Banana is an extremely tasty and healthy fruit, but many weight loss programs recommend removing it from the menu or drastically cutting back on it. Why? Are bananas bad for your figure, or is their effect on excess weight greatly exaggerated?
What's in a banana
An average banana of moderate ripeness contains 20-30 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber, 15-17% of the daily value of vitamin C, 22% of the daily value of vitamin B6, 16% of the daily requirement for manganese, 12% for potassium and 8% for magnesium. In addition, the fruit contains a lot of sucrose and fructose. Caloric content per 100 g - 90 kcal.
The benefits of bananas for the body
Just 2 bananas eaten nourish the body with energy for an hour and a half of physical activity. In addition, due to the large amount of potassium, bananas normalize water balance and improve the work of smooth muscles (by the way, this also applies to the work of the heart muscle). Another useful property of the fruit is the normalization of the acid-base balance and getting rid of heartburn.
The most popular banana myth
Bananas are believed to contain a special protein called tryptophan, which is converted to the hormone serotonin (the "hormone of joy") that helps you relax and improve your mood. In fact, the amount of tryptophan in bananas is very low, so the claim that these fruits can provide a feeling of happiness is highly controversial.
How many and when to eat bananas
The best time to eat bananas is in the first half of the day, in which case the plant fibers of the banana are excellent for digestion. The only condition is not to eat fruit for dessert, but to use it as a snack. You should not eat bananas at night, so as not to provoke the production of a large amount of mucus.
Bananas and weight loss
And yet, despite all the beneficial properties, people who are prone to overweight are not recommended to eat bananas in large quantities. The glycemic index of a ripe fruit is quite high - around 70, so eating a banana can cause a sharp rise in blood sugar levels. In addition, 30 g of carbohydrates for one snack is too much, which means that it is better for those who are losing weight to limit themselves to half a banana at a time.
Another nuance - you can eat unripe bananas, the starch of which is not absorbed in the small intestine. However, their taste is quite specific, although it has its fans. Here the norm is 1-2 bananas at a time. However, you can lose weight from a large number of bananas, but only if you do not eat anything else.
