Is Banana Good For People With Diabetes?

First, let’s know what the glycemic index (GI) is. The GI index is a ranking system from 0-100, where foods are ranked based on how quickly they raise blood sugar after eating them. The GI index of a ripe banana is 51, and it’s 30 for an unripe banana. Both have a low GI, meaning bananas will not raise blood sugar significantly. ¹http://glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php?num=34&ak=detail, ²http://www.glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php?num=35&ak=detail

This suggests that people with diabetes can eat bananas. Nevertheless, considering it is a sugary food, I recommend talking to your doctor before eating bananas. If your blood sugar stays high, I suggest avoiding bananas.

Related Article: What Is Glycemic Index | Food List With Glycemic Index

It May Aid In Weight Loss & Digestive Health

Many studies say fiber intake from vegetables and fruits like bananas has a positive effect on weight loss. ³https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20022464/, ⁴https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12620529/, ⁵https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23885994/ Unripe bananas are rich in resistant starch, a type of fiber that gives a sense of fullness after eating, thus reducing appetite. ⁶https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24499148/, ⁷https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19857367/

Our bodies cannot digest resistant starch. It arrives in the large intestine and becomes food for beneficial bacteria in our gut. Hence it boosts digestive health. ⁸https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11427691/, ⁹https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11709851/

Moreover, a banana’s sweet taste makes it a fantastic food for weight loss as its taste helps satisfy cravings for sweets. Bananas have relatively few calories. A medium-sized banana has just over 100 calories.

Even though banana is a weight-loss-friendly food, remember, no food can singlehandedly help you manage weight. It is essential to keep track of your daily calories. Regular physical activities and a balanced diet are the keys to weight loss. Bananas can support your journey.

Related Article: What Is Fiber? Health Benefits, Food Sources And Daily Requirements

May Promote Heart Health

Bananas are full of potassium. A potassium-rich diet is connected to lower blood pressure, which reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. ¹⁰https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21403995/, ¹¹https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25190445/, ¹²https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9168293/, ¹³https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21371638/ Bananas also have a decent amount of magnesium to help with heart health. Magnesium deficiency is related to several chronic heart diseases, including hypertension and hyperlipidemia. ¹⁴https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11811859/

A Fabulous Exercise Partner

I am terming banana an exercise partner because it is a favorite food for athletes. Bananas provide quick energy. They have a high mineral content and easily digestible carbs.

May Reduce The Risk Of Cancer

A 13-year-long study of women revealed that those who consumed 75 servings of vegetables and fruits per month cut their chances of having kidney cancer by 40%. In this study, among fruits, bananas showed the most positive effect. Their rich antioxidant content may be the reason. ¹⁵https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15455348/

Banana has a vast amount of vitamin B6. A meta-analysis of 12 studies found that those with the highest blood levels of vitamin B6 had a 49% lower chance of developing colorectal cancer. ¹⁶https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20233826/

Whether you want to lose, gain, or maintain weight, balance and diversity are important. Our bodies need many nutrients for healthy living, and we know bananas alone cannot nourish us.

There is no rule for the number of bananas to eat daily. It depends on our unique calorie and nutrient requirements, keeping daily carb intake in mind. Let’s talk about weight loss in particular.

There is a specific number of calories we need to consume daily to maintain our current weight, called maintenance calories. To lose weight, you need to eat less than your daily maintenance calories. You can easily calculate your calorie needs based on your goals using the TDEE calculator. ¹⁷https://www.calculator.net/tdee-calculator.html

If you are healthy, you can have as many bananas as you like, provided you are not exceeding your calorie requirements or ignoring other needed foods and nutrients. That said, one to two bananas a day is a moderate intake for most healthy people.

Remember to include various fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, and complex carbs in your diet.

Related Article: TDEE Definition: Total Daily Energy Expenditure

How To Add Bananas To Your Diet

Banana is a convenient food that is easy to add to your diet. There are innumerable ways to do this. Here are a few:

-Eat them raw after removing the peel.

-Add sliced banana to your morning cereal, yogurt, or oatmeal. If you read my article on oats, you know what I do to make a tasty-wholesome breakfast.

-Make banana cake.

-Make a banana milkshake. These days I have switched to banana milkshakes. I blend 250 ml (around one cup) of milk, a banana, and two scoops of whey. It’s yummy, yet super healthy.

There are a plethora of banana recipes. You can select a healthy one from ChooseMYPlate, a US government website. ¹⁸https://www.choosemyplate.gov/myplatekitchen/recipes?search=bananas&items_per_page=20&sort_bef_combine=search_api_relevance_DESC&f%5B0%5D=program%3A128 Banana is a super versatile food. You can find your unique way of enjoying them too.

Banana is safe to eat in moderation for most of us. But here are certain side-effects people may face eating bananas.

Allergy

Itching, skin rashes, breathing difficulty, swelling, and wheezing after eating bananas.

Beta-blockers

If you take beta-blocker medicines or have kidney dysfunction, you may face significant problems because beta-blockers can increase your blood potassium levels. It could be lethal if your kidney cannot remove excess potassium from your blood.

Migraine

Although it’s uncommon, for some people, bananas may activate migraines.

Remember, the ideas in this article are not a substitution for medical advice. If you have health concerns, you should talk to your doctor before adding any food to your diet.

I am sure you have gained useful knowledge about bananas.

They possess antioxidant properties. Bananas have an adequate amount of minerals, potassium and magnesium, in particular, that support heart health. Their fiber content helps boost digestion and weight loss, and you get the benefits of resistant starch when you eat unripe bananas.

Research shows that eating bananas with other fruits and vegetables as part of your regular diet may lower your cancer risk. For those who exercise regularly, bananas are a blessing.

However, one should seek medical advice under certain conditions. Eaten in moderation, bananas are safe for individuals with diabetes. For healthy individuals, I recommend eating bananas regularly as part of a healthy diet.

So, my friends, go bananas!

What do you think of this article? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments below!