TASTE IT OR WASTE IT: BANANAS

Here’s we go – it’s Taste It Or Waste It time again – where we take a food or drink and weigh up it’s health benefits… this time around it’s BANANAS – the bright yellow fruit everyone thinks goes hand in hand with fitness. But does it?

First a bit of history: Contrary to what most think, bananas (the name derives from the word “Banan” in Arabic meaning “finger” due to its long, skinny shape) are a fruit that grow in bunches on a herb, not a banana tree. Bananas were first found in Malaysia and showed up in the United States at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Celebration. Comically they actually came with instructions on how to eat them!

Bananas are the fourth largest selling fruit crop in the world and India is the number one banana producer. In some areas of the world, bananas are a major source of daily food. But should YOU be eating them?

PROS:

In many ways bananas are a super-food. The fruit is famous for being a potassium powerhouse which can keep blood pressure normal and prevent cardiovascular disease. Bananas have no sodium, fat or cholesterol and are also a good source of fiber, vitamins A and C, B6, zinc, magnesium and a few others trace minerals. Including them in your diet may aid digestion, help absorb nutrients, build muscles, support nerve health, lower LDL cholesterol, and improve your immune system. They also digest quite easily providing quick, useable energy. And boy do they taste great. Wow! Go banana’s!

CONS:

Bananas are moderate to high in calories (per serving) coming in at over 100 calories for a medium size fruit. They also contain the most digestible amount of sugar of any fruit when ripe, and therefore in my opinion, provide too much simple sugar per serving. Often bananas are misused as a snack, for lunch, or when your demand for energy is low, so the body’s needs are overly met by this “sugar king”. These babies practically melt in your mouth and you almost immediately feel that sugar rush.

VERDICT:

I learned a long time ago to stay away from bananas unless right before or after a workout when you need their instant energy and recuperative benefits.

Most people think because a food is ‘healthy’ it will help you lose weight. That is incorrect, as the two do not always correlate. While bananas are a healthy food, they must be used appropriately, when needed or you could run the risk of ruining your dietary goals. You have to understand food is essentially fuel to power your body and you need to match the needs of your body with the right type of food. That said bananas taste great, have amazing benefits when used correctly, are cheap and readily available.