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July 31, 2023

How many bananas can I eat in a day? Dietitian Susie Burrell breaks it down

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: — admin @ 3:07 am

Bananas have long been referred to as nature’s energy food.

Nutrient rich, offering good quality carbohydrates, dietary fibre and a range of key micronutrients including B vitamins, potassium and magnesium, bananas routinely make it onto superfoods lists.

For banana lovers out there, they are the perfect snack on the run, naturally sweet addition to breakfast bowls, smoothies and baked goods and energy hit you can grab on the go.

If you love bananas, and you are likely to reach for one more than a couple of times throughout the day, is it possible that you can eat too many?

READ MORE: Dietitian reveals how many calories it takes to lose weight

Bananas are perfect snack on the run, plus great in breakfast bowls, smoothies and baked goods.

Do bananas contain a lot of sugar?

All carbohydrate-based foods including bread, rice, cereal, pasta, legumes, starchy veggies, fruits and sugars including honey and sugar itself are broken down into glucose molecules as part of the digestive process.

Here the glucose is then taken by the hormone insulin to the muscles for energy and to fuel the liver and the brain. Bananas, like most fruits are a carbohydrate-based food, and as such offer a source of energy for the brain and for the muscles.

While it is commonly assumed that bananas are a significant source of carbohydrate or sugar (20-30g depending on the size of the banana), that is going off the basis that all types of carbohydrate are equal. Or that a teaspoon of sugar is the same as the equivalent amount of carbohydrate in a potato or in a biscuit, which is simply not the case.

You can’t compare the sugar from carbohydrates in a banana to those in a biscuit. (iStock)

Rather, the way the carbohydrates are processed is impacted by whether the carbohydrate comes from a whole food, what other nutrients are found in the food, and also by what other foods the carbohydrate rich food is eaten with.

Bananas are a source of natural carbohydrates – you cannot compare this to added sugars found in processed foods.

The other nutrients found in a banana including dietary fibre help to ensure glucose levels are regulated after eating, as opposed to the glucose spikes that result from consuming more processed forms of carbohydrate or sugar itself.

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Can you eat too many bananas?

It is entirely possible to eat too many of any one variety of food, and while bananas are nutrient rich, they are also a carbohydrate-rich food. The amount of carbohydrate we need on a daily basis largely depends on how active we are.

Those of us who are lean, move more regularly and expend a lot of energy exercising, require more carbohydrate than someone who sits at a desk all day for work. The key is to match the number of carbohydrate-rich foods you eat, to the amount of activity you do.

Caucasian woman sitting by the table at home cutting banana - Adult girl female preparing fruit salad at home - healthy eating concept copy space close up
The amount of carbohydrate we need on a daily basis largely depends on how active we are. (iStock)

How many is too many?

It is recommended that Aussie adults consume two pieces of fruit each day to get the natural carbohydrates and nutrients fresh fruit offers. This means that eating a banana or two each day is unlikely to be any cause for concern for the average person.

If you are someone who spends all day sitting, look for smaller bananas and one each day is likely more than enough. On the other hand, if you are extremely active an add an extra banana or two to fuel your workout or recovery, bananas are called natures energy food for a reason, and they are an excellent grab on the go option for those with high energy demands.

Author Susie Burrell is a leading Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder of Shape Me, co-host of The Nutrition Couch podcast and prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in both print and television media commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.

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10 health benefits of bananas

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