Banana (fat) argument, again?!?!

[Cinnamon]

I just have to vent... I've had two arguments just today about bananas and their "fat" content. How I should not be eating them because they are so HIGH in fat. My brother first and then my partner's mother (who has done weight watchers for years and scolds me for feeding her son bags of dried figs and BANANAS because they are so fattening).

Part of these discussions stem from my partner losing over 20 pounds in 6 weeks and mostly he ate bananas and figs... raw food regardless of fat or the content of anything else in them WORKS! My brother even said he is careful to only eat 1/2 banana at most each day and I told him I easily eat 3 or 4 a day. I told my partner's mom the same thing this afternoon and her eyes got big (I am thin so obviously my banana consumption is not making me fat) and she said that no matter what anyone says she KNOWS that bananas are fattening.

So I looked up some facts on bananas and they are less than .5% fat!!!

I just had to vent, I get so tired of people knocking raw food and justifying all the packaged and processed foods they eat, meat, dairy, etc... telling me my diet is not "right." I am going to make a big coconut/pineapple/BANANA smoothie for my dinner and then eat an avocado or two!!!

If anyone has any information I can use when this topic comes up again I would sure appreciate it, I love my bananas and feel bad when people speak unkind words about them!

[The Forager]

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)
Calories 108.56
Calories from Fat 5.1

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.566g 1%
Saturated Fat 0.218g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.105g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0484g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 1.18mg 0%

Potassium 467.28mg 13%

Total Carbohydrate 27.65g 9%

Dietary Fiber 2.83g 11%

Protein 1.22g 2%

Alcohol 0g


Vitamin A 2 % Vitamin C 18 %

Calcium 1 % Iron 2 %

Vitamin D 0 % Vitamin E 1 %

Thiamin 3 % Riboflavin 6 %

Niacin 3 % Folate 6 %

Vitamin B-6 34 % Vitamin B-12 0 %

Phosphorus 2 % Magnesium 9 %

Zinc 1 % Copper 6 %


As per fitday... 1% fat? Oh dear! Oh noes! I am drowning in fat!! :rolleyes:

[The Forager]

By the way... I had 3 bananas today. Guess I'm screwed :D

[RawkStar]

OMG how frustrating. Bananas are not fattening! Pound for pound they may be higher in calories than other fruits and have a higher glycemic index, but that has nothing whatsoever to do with FAT. Anything people learn at WW is as good as the person dispensing the information, so there you go. I went to a WW meeting two months ago and one of the members asked why WW promoted a couple of TB flax seed oil per day. What did the leader say the reason was? For the Vitamin E, of course. :eek: WTH?! Everyone just started shaking their heads and murmuring in agreement.

I never went back. I'm allergic to stupid, so it wasn't good for my health to return. ;)

[dreamrawalwz]

So will they go eat out at a fast food place, but not a banana? Just wondering because I know some people would do that lol.

[alecia]

"I'm allergic to stupid, so it wasn't good for my health to return."

Ahhhhh hahahahahahaha. That was amazing.

[alicemagooey]

so, in specific response to your question, go to

angiecbc's post, and print it out, and fold the paper up and put it into your wallett...

if people start to get stupid at you, just give them the paper..You do not even need to waste your breath arguing.

( maybe you should make a couple copies so as you can give them to the complainers )

cheerio
alice

[SmilingRawDancer]

Some days I have 6-7 bananas! Big ones from costco, too!

Oyyy

As long as it grows from the earth, I'll eat it without worries.

[Riiiya]

what the...??
Ok i never considered bananas as really.. "diet" suitable fruits.. well you know, when you Do want to lose weight and decide to go on fruits and vegetables (not trying to be raw or anything, just trying to go on a Diet)... and i still feel kind of funny about them- i try not to eat too many (because i can eat a looooooot) but FAT? who the heck would really think bananas have fat in them, some people are "nutritiously" clueless.. uh
p.s. i LOVE frozen bananas- they're like the sweetest desert for me! i don't even need to add anything, it's like ice-cream in pieces heheh

[Random Violin Guy]

Um... yesterday I must've had about a dozen or so bananas over the course of the day. Yeah, I made raw ice cream three times. It was good. Really good.

But anyways, I'm only about 125 or so pounds, and I used to order bananas by the case (that's 40 pounds of bananas). I'd go through them in about a week and a half to two weeks or so... I think. Somewhere around there anyways.

So, are bananas fattening? Heck no. Not to me, anyways. I suppose if you were allergic though, you might put on some water weight.

[freelive]

Today one person told me how I can be such a pig and eat 3 bananas at once(300 kcal) while he was eating pastrami sandwich(at least 600 kcal)!!!!!!!!!!
I am not even talking about fat ratio!

