Misinformation on the Internet about fruits, especially bananas, is quite extensive – particularly with weight loss. Bananas aren’t really among the foods people turn to if they want to shed weight. Worse, there are some people who may have convinced consumers that eating bananas is equivalent to eating French fries, burgers, and cookies. What most of us don’t know is that these yellow fruits are not only a good source of potassium, but can also enhance immunity and promote weight loss.
Banana Nutrition Profile
A medium banana has the following attributes:
- 105 calories
- Three grams of fiber
- 14 grams of sugar
- 27 grams of carbohydrates
Looking at the facts above, bananas may not be a choice for you if you’re trying to lose weight. After all, they have high calories and carbohydrates as well as sugar. But bananas are indeed nutritious. Aside from those listed above, the fruit comes with the following nutrients:
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Manganese
To make sure you maximize the benefits, eat one banana that’s about five inches, so you don’t have to worry about expanding your waistline. Understanding these facts can help you incorporate bananas to your diet plan easily.
Other Reasons Why Bananas are Good for Weight Loss
Here are even more facts about bananas that will convince you to add them to your diet plan:
- Glucose: Apart from being nutritious, bananas are a great source of energy for your workouts because of their high glucose content. Glucose is a digestible sugar that can fuel your body for a tough session.
- Potassium: Another reason is that bananas have potassium, an electrolyte that helps your body recover faster and prevents cramps and dizziness after a workout.
- Fiber: Bananas contain high amounts of fiber, equivalent to 12% RDA. Fiber is a nutrient that is important in maintaining regular bowel movement. It also helps in promoting good digestive health. Eating high amounts of fiber can reduce the risk of diverticular disease, heart disease, and certain cancers. Together with being physically active, bananas can help contribute to your good health.
- Resistant Starch: Green bananas are the better source of resistant starch, which resists the process of digestion. What this nutrient does is it acts as food for the gut bacteria. Feeding the gut bacteria results to suppressed appetite and enhanced oxidation of fat.
Bananas can be eaten raw in their own or you can even add them to your meals. You can also blend them in smoothies as there are recipes that target the fat-burning process or you can make a banana split containing other fruits, such as cherries and strawberries.