Bananas are NOT a low carb food

[laceemouse 631]

I am new here, and thus don't understand any of the inside comments and jaunty banter, but I do have a nutrition question.

Does EVERY person who has had WLS follow a low carb diet? Does it depend on the type of surgery they had? How low is low? Do some people do virtually NO carbs??

If someone says "I am doing low carb and look, this is what I eat in a day!" and then proceeds to list lots of high carb items, bananas and more, maybe someone should suggest they use a tracker of some sort, enter all those items, and see what the total carb count is.

If someone is doing, say, 30 grams of carbs a day, then wouldn't it be okay for them to add a half a banana to their morning smoothie, assuming their daily total stays at or under 30?

Or, as long as someone is losing at a rate they are happy with, is it okay for them to eat a banana a day? I mean assuming it works for them?

I do find it funny that people who are so focused on weight loss don't know that bananas are a rather high sugar fruit. But on the other hand, if it works for Joe Blow does it matter to the rest of us??

Still waiting for my surgery date but kinda confused by this whole discussion.

[higher 966]

@@higher

It is pineapple, but pineapple is like eating candy, so that is off the table (for me anyway). Really just getting enough fluids, it doesn't even have to be Water, just fluids, coffee and tea work, but being well hydrated and flushing your system counts for more than what you eat. Still you can never go wrong with strawberries.

Is it really like candy if 1/2 a cup is 8.7 net carbs ? I can probably only squeeze in 1/3 or 1/4 cup alongside my Protein at this early stage anyway so I might go for it. I'll alternate with the berries. And lots and lots of fluids. Gotta stay sweet! Priorities...

[higher 966]

@@higher

Strawberries and Water work the best for that fresh scent, lol

Does that knowledge come from experience? I always thought the old adage was pineapple and watermelon! I been drinking....watermelon.

DRINKING watermelon? Oh. I didn't know that was how we were supposed to use it....

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????

[sgc 538]

I am new here, and thus don't understand any of the inside comments and jaunty banter, but I do have a nutrition question.

Does EVERY person who has had WLS follow a low carb diet? Does it depend on the type of surgery they had? How low is low? Do some people do virtually NO carbs??

If someone says "I am doing low carb and look, this is what I eat in a day!" and then proceeds to list lots of high carb items, bananas and more, maybe someone should suggest they use a tracker of some sort, enter all those items, and see what the total carb count is.

If someone is doing, say, 30 grams of carbs a day, then wouldn't it be okay for them to add a half a banana to their morning smoothie, assuming their daily total stays at or under 30?

Or, as long as someone is losing at a rate they are happy with, is it okay for them to eat a banana a day? I mean assuming it works for them?

I do find it funny that people who are so focused on weight loss don't know that bananas are a rather high sugar fruit. But on the other hand, if it works for Joe Blow does it matter to the rest of us??

Still waiting for my surgery date but kinda confused by this whole discussion.

I've lost nearly 140 pounds and don't even count my carb content. Nobody has ever become overweight because they ate too many bananas. If everybody replaced Oreos with bananas, there would be a lot more thin people.

[LisaMergs 2,854]

I am new here, and thus don't understand any of the inside comments and jaunty banter, but I do have a nutrition question.

Does EVERY person who has had WLS follow a low carb diet? Does it depend on the type of surgery they had? How low is low? Do some people do virtually NO carbs??

If someone says "I am doing low carb and look, this is what I eat in a day!" and then proceeds to list lots of high carb items, bananas and more, maybe someone should suggest they use a tracker of some sort, enter all those items, and see what the total carb count is.

If someone is doing, say, 30 grams of carbs a day, then wouldn't it be okay for them to add a half a banana to their morning smoothie, assuming their daily total stays at or under 30?

Or, as long as someone is losing at a rate they are happy with, is it okay for them to eat a banana a day? I mean assuming it works for them?

I do find it funny that people who are so focused on weight loss don't know that bananas are a rather high sugar fruit. But on the other hand, if it works for Joe Blow does it matter to the rest of us??

Still waiting for my surgery date but kinda confused by this whole discussion.

Inside comments/jaunty banter is simply a form of familiarity. Not to worry- we have all been new here

That said- what kind of surgery you have also has a TON to do with whether you can tolerate carbs or not- the "bad" kind, that is.

Five and a half months out, I still can not tolerate a piece of banana. Others can. It is always trial and error. And maybe one day I'll be able to- who knows?

Sleeve patients don't always experience "dumping" - when the sugars hit your intestines and are not able to be processed like before surgery. That is part of the "accountability factor" associated with bypass. Now some sleevers DO dump- and there are a handful of bypass pts that DO NOT. Typically that is not the norm. Same could be said for fatty foods/greasy fried foods.

The point is- GOOD SOLID nutrition is ubër important for ALL of us to not only be successful with the WL tool we now have, but ultimately, to be successful at maintaining our loss. There are ways to "eat around" your surgery- namely by not following the no drinking while eating or for 30 min after you finish eating.