[belle]

fat?? HA this is new, ususally people tell me how bad bananas are for their sugar content :rolleyes: not even an issue

[rawfigure]

So will they go eat out at a fast food place, but not a banana? Just wondering because I know some people would do that lol.

this one kills me, so many people tell me I should not eat banana's due to the glycemic index...but these are people who eat potatoes, beef, drink beer, and no problem eating a piece of cake !! DUH !!! :rolleyes:

[JennaBoBenna]

I know someone who was telling me that pineapples are the most fattening fruit because of the sugar content (and sugar turns into fat). I was like "Whatttt!! :eek: "

[Shanti]

People, particularly those with low self-esteem, hate to see others succeed. It's sad, but true...... you are likely thinner, more "successful," or god knows what other standard they might be using, then the people criticizing...so, it's an EASY target. I've experienced this at work lately..... just talking about the raw lifestyle and how awesome I've been feeling . . . people have a way of putting you down sometimes. So I have learned to share things (including my diet choices, personal interests, opinions on animal cruelty) only with people who I trust and who are not close-minded. That's my only advice.

[belle]

People, particularly those with low self-esteem, hate to see others succeed. It's sad, but true...... you are likely thinner, more "successful," or god knows what other standard they might be using, then the people criticizing...so, it's an EASY target. I've experienced this at work lately..... just talking about the raw lifestyle and how awesome I've been feeling . . . people have a way of putting you down sometimes. So I have learned to share things (including my diet choices, personal interests, opinions on animal cruelty) only with people who I trust and who are not close-minded. That's my only advice.

you are absolutly right, couldnt have said it better.

[Veganforlife]

I "love" getting advice from unhealthy folks. I just look at them and say nothing.

However, there are times when I say, "Look at me. Do I look unhealthy?" Or when REALLY pushed, I'll have to say, "Oh and my drinking this green smoothie is really gross compared to a dead carcass laying on your plate? Yeah, uh-huh."

I also agree with Shanti - very wise words there...

[Rawzula]

My roommate thinks that eating 4 bananas in one day is binge eating. I kid you not when I say this. He says that bananas are too fattening for me to eat:eek:.

Of course, I don't believe a word he says. This guy guzzles 2 gallons of milk a week, has a poor digestive system...and wonders why he's having problems...

[britaniefaith]

the only problem I have with banana's is constipation but I can't imagine thinking that youd get FAT from them...

[Frecs]

(and sugar turns into fat). I was like "Whatttt!! :eek: "

People latch onto one factoid and twist it all out of wack and then pull it out to try to sound like they know something you don't.

Fact: excess carbs are converted to fat for storage. Ditto for excess protein.

Somehow, they "get" the first, but forget the second. That person probably eats way too much protein and never thinks how that is getting stored as fat in his/her body.

[Ariannah]

It's even more difficult to listen to, when you're (currently - not permanently) heavy (like me), and the people around you doing the criticizing are thin and munching on junk! They roll their eyes and say, "heh, yah, it SO works!"

Whatever floats their boat I say

[samariah]

thats crazy. bananas may have more calories and carbs but not fat. besides, i'd say i eat like 4-5 bananas a day most days of the week and im losing weight!

[Bobbie]

I eat about 8 bananas a day :O

If I eat just fruit for a few days I lose a lot of weight and go very thin, and that always includes about 8 bananas

[Bobbie]

My grandpa used to be really shocked at me eating a whole punnet of strawberries in one go. That was my dinner!
His was a bowl of soup with a bread roll, followed by meat, potato, margarine, veg, rice, and gravy, followed by apple pie with custard and icecream.

[samariah]

ick, thinking of eating all that heavy congesting stuff just makes me tired. lol

[barose]

Actually some of us DO have to watch our banana intake, just as certain nuts, fats, etc. For some reason, I gain if I eat more than one per day. I dont know why or how, I just do. They are heavy and make me sick. I cant imagine eating more than one in a smoothie, let alone the large amounts some of you eat.

[faith4u]

the only problem I have with banana's is constipation but I can't imagine thinking that youd get FAT from them...

The one thing I see over and over with raw people is that they aren't eating their bananas when they should be. Are your bananas truly ripe when you are eating them? Most people eat them when they are still kind of green and they will make you constipated and/or feel terrible.

There should be no green whatsoever on your bananas. You also want some spots on them.

I had troubles eating bananas for years and it was because they weren't ripe.

[rawfigure]

ditto...as soon as I started eating them very ripe the problems I had with Banana's went away. Yummy things.:D

[beppa66]

What's that old saying??? It's impossible to have a battle of the whits with one who is unarmed. Seems fitting.

[iamacranberry]

Bananas are certainly more dense than watery fruits, and thus more filling and a bit higher in calories for their weight. But even so they don't even begin to compare to the calorie density of foods such as nuts and seeds, which are still good to include in the diet.

I find that too many bananas in a short period of time make me jittery, but I attribute this to their sugar content, not their fat content.