Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 88: Are Bananas Helping or Hurting My Weight?
I Lurve Bananas.
[Flickr: ian_ransley]
After avoiding bananas for much of the past forty years because my mother once told me they are too fattening, I have come to embrace my inner banana. Bruised or unbruised, perfectly ripe or ripe enough, bananas have actually played a key role in my serious diet. Why have I become a banana-come-lately? Because a perfectly ripe banana is almost as creamy and sweet as a bowl of ice cream.
I usually have at least two bananas a day. Sometimes I buy a whole bunch of unripe bananas at Fairway, let them ripen, then have one for breakfast with exactly one tablespoon of peanut butter. With my newfound peanut butter discipline I can actually do this. I simply slice the banana in half lengthwise, measure out the peanut butter into a measured tablespoon (not too heaping, i know) and spread it on the banana. Seriously deliciouso!
Then on my way to Serious Eats headquarters, I stop at the deli on the corner of 27th Street and 7th Avenue and buy two loose bananas, as ripe as I can find them. When I get to the office, I will munch contentedly on the first banana before lunch. I then eat the second banana around 3:30 p.m.
What's the most decadent way I use bananas on my serious diet?
Someone sent us a ridiculously expensive jar of delicious chocolate hazelnut spread from Italy. Do you know how seriously delicious said spread is smeared on some banana slices cut horizontally? I served them to the serious eaters as a snack last week, and they all freaked out about how good this combo was. My next project will be banana ice cream. I've heard you can make it by just blending up frozen bananas—no ice cream makers or fancy ingredients needed.
Lately I've been wondering if my heavy banana intake is taking a toll on my ability to lose the last 15 or so pounds. Maybe my mother was right.
The Weigh-In
Well, we're going to find out right now, aren't we? Here we go: 215. Down the two pounds I gained last week. I hope this is the start of some serious diet mo(mentum). Banana lovers, rejoice!
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25 Comments:
I remember watching Paula Deen claim that she tries not to eat too many bananas because they're too fattening ... because fried butter's so slimming!
Bananas are certainly better for you than 100-calorie snack packs, muffins, pretzels, chips and all sorts of "snack foods," because they contain fiber, vitamins, minerals – all sorts of good stuff. They're fruit, not candy bars.
Also, I don't want to get on a soap box, but after I looked into it, I became convinced that it's best to buy free trade bananas. They're only a dime or so more expensive per pound. Just thought I'd put that thought out there.
KarynMC at 8:57AM on 10/09/09
I wouldn't say bananas are "fattening". They have a fairly high amount of calories for a piece of fruit, I think mostly from sugar though. Compared to most other fruits they're not the BEST (most healthful) choice for a snack.
However, they're delicious, have plenty of nutrients, and are a far better option than so many other things we tend to use to satisfy our snack cravings. Go for it, I say.
toad3000 at 9:29AM on 10/09/09
If you've a VitaMix, check out this recipe for a soft banana serve.
I've banana. I see one every morning. It's my ritual. The rich carb, potassium calms me.
gargupie at 9:49AM on 10/09/09
http://www.choosingraw.com/this-post-will-change-your-life/
gargupie at 9:49AM on 10/09/09
Snacking before lunch and at 3:30 probably helps from crashing and getting too starving and strung out—your other meals may adjust in size because you're not totally desperate and famished...
Maggie Hoffman at 9:54AM on 10/09/09
I love bananas, but I only eat one a day. If I am craving something sweet and I haven't had my daily banana, I will have one. Far better than a granola bar. I have found that since I have added more fruit and vegetables to my diet that I am maintaining a healthy weight and even losing a pound or two here and there.
queenbleu at 9:55AM on 10/09/09
Bananas are high in carbs, why not try cutting back to one and see what happens.
DELICIOUS at 9:58AM on 10/09/09
I'm going to have to agree with your mom, to a point... I also ADORE bananas (still slightly on the green side) but the glycemic punch will release insulin and trigger fat storage unless you've exercised in the past few hours. So, save the banana love for post-workout. Give it a try for just 1 month and see if it works to drop those few stubborn pounds!
randomteaspoon at 10:06AM on 10/09/09
Bananas are nothing but a sugar delivery device. I haven't eaten one in years.
redfish at 10:07AM on 10/09/09
ughh redfish you couldn't be more wrong...please keep your misinformed comments out of this thread...keep on enjoying those bananas ed!
GoodEatsNJ at 10:27AM on 10/09/09
I would cut back to one banana, especially if you're going to put peanut butter on it.
Depending on the PB, a tablespoon is usually ~110 calories. A banana, depending on size is between ~100-120 calories (based on a 7" standard banana). So two bananas and a tbsp of PB, you're already consuming about 330 calories.
