Bananas are a great snack food. They are perfectly packaged in single serving sizes. They are delicious raw, cooked, with bread or cereal. They are very nutritious.
But… bananas are hard on your body. Eating bananas is risky for your heart and waistline. There is a popular recipe for bananas that you should never drink and then never eat. Bananas can cause severe allergic reactions.
In fact, you may never eat a banana again after reading this.
Not that kind of diet
Bananas contain a lot of useful substances, but they are not a diet. Bananas are higher in calories than other fruits, at around 105 calories, and low in fiber, so you won’t feel full for long.
Bananas may be a good snack, but there are better snacks for calorie counters. They are in the middle of the glycemic index, so people with diabetes may want to avoid them.
You probably don’t want to eat a lot of bananas anyway!
Migraine
If you are allergic to aged cheeses such as blue cheese or Parmesan, you may be sensitive to tyramine. Tyramine is found in protein-rich foods.
If you are eating a banana, make sure that every stringy piece is removed. Banana peels are high in tyramine and are a popular snack in some countries. If you’re traveling, make sure you have banana peels in your meals!
Bananas are full of potassium, which is good for your heart, right?
Too much potassium
Bananas are good for your heart in small doses. If you eat too many bananas, you may develop hyperkalemia. This means you have too much potassium in your blood.
Hyperkalemia can cause irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, and temporary paralysis. Most people do not eat enough bananas to develop hyperkalemia. You may be at risk if you have kidney disease or are taking potassium supplements due to other conditions that cause high potassium levels in the blood.
Not a good breakfast
If you’re sleepy after a morning banana, you’re feeling the effects of tryptophan. It’s responsible for the post-turkey dinner nap.
Tryptophan slows down mental processes and reaction time. All the magnesium in bananas will help you relax and get a good night’s sleep.
Eat a banana before bed instead of breakfast cereal.
But don’t forget to brush your teeth afterwards. Bananas are hard on your teeth.