Are Bananas OK? Why fruits are good to eat, even on a low carb diet

The staple of breakfasts and quick snacks, the humble banana is loaded with fiber, potassium, and vitamin A.

Most people love bananas (me, on the other hand, I can't even stand the smell)!

But, on the other side of the nutritional stack, bananas are also high in carbohydrates. They’re one of the first things that get crossed off the list of foods to eat on a low-carb diet. Most fruits are often cut out in low carb diets.

But, does it really need to be that way?

Why Do I Need to Cut Out Fruit on a Low-Carb Diet?

Low-carbohydrate diets have the principle that there are a certain amount of carbohydrates you can eat during the day. Because you’re not getting carbohydrates to produce enough glucose to power your energy, your body burns fat for energy. That's why low carbs work so well for reducing fat, especially around the waist.

So, if you only have 60 grams of carbohydrates to eat during the day, you have to choose your foods wisely. On average, a banana has 25 grams of carbohydrates. If you ate one banana, that’s almost half your daily intake of carbohydrates.

As we talked how about in this article about why meat is not the primary ingredient of low-carb diets, vegetables should be the central part of your diet. If you eat one banana, that only leaves about 35 grams of carbohydrates for the rest of your day, and that's not a lot of vegetables.

Many reasons exist for being on a low-carb diet. Someone could be trying to lose weight or control their blood sugars. Certain diseases like cancer, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and thyroid conditions benefit from choosing a lower-carb diet.

We’re fortunate here at Custom Health Centers that our coaches and counselors know many medical conditions and the right type of diet and supplements to make real healing happen. We recommend talking to one of them in a free consultation to see what supplements will genuinely benefit you.

For example, prickly pear cactus helps lower blood sugar numbers. If this is one of your concerns, you can talk to one of our counselors about incorporating this type of supplement into your diet.

Why You Need Fruit In Your Diet

So, the diets tell you to cut out bananas.

But, you don’t completely have to cut out the banana, if you do it wisely.

A half a banana still taste delicious and only has about 12 grams of carbs. If you use the remaining 48 grams of carbs for the rest of your vegetables, you will be able to eat or well-rounded diet.

And we believe you really should include some fruit in your diet, even if you are on low carb.

Fruits contain some of the highest amounts of antioxidants and phytonutrients in the plant world. Most of the miracle treatments for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems are found in fruits.

If you choose wisely, count your carbs, and eat your vegetables, you can enjoy a well-rounded, diverse, and fruit-filled diet, even if you’re on low-carb.

How Much Fruit Should I Eat on a Low Carb Diet?

You can’t eat a lot of fruit when you’re on low-carb, but you can eat some. Here are some ideas to try out:

• Half a banana 12 carbs
• Half a medium Apple, 12 carbs
• 5 cherries, ten carbs
• Small peach, 10 carbs
• 3 medium strawberries, 6 carbs
• Half a cup of pomegranate seeds, 16 carbs
• Half a cup of blueberries, 10 carbs

We will recommend avoiding really sweet fruits like pineapples, mangoes, and watermelon.

You can eat a variety of fruit throughout the week as long as you stick to smaller portions.

Here's a couple of other guidelines you want to follow:

• Choose fresh, ripe fruit
• If you can’t get fresh, choose frozen
• Avoid any canned or preserved fruit that contains sugar or syrup
• Avoid fruits that contain artificial sweeteners
• Choose local farms and orchards so you can find out first hand what pesticides may have been used