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Banana carbohydrates

I am slim and like to gain more mass. Can banana give me weight? Banana consists of what?
(October 12, 2010)

Banana Carbohydrates

The banana is a delicious, tropical fruit that you can eat in a variety of ways. Top it on a pancake, beat it into a smoothie or shake, dress it up with honey for a quick dessert, or just eat it plain. It is often quoted as a home remedy for curing a variety of ailments and it is truly a miracle fruit. High in fiber, proteins, and carbohydrates it’s a power packed snack and a great addition to your breakfast.

Are you wondering how many carbohydrates there are in a banana?


A small sized banana could contain up to 23.1. grams and a larger banana could contain up to 31.1 grams of carbohydrates. However, that is not all. Banana, as mentioned, also contains protein and fiber. Like most fruits, it is also rich in vitamin B6, folic acid, potassium, and other healthy minerals like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and so on.

Banana carbohydrates are often recommended to people who are slim and would like to gain healthy weight or build muscle mass. You may be underweight due to lack of proper exercise, lack of nutrition, or a chronic medical condition. Slim people are also prone to diseases related to lack of immunity. Sometimes, your slimness could be due to heredity. Before you decide to increase your muscle mass by consuming banana carbohydrates, you may want to medically ascertain the cause of your weight.

Since a banana is higher in carbohydrates than most other fruits, dieticians may recommend a smaller portion for individuals trying to lose weight. On the other hand, for individuals looking to gain more mass, the carbohydrates in a banana can actually help to put on bulk.

Apart from the carbohydrates in a banana, the fruit is also replete with calories and may help to fulfill some of your daily calorie needs without resorting to unhealthy foods. Just one portion of banana carbohydrates per day may not be sufficient for you to gain weight. You will have to combine this with a low fat, high carbohydrate diet to reap the benefits.
In conjunction to a healthy diet, you also need a workout routine such as weight training to build muscle mass. Eating bananas will provide carbohydrates and proteins. You need adequate protein in your diet to develop muscle mass through exercise.

The natural sugars occurring in banana—fructose, sucrose and glucose—provide instant energy and athletes are known to consume bananas before a sporting event. These natural sugars could also help you to gain weight. Apart from banana carbohydrates, you will also benefit from the fiber that the fruit provides. If your weight problems arise from a lack of digestion, the fiber could help aid regular digestion.

While banana carbohydrates might provide you with some of your daily quota of carbohydrates, you must remember that a high carbohydrate diet can lead to medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart diseases, and diabetes. Eating a well-balanced diet with produce from all food groups is the best way to gain weight and build healthy body mass.

Submitted by S M on October 12, 2010 at 04:47

 

Health Benefits of Banana

Banana provides energy from the carbohydrate present in them. The presence of sugars and starch in bananas depend on the ripening stage of the fruit. Generally, the sugar content increases and starch decreases with increased ripeness. The length of the molecules determines the difference between starch and sugar. A chain of sugars glued to form a large molecule, is a starch molecule. One or two molecules bind to form a small molecule to form sugars. These single sugars are absorbed in a rapid manner, compared to the foods containing starch.

A ripe and yellow banana is eaten and digested better, owing to this factor. When consumed half an hour prior to workout, bananas are a good energy booster. They supply energy in a slow manner, as the calories are digested slowly. A banana as such contains 39 grams of carbohydrates and provides 162 calories. Sugars are 35.5.5 grams and starch are 2.5 grams.

An average size banana has a high content of magnesium and potassium, low amount of sodium and is a medium source of B complex vitamins. The flesh of banana contains 17.5 grams of carbohydrates, 15.7 grams of sugars and 1.7 grams of starch. The fat calories in the fruit are less than half a per cent, whereas the protein calories contribute to one per cent of its total calorie content.
Submitted by E L on April 18, 2008 at 10:49

 

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