This is Bananas!
An article popped up in my email this morning that reminded me of why our relationship to certain foods has become so skewed. Naturally it also reminded me of a story...
When I was a young aspiring ballerina, I attended several summer intensives. These are basically short-term boarding schools for dancers where all you do is eat, breath and live dance for 6 weeks or more. One summer an artistic director (the head honcho who decides who gets what part in each performance) pulled me aside to talk about my weight and what I was eating. As a young impressionable teenager who was already having body distortion issues, she proceeded to tell me that I should stop eating bananas!
No reason given. Just stop eating bananas.
As I know now but didn't know then, she clearly didn't know what she was talking about. I won’t go into what that experience did to my psyche (let’s just say that for many years I thought bananas would make me fat).
Many times when new clients come to me and we review their current diet, one of the first things they mention is they know they shouldn’t eat much fruit like bananas and pineapple because they have too much sugar. (Other processed sugars they may not mention at all are what really have the negative effect on their bodies).
The main reason I bring this up is because some form of the message "stop eating bananas" ... without any explanation... is still going around. Pardon me, but...
Not eating bananas is completely bananas!
Yes, it is true that bananas have sugar in them and they have a higher sugar content than other fruits such as berries. However, as with everything: moderation is key. Before making the decision to completely boycott bananas, know there are healthy benefits to eating them.
Now let me take a moment to point out some of the wonderful benefits bananas have to offer:
1. Potassium
With this mineral they can strengthen the cardiovascular system and possibly lower blood pressure
As an essential electrolyte they help with dehydration. Also, no matter your fitness level, potassium can play a role in staving off soreness and aid in muscle recovery.
2. Contain healthy fiber and aid in digestion
3. Can provide a *resistant starch for probiotics:
An unripe banana, which is lower in sugar than a ripe banana, acts as a resistant starch. *Resistant starches are basically food for probiotics so they can be absorbed properly and will flourish to keep your gut healthy.
4. Pair nicely with a healthy fat:
Eat them with a protein such as nuts! This helps offset the glucose surge that happens after eating a banana and helps satiety since you are pairing them with a healthy fat. This combo makes a great on-the-go snack too! (one of my go - tos)
One of my main food rules: Any food that you find in nature is a good choice. Period. Natural foods contain essential vitamins and minerals that processed foods don't. Knowing the benefits of any kind of food will help you make healthier choices both easily and guilt free.
We can enjoy the wide array of flavors that natural foods give us as they make us feel satisfied and happy. 😄
Try clearing out all of the other processed sugars in your life, the things that are not found in nature. Fruits, including bananas, are an awesome alternative choice to processed sweets.
So I say: Go ahead and eat bananas! Even if they're on the sweet side.