I, personally, try and follow a ketogenic diet. Not all NUT will agree with this diet. However, because inflammation is a huge issue for my body- cellularly speaking- and the autoimmune issues I have, my docs and NUT are fine with this- and I have been symptom free since surgery. How cool is that???

One thing I will say- not ALL WLS patients have ready access to a NUT. Some see theirs only before and maybe once or twice after surgery, so if they were unclear about nutrition, and can't find what they need to know here or elsewhere on the internet ( lots of conflicting information out there), then the likelihood is they may be confused or unaware. And because we here all see different doctors- again- conflicting information- and debates ensue.

What you need to do is work with your NUT and bariatric team, take what you need from here, and make an educated decision.

Hope that helps!

Lisa

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[LisaMergs 2,854]

@@Babbs yep, that'll do it! ;P And though I love bananas I will admit they are a poor substitute for... erm, Snickers? lol

I think I need a banana now. The Snickers have become unavailable in my area

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[DeletedMember 715]

I am new here, and thus don't understand any of the inside comments and jaunty banter, but I do have a nutrition question.

Does EVERY person who has had WLS follow a low carb diet? Does it depend on the type of surgery they had? How low is low? Do some people do virtually NO carbs??

If someone says "I am doing low carb and look, this is what I eat in a day!" and then proceeds to list lots of high carb items, bananas and more, maybe someone should suggest they use a tracker of some sort, enter all those items, and see what the total carb count is.

If someone is doing, say, 30 grams of carbs a day, then wouldn't it be okay for them to add a half a banana to their morning smoothie, assuming their daily total stays at or under 30?

Or, as long as someone is losing at a rate they are happy with, is it okay for them to eat a banana a day? I mean assuming it works for them?

I do find it funny that people who are so focused on weight loss don't know that bananas are a rather high sugar fruit. But on the other hand, if it works for Joe Blow does it matter to the rest of us??

Still waiting for my surgery date but kinda confused by this whole discussion.

Completely depends on your surgical team. Many do limit carbs, some limit all refined carbs, some allow things like crackers, toast, etc.

On my plan, carbs themselves are not restricted at all, but refined carbs are completely off limits. I eat a fairly high amount of carbs as I eat things like Beans, lentils and fruits everyday, probably averaging 75g-100g of carbs a day. But I eat absolutely no rice, Pasta, bread, etc.

[Babbs 14,681]

If everybody replaced Oreos with bananas, there would be a lot more thin people.

Unfortunately, it's not that simplistic of an issue. I think that's the OP's whole point.

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@LisaMergs

I am new here, and thus don't understand any of the inside comments and jaunty banter, but I do have a nutrition question.

Does EVERY person who has had WLS follow a low carb diet? Does it depend on the type of surgery they had? How low is low? Do some people do virtually NO carbs??

If someone says "I am doing low carb and look, this is what I eat in a day!" and then proceeds to list lots of high carb items, bananas and more, maybe someone should suggest they use a tracker of some sort, enter all those items, and see what the total carb count is.

If someone is doing, say, 30 grams of carbs a day, then wouldn't it be okay for them to add a half a banana to their morning smoothie, assuming their daily total stays at or under 30?

Or, as long as someone is losing at a rate they are happy with, is it okay for them to eat a banana a day? I mean assuming it works for them?

I do find it funny that people who are so focused on weight loss don't know that bananas are a rather high sugar fruit. But on the other hand, if it works for Joe Blow does it matter to the rest of us??

Still waiting for my surgery date but kinda confused by this whole discussion.

Inside comments/jaunty banter is simply a form of familiarity. Not to worry- we have all been new here

That said- what kind of surgery you have also has a TON to do with whether you can tolerate carbs or not- the "bad" kind, that is.

Five and a half months out, I still can not tolerate a piece of banana. Others can. It is always trial and error. And maybe one day I'll be able to- who knows?

Sleeve patients don't always experience "dumping" - when the sugars hit your intestines and are not able to be processed like before surgery. That is part of the "accountability factor" associated with bypass. Now some sleevers DO dump- and there are a handful of bypass pts that DO NOT. Typically that is not the norm. Same could be said for fatty foods/greasy fried foods.

The point is- GOOD SOLID nutrition is ubër important for ALL of us to not only be successful with the WL tool we now have, but ultimately, to be successful at maintaining our loss. There are ways to "eat around" your surgery- namely by not following the no drinking while eating or for 30 min after you finish eating.

I, personally, try and follow a ketogenic diet. Not all NUT will agree with this diet. However, because inflammation is a huge issue for my body- cellularly speaking- and the autoimmune issues I have, my docs and NUT are fine with this- and I have been symptom free since surgery. How cool is that???

