Bananas for weight loss: Smart ways to include them in your diet |

Even though bananas are a nutritious fruit, the question of whether they cause weight gain will always arise. However, that is a misconception because this nutrient-rich fruit can aid in weight loss if consumed correctly. Being rich in vitamins, potassium, fibre and other nutrients, bananas can be an excellent addition to one’s diet for healthy weight loss.Here’s how to consume bananas if you are on a weight-loss diet:

Nutritional benefits of bananas

Bananas are a good source of fibre, potassium, vitamin B6 and antioxidants, thus offering numerous health benefits. A medium-sized banana contains around 105 calories, 3.07 grams of fibre, and essential minerals like magnesium and copper, thus making it a filling, nutritious snack that can help one curb their hunger.
Bananas would also enhance fibre intake, which would make people feel fuller, therefore likely reducing their possibility of overeating. Increased fibre consumption could help in body weight reduction by about 0.55 pounds for every additional gram of fibre taken per day.

Green bananas and resistant starch

Unripe green bananas contain resistant starch, a carbohydrate that behaves as soluble fibre in the body. Resistant starch helps delay the onset of sugar absorption, stabilises blood glucose levels, and aids in losing fat.
If you aim to lose weight, then it is advisable to incorporate green bananas into your diet. You can eat them by making them as an Indian sabzi or blend them into smoothies.

Bananas and glycemic index (GI)

Bananas contain a relatively low to medium GI content, so they do not increase your blood sugar in such a crazy way as high-sugar food. Accordingly, bananas are useful for a well-balanced energy supply and would likely quell any hunger cravings. However, the GI of bananas increases with their ripeness; thus, slightly green bananas are best as your blood sugar levels won’t spike as much as by having ripe bananas.

Adding bananas to weight loss diet
Including bananas in your weight loss diet requires some planning. Here are some tips on how to do it:
1. Oatmeal with banana for breakfast
An oatmeal and banana breakfast is one of the best ways to have fibre and potassium at the same time. This wholesome meal is quite filling and it will prevent you from overeating.

2. Banana with peanut or almond butter

Pairing a banana with nut butter of your choice– peanut or almond– provides a good dose of protein and energy and this makes it a great pre-workout snack.

3. Green banana smoothies

Crush a slightly ripe or green banana with honey, walnuts, and some water to make a healthy smoothie that can help in weight loss and curb midday hunger. You can also add some milk or protein powder to the shake to make it more filling, however do be conscious of the calories!

Pros and cons of the Japanese banana diet

The “Morning Banana Diet,” a diet from Japan, permits having only bananas in the morning and one can have almost all available foods for both lunch and dinner. This may mitigate strong cravings, especially at night. However, it is important to note that you should get enough protein and other nutrients throughout the day.
Benefits:
It can help decrease food cravings.
You can easily incorporate it into meals.
Long-lasting fullness
Downsides:
This can lead to over-eating if not balanced
Lacks protein for muscle building and repair

Bananas are a healthy fruit that can help in weight loss if consumed consciously as a part of a balanced diet. Instead of highlighting its calories, it would be much better to have bananas for their fibre content and other nutritional benefits.