from the USDA notes that bananas and other fruits can reduce risks of diabetes, stroke, kidney stones, bone loss, heart disease and cancer. The Mayo Clinic touts the fiber in bananas as being helpful for weight loss because high-fiber foods take longer to chew and digest, making the body feel fuller sooner and maintaining that satisfaction for longer periods of time.
Nutrition
Chiquita Banana states that one medium banana has about 110 calories, 30 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 19 g sugar and negligible amounts of protein and fat. Chiquita also heralds the banana’s high vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and potassium contents. That nutritional profile makes a banana a healthy, lower-calorie alternate to sugary pick-me-ups, such as granola bars and candy bars.
Calories
Cutting calories leads to gradual and consistent weight loss. Although the banana has more calories per serving than some other fruits and vegetables, it’s still a viable choice for weight loss because of its low energy density. The Mayo Clinic defines a food with low energy density as offering fewer calories in large portion sizes than most comparable foods. Building a diet that features foods with low energy densities can help people to begin losing weight and keep that weight off in the long term.
Uses
Bananas are an ideal breakfast food because of the quick energy they provide. Slice a banana into hot oatmeal, hot cooked rice or cold, whole-grain cereal with skim milk. Frozen bananas also work well in protein shakes and smoothies. Break them into pieces before freezing, and blend with nonfat yogurt and other ingredients. A banana will also help enhance a fruit salad or serve as a healthy, low-calorie dessert choice.
Considerations
According to CNN’s physician nutrition specialist, Dr. Melina Jampolis, eating more than three servings of fruit per day has the potential to interfere with weight loss progress and result in an imbalanced diet. The healthiest weight loss programs call for daily servings of whole grains, vegetables, lean proteins and nonfat dairy items in addition to fruit. Before making any dramatic changes to your regular diet, it’s helpful to talk over your thoughts with a physician or registered dietitian.