One thing I will say- not ALL WLS patients have ready access to a NUT. Some see theirs only before and maybe once or twice after surgery, so if they were unclear about nutrition, and can't find what they need to know here or elsewhere on the internet ( lots of conflicting information out there), then the likelihood is they may be confused or unaware. And because we here all see different doctors- again- conflicting information- and debates ensue.

What you need to do is work with your NUT and bariatric team, take what you need from here, and make an educated decision.

Hope that helps!

Lisa

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi There!

I just want to clear up one comment. Most gastric bypass patients DO NOT dump. Only 30% of bypass patients have dumping syndrome and many of that 30% clear up after around a year.

Also, there are sleevers who dump as well although it is even less common.

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@laceemouse

I had RNY nearly 2 years ago. My nut has had me eating fruit since the very beginning. Some nutritionists believe in completely removing carbs and then adding them back in as you get closer to goal.

Mine has believed in a balanced approach since week 3 when I started pureed foods.

2 bites of Protein to every 1 bit of fruit or vegetable.

I will say that it took me longer to than some to get to goal, but I lost 152lbs in 18 months and have been maintaining since March.

I have bananas sitting on my counter at home, I eat one about 2 times a week but I also eat tons of strawberries, watermelon, peaches, nectarines, cherries.......I would seriously fall over without my fruit and veggies.

I am glad she took a balanced approach with me because I really believe overall it allowed me to build the habit of making better choices. I would much rather have a piece of fruit instead of Oreo Cookies....LOL

Oh, and I do drink through a straw daily.....I can do it without gulping air which is why many docs tell you not to. Air, can cause pain even two years later....

[Julie norton 2,850]

I just cannot believe this forum has a huge discussion on the value of a piece of fruit.. I do understand carbs.... Many of us keep them low ... However ... This is long winded on fruit vs Oreos for my two cents. And invariably some people get bashed.

Sigh. I thought we were trying to discuss living life with a new outlook and determination to change old habits. Doubtful many of us got here from too many bananas...

And ps. We certainly have many super- informed people who haven't had surgery yet.[emoji529][emoji529][emoji529]

[LipstickLady 25,682]

@@Babbs - "Complex carbs are utterly different than simple carbs. That being said, bananas have a fair amount of carbs and sugar, and so should be consumed in moderation (ideally). Why did this discussion, like so many others, turn into a cesspool of bitchy, cranky people being mean to each other?! :/ I love this place and I love you guys but do you ever wonder if it's the newbies driving you away or you guys driving yourselves away? I get that we're all cranky from lack of chocolate (and Snickers?) but man! Lighten up! :)"

that's a little more confronting than I'm normally comfortable with, so I deleted it. But since you asked...

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@@Valentina NEVER misses an opportunity to throw shade at ONLY the people she doesn't agree with by her passive aggressive posts and "likes".

Sad, really.

Absolutely. Every freaking time.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

My surgeon recommended SF banana' Syrup in my protein' shake' instead of an actual banana'. The high sugar content outweighed the nutritional benefits **in his opinion**.

Personally, there are better foods **for me** than bananas'. I don't eat a lot of fruit, but when I do, I much prefer berries or apples and cheese'.

As for the 4tblspn banana'? I think you can mash a full one down to that amount. Perhaps the effort of mashing down that small burns enough calories...

[laceemouse 631]

Thanks everyone. I totally understand that what works for one person may not work for another, some people can't tolerate some foods, different doctors and nutritionists recommend different things, etc.

I am also very familiar with the differences in opinion about what constitutes healthy eating. I have hundreds of friends who have VERY strong opinions about what to eat and not eat. Most are not overweight. Some eat no meat (my oldest daughter has been a vegan most of her 25 years and has never been overweight), some eat almost nothing BUT meat, others eat raw, Paleo, etc, etc

One thing most of them agree on is eating real foods, so the idea of artificial sweeteners is just a big no-no. Personal preference for sure but there is a lot of research out there about them.

I don't know how which route I will take after surgery, still don't have a date yet and no recommended diet of course, but I know this much is true.....we always have fruit in the house. Had I eaten a piece of fruit each time I wanted a treat, even a high carb one like a banana, instead of a handful of Cookies or several mini candy bars, I might not be pushing 250 pounds now. Maybe??

I like apples with cheese, not so much alone. Most berries are too tart to me, I like them IN things like smoothies (or bad things like cobbler) but not so much alone. LOVE citrus (don't know if people can handle citrus after sleeve??) and love bananas.

You guys take care, keep up the good work, you ALL inspire me

[laceemouse 631]

As for the 4tblspn banana,? I think you can mash a full one down to that amount. Perhaps the effort of mashing down that small burns enough calories...

Ha! This made me laugh. Banana size varies widely (does that sound dirty??) I usually try to buy the small ones. When I buy the huge ones my kids often cut them in half, the left-over half gets mushy and gross and unless I peel and freeze it it ends up in the trash. Wasteful.