Argument about bananas

[Mark Parrott]

Just been speaking to my brother on the phone. He was told by his DN that bananas are great for diabetics as they release their sugars slowly. Now, I've heard the complete opposite. Even my DN said avoid bananas. The problem with my brother is he listens to his DN and believes every word she says & nothing that I say. She knows what she's talking about, she's a professional, and all that. Ho hum.

 

[grovesy]

Thing with bananas are they come in various sizes and sweetness.
As with everything can only try and see.

 

[Amigo]

I don't eat bananas very often Mark because they do have the highest carb content of all the fruits due to their low water content. But there's worse things to eat and apparently they're brilliant for athletes. This is one reason I do continue to eat a small, under-ripe banana occasionally;

'While it’s true that bananas pack more carbs per bite than other fruits (because they’re lower in water), there’s no need to shun them, even if you’re trying to lose weight. Bananas are a rich source of potassium, which in addition to reducing blood pressure, supports muscle maintenance and acts as a natural diuretic that alleviates water retention and bloating. Their vitamin B6 also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and their fiber content boosts satiety and improves digestive health.'

Some people can't tolerate them and they spike them massively but they're better than some snacks in terms of nutritional content. So in a sense neither DN is wrong.

 

[Matt Cycle]

I eat plenty of bananas. I think the GI is considered low but carbs are fairly high for a normal size one around 20g. Great when exercising as well.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Under ripe bananas are fine it's when they become ripe or over ripe then they become very high sugar.

 

[AlisonM]

Bananas are my favourite 'extreme hypo' food. a toasted nana sarnie will often bring my BGs back up when nothing else has worked. Other than that, I avoid them.

 

[Austin Mini]

Apparently (according to Jeremy Vine) eating six bananas in one go can kill you! Pottasium levels will be dangerously high.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Under ripe bananas are fine it's when they become ripe or over ripe then they become very high sugar.

Yes, I always choose under ripe ones. Taste a bit rank when on the turn anyway.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Under ripe bananas are fine it's when they become ripe or over ripe then they become very high sugar.

I mentioned to the Diabetes Dietition about someone eating half an unripe banana. She said ripeness makes no difference. The amount of carbs is the same. She also said there's no need to cut it in half, unless it's a Big one.

Apparently (according to Jeremy Vine) eating six bananas in one go can kill you! Pottasium levels will be dangerously high.

The BBC Raido 4 programme More Or Less did a piece about this. They said it was rubbish. I thing, to get enough pottasium from bananas, you'd have have ridiculus amount of them.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Thanks guys. Looks like it's a sick it & see process. I prefer slightly unripe bananas.

 

[Northerner]

I mentioned to the Diabetes Dietition about someone eating half an unripe banana. She said ripeness makes no difference. The amount of carbs is the same. She also said there's no need to cut it in half, unless it's a Big one.

Ripeness does make a difference to the speed at which the carbs hit your bloodstream - as they ripen, more of the flesh turns to sugar, so while the carb content may not change, the effect can be quite different 😱

 

[Stitch147]

I was told avoid bananas or have just 1 under ripe one a week. I don't like under ripe bananas, I prefer them when they are just going spotty on the skin and are sweet. That's why I haven't had one since August last year!

 

[Lynn Davies]

I like my nanas under custard *sigh*

 

[Riri]

It's a case of we're all different again. I buy the baby bananas and, whether they're the lesser greener or lesser spotted variety, I can manage one of these without a problem.

 

[trophywench]

Haven't bought one for at least 15 years. Loathe them under-ripe, leave a nasty metallic taste in my mouth.

 

[Lorraine hunt]

Only eat then before excercise, but the browner the better

 

[Lindarose]

I've given up bananas after I went into double figures after eating one. Hadn't been diagnosed long and it was a real shock. I do like them even chocolate doesn't do that much damage!

 

[T1Cathy]

I use ripe bananas as a hypo treatment / prevention during exercise because they're high in fairly fast acting sugar - I wouldn't eat them if I wasn't low or exercising because the carb is too much and too fast acting 😱

 

[DeusXM]

You can simply solve this argument by getting your brother to test his blood sugar before eating a banana, and then testing it an hour later.

Don't listen to other people, just listen (or more precisely, read) to your body.

Better yet, do it in front of a dietician or the DN. There's few things funnier than proving to them right in front of them that they don't always know what they're talking about.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Well, if he decides to do a banana split for dinner tonight, I'll make sure he tests. He hasn't tested for months because he was told by his DN not to bother.😱 I know his last HbA1c was 74, which isn't great after 15 years, he is on the highest dose of tablets possible & will eventually have to go on Insulin. He also doesn't bother going to his Retinopathy check ups, even though his eyesight is gradually getting worse, which he denies but it's obvious.