It sucks, but try calorie counting for a day - just to get an idea of where you stand. I was surprised about how many calories I was consuming daily and not realizing it.
Ltizzle at 10:40AM on 10/09/09
i love bananas!
I just started carmelizing a sliced banana in a pan (no oil needed) and topping my hot cereal with it. it's soooo good! be sure to let that baby get brown.
also, super ripe frozen banana chunks are an awesome sweet treat.
and yes, gena's frozen banana soft serve is amazing!
_greenbean at 10:42AM on 10/09/09
I eat at least one banana per day.
IndyGal at 11:06AM on 10/09/09
With all the crap we could be eating, I think fat from a banana is negligible. It's fruit and there's good stuff in it too. I say go for it.
LHSK12 at 11:17AM on 10/09/09
Time to temper your banana ritual with apples since they are in season.
JerzeeTomato at 11:24AM on 10/09/09
I go through periods of fiendish banana eating and periods of not wanting to see the things. The potassium hit in them cannot be beat, though, especially after a long workout or night of drinking.
If you're eating them when you're hungry, though, and not just because you're fidgeting for something to do, I can't see a reason why not short of having insulin problems, allergies, or other special dietary needs which don't seem to be an issue for you. I probably come from a different corner on this stuff than most of the other commenters, but when I realized that I was beating myself up for eating bananas instead of lower-calorie fruit I wasn't craving was when I realized I had a problem.
tangledgray at 12:03PM on 10/09/09
possibly, if you are eating bananas in lieu of ice cream or candy then yes its the much better choice.
however, bananas are high in sugar so i would pair them with some protein or fiber, so that you don't crash and get hungry again.
i personally love 1 cup greek yogurt (0 or 2%) with half a banana sliced and a little bit of peanut butter (or honey or granola)
oatmeal with smushed up banana
bananas sliced with peanut butter and topped with grapenuts/crushed weetabix
sustarz at 12:18PM on 10/09/09
If you love nanners that much ed: i wouldn't feel guilty about having 2 a day. its fruit afterall: packed with potassium!
Check it out ED!
I Like my bananas sliced on cheerios,
on a pb sand,
with pb on graham crackers is a semi-healthy snack that tastes awesome!
also good on smores!
hungrychristel at 12:59PM on 10/09/09
Unless you're eating 5 or 6 pounds of bananas, I can see how it might hinder weight. EAT BANANAS! They are good and plenty good for your. Plus it allows you to eat alot of salt without having high blood pressure.
Mikey N at 1:11PM on 10/09/09
eat what you love. my roommates and i--all athletes, go through LOTS of bananas and almond butter, and with a well balanced diet, and some exercise, they're a great addition to our diets.
but if you just want a partner for the peanut butter--there is NOTHING like a crunchy apple with the pb. we measure ours out by scooping the pb onto a teaspoon and spreading onto the fruit as we bite in--good portion control.
veggieout at 3:15PM on 10/09/09
The sugar - it's the sugar that gets you.
QueenAlli at 3:32PM on 10/09/09
Um, seriously? IT'S FRUIT. Of course it has sugar. Of course it has carbs. Of course it has calories. But it has SO MICH LESS of any of these things than almost anything else he could be eating I have no idea why anyone is complaining.
kalirugo at 8:42AM on 10/10/09
potassium.... at least they are a nutritious snack. better than a slice of pie.... or a couple of cookies. or the chocolate covered pistachios i just ingested.
pooch at 9:21PM on 10/10/09
People get so hung up on one individual food and it just makes me want to roll my eyes.
Are bananas keeping you from losing the last 15 lbs? No. CALORIES are keeping you from losing the last 15 lbs. If you eat more calories than you burn, then you're not going to lose weight.
It's food. Period. If cutting back on bananas is the way you chose to eat fewer calories, then great. If you choose to continue eating bananas and cut back on something else, that's great too.
But don't blame bananas. That's just stupid.
karacooks at 10:31PM on 10/10/09
I eat bananas, too, but I feel a twinge of guilt when I do. Despite the fact that they are relatively healthy, and satisfy a sweet/hunger craving, they are the antithesis of locally-grown. I am surprised more of the conversation about this topic hasn't mentioned the somewhat idiosyncratic ubiquity of this tropical fruit all over our own country. However, it makes me feel strangely better about the occasional 100-calorie pack of cheez-its that sneaks its way into my attempt at eating a generally healthy, minimally processed diet in an effort to not get too fat.
Clearly, bananas and 100 calories of cheez-its aren't the same, but I draw the parallel because they are things that are non-local foods that apparently Ed and I respectively use to manage the big picture of our food intake, and I feel better about now.
marinelm at 12:13PM on 10/11/09