How to: “Go Bananas”

“The main nutrition difference between ripe and unripe bananas is in the starch content, with greener bananas containing more resistant starch, which has health benefits, registered dietitian Abbey Sharp said. RD Anar Allidina said people tracking their sugar intake and blood glucose may need to limit themselves to about a half of a banana and choose those on the greener side.” - Global News (7/6)

The fact that bananas are not always an awesome choice is a shock to many people. Not to say that bananas are BAD by any means, but they certainly contain more carbs and sugar than most of us realize. That being said, there is no need to avoid them altogether. Just a need to strategically use them to our benefit. For example, I typically encourage my clients to consume bananas as either a pre- or post-workout snack. This allows the body to either use the banana as fuel to sustain the workout or to replenish glycogen stores after the workout. As suggested in the quote above, I also encourage limiting oneself to just half a banana per day. Most bananas are sold as a size “large”, and therefore contain ~2x the amount of carbs + sugar found in one standard serving size. Knowing that bananas do not keep well, the best way to limit yourself to just ½ of a banana at a time is to split it with someone else at the time of consumption. This prevents wasting + overeating – what more could one ask for?!

For further questions regarding how to effectively use food as fuel, contact Madz today!