If you remember the Atkins diet, you'll remember that it espoused eating mainly high-protein meals with very few carbohydrates from starches, vegetables and fruits. Over time, this encourages ketosis when the body burns its fat stores for rapid weight gain.
Nutritionists and the American Cancer Society agree that eliminating entire categories of foods, such as carbohydrates, is not healthy. Bananas are a relatively high-calorie fruit, but they also are packed with potassium and other vitamins that make it an appropriate snack food if you are on a diet, or if you want to eat nutrient-dense foods.
Misconceptions
Many dieters believe that they should avoid the sweet creamy banana, as it might be too high in calories. Not so; at 108 calories for a small banana (about 1 oz.), it packs a nutritional punch. Loaded with potassium, vitamin B, C and dietary fiber, it is an important addition to any diet.
Debunk the myth. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised the food pyramid to encourage healthy individuals to eat five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day. While bananas are a sweet fruit, if eaten less than fully ripe, it has a low-gylcemic level of only 30 (50 is considered low); very ripe bananas are in the mid-60s.
Add bananas to a well-rounded diet for weight loss. Most doctors and nutritionists will caution dieters to lose no more than 1 lb. to 1 1/2 lbs. per week.
Identification
Most bananas found in American markets are the sweet banana, Musa sapienta or Musa nana. Plantains are a different fruit, with more starch content and are generally cooked before consuming.
Bananas can be eaten less ripe or very ripe. Researchers found that more antioxidants exist in bananas that are more ripe. Unripe bananas can be placed in a brown paper bag to speed the process. The fruit can be frozen for up to 2 months. Once ripe, if not eaten immediately, bananas can be refrigerated. Their skins will darken, but the fruit is still edible.
History
Bananas are believed to have originated in Malaysia about 4,000 years ago, later spreading to India and the Philippines. They were introduced to Africa by Arabian traders, and the Portugese discovered them in 1482 A.D., who brought bananas to the Americas.
By the late 19th century, people living in coastal parts of the U.S. could enjoy bananas as ships brought them to port. Only by the 20th century and the advent of refrigeration were bananas more widely consumed all over the U.S. Most bananas in the US are from commercial growers in Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Mexico.
Features
Bananas are a nutritional powerhouse. A medium-sized banana has 467 mg of potassium. For a smaller banana of 1 oz., it still contains 33 percent of the U.S. recommended daily requirement (USRDA) for vitamin B-6, 18 percent of vitamin C, 18 percent for potassium, 13 percent for dietary fiber, and 10 percent for manganese.
Body builders, school children and dieters can all benefit from the high-potassium content of bananas. This mineral helps maintain normal blood pressure and heart function. Studies show that eating a high-fiber diet can reduce the risk for coronary heart disease. In a study with 40,000 American men tracked over 4 years, those who ate more dietary fiber, potassium-rich foods and magnesium, had a greatly reduced risk for having a stroke.
Benefits
Eating bananas in moderation is appropriate for dieters and non-dieters alike. One study of 10,000 Americans over a 19-year period concluded that people eating the most fiber, at 21 g per day, had a 12 percent less risk for developing coronary heart disease and 11 percent less risk for cardiovascular disease. Those who ate the least amount of dietary fiber consumed less than 5 g per day.
Bananas are famous for their potassium content, which is bone-protective. Americans typically consume a high salt diet, which means a high loss of urinary calcium, which can threaten bone density.
Bananas also help protect against ulcers, as they contain a substance that helps activate cells in the stomach lining to create a thicker lining. Bananas have protease inhibitors, which help rid the stomach of the harmful bacteria that creates ulcers.
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