The banana diet was introduced by the Japanese state in 2008 and offers a healthy weight loss plan without making you feel hungry. This diet does not limit the size of bananas, the amount is eaten daily, or the method of intake.
The banana diet is not recommended for a long time or significant weight loss. Usually, the banana diet is done within 3 days and will result in a weight loss of around 2.5–3 kg. In addition, if you do the banana diet for 7 days, it will cleanse your body naturally and can help you lose up to 3–4 kg of weight.
What is the Banana Diet?
The banana diet is a type of diet that prioritizes the consumption of bananas in the morning as its main rule. The diet, which in English is called the “banana diet,” is also known as The Morning Banana Diet or the “Asa-Banana diet.”
The banana diet was initiated by a spouse from Japan. His wife, Sumiko Watanabe, is a pharmacist and specialist in disease prevention medicine. Her husband, Hitoshi Watanabe, studied counseling and traditional Chinese medicine.
This diet started when Sumiko and Hitoshi were about to get married. Hitoshi is gaining weight and wants to lose weight before getting married.
After trying several diets and fitness activities, Hitoshi finally managed to lose weight from 80 kg to 72 kg, but the weight could not go any further than 72 kg.
Knowing this, Sumiko suggested the banana diet, and this diet succeeded in helping Hitoshi achieve his desired weight. Hitoshi then spread the banana diet pattern to the community on the internet, and it became much discussed.
Table Nutritional Content in Banana
The table below shows the amount of each nutrient in a medium-sized banana. It also shows how much adults need according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Varies according to the sex and age of the individual.
Health Benefits from Banana Diet
Banana is a fruit that can provide a myriad of health benefits. Similarly, when used in a diet, bananas provide a list of health benefits that range from physical to mental. The following describes some of the health benefits of the banana diet, namely:
1. Manage Blood Pressure
Medium-sized bananas contain potassium, which accounts for nearly 9% of a person’s daily potassium requirement. This potassium can help manage blood pressure and reduce the strain on the cardiovascular system.
2. Prevent Asthma
The banana diet can help prevent asthma flare-ups in children with asthma because it contains antioxidants and potassium.
3. Prevent Cancer
Protein in bananas can help prevent leukemia. In addition, some lectins act as antioxidants, so they can help the body eliminate free radicals.
4. Heart Health
Bananas also contain fiber, potassium, folate, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which greatly support heart health. So people who follow the banana diet have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who follow a low-fiber diet.
5. Lowering Blood Sugar Levels (Diabetes)
The fiber in bananas is good for diabetics because it can fill you up and lower blood sugar. The sugar levels maintained by bananas can also reduce the risk of developing diabetes in healthy people.
6. Digestive Health
Besides being rich in fiber, bananas also contain water, both of which can improve digestive tract health. Bananas can also be used to treat diarrhea by replacing nutrients such as potassium and water that are lost during diarrhea.
7. Maintain Memory and Improve Mood
Bananas also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can help maintain memory, increase a person’s ability to learn and remember things, and regulate the mood of dieters.
8. Lose Weight
Bananas are a healthy addition to a balanced diet, as they provide a variety of important nutrients and are a good source of fiber. Bananas make a good contribution to a weight loss diet, due to several of the fruit’s properties that can help minimize bloating, regulate appetite, and replace refined sugar.
Banana Diet Tips
Here are some tips for using bananas as a diet ingredient:
- Add banana slices to your morning cereal or oatmeal for a more nutritious breakfast.
- Mash a ripe banana and use it to replace oil or butter in baked goods.
- Add bananas to the cake for natural sweetness.
- Add bananas to smoothies.
- Bring bananas to work or school for a healthy snack.
How to Do the Right Banana Diet
Bananas are a fruit that is high in fiber and low in calories. This fruit has many health benefits, including weight loss, digestion, preventing high blood pressure, and reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Going on a banana diet doesn’t mean you’ll only eat bananas all day. You can still eat other foods, but there are several things to watch out for, namely:
1. Eat Unprocessed Bananas for Breakfast
In this diet, bananas are the first food you eat after waking up. The bananas in question are whole bananas and not processed banana foods such as fried bananas or banana cake.
You can consume more than one fruit, according to your wishes. If you don’t like bananas, you can try other fruit but only consume one type of fruit, for example, replacing one banana with one apple.
After that, wait 15–30 minutes before you can eat other foods.
2. Drink Water
You are advised to drink water, especially when consuming bananas for breakfast. It is recommended not to drink cold water, and it would be better if you consumed water at room temperature.
You can also consume tea or warm ginger water to warm your body. If you want to drink another type of drink, wait 15–30 minutes after your banana breakfast ritual is finished.
This diet does not require you to consume up to 2 liters of water per day. This is because everyone’s needs vary depending on individual circumstances and environmental conditions such as weather and humidity levels.
3. You Can Eat Anything for Lunch and Dinner
Suggestions for food, namely those from Japan, especially rice with several side dishes. For dinner, you must eat before 8 p.m. If you eat too close to bedtime, your body still has to work on digesting it while you sleep.
This will cause you to feel unrefreshed and tired (fatigued) when you wake up the next day because your sleep time is not used as fully as possible to rest the body’s organs.
A tired body will not function optimally and will instead cause weight gain. Furthermore, you should pay attention to the signals your body sends, such as when you are truly hungry and when you are truly full.
4. Eat a Snack
You are allowed to eat snacks, but you can only eat one type of snack between lunch and dinner. Snacks can be chocolate, cake, or other sweet foods.
However, avoid dairy-based snacks such as ice cream. After that, you are not advised to eat snacks again. Dessert after dinner is also not recommended.
5. Get Enough Sleep and Avoid Waking Up with an Alarm
It will be easier for you to control your weight if your body is not tired. Going to bed before midnight and waking up without being woken by the alarm is the key to your body working normally without an additional source of stress.
Waking up using an alarm will put your brain under pressure or stress, which will make your digestive system not run smoothly.
6. Please Exercise, But Don’t Force it
You are advised to exercise, but choose the type of exercise that you are relaxed about. If the thought of having to exercise is stressful, you don’t need to exercise.
Choosing a physical activity that doesn’t leave you out of breath and looks like it’s not the type of exercise that burns calories can be used as an alternative. Taking a leisurely walk or just swinging your arms can be an option.
How does the Banana Diet Affect Your Health?
Eating fruit in the morning is good for your health. Fruit is easy to digest, so it doesn’t shock the digestive system. In addition, the recommendation to sleep before midnight and not eat after 8 pm can help you lose weight.
According to research, those who get 7-9 hours of sleep per day tend to have an ideal body weight. We will also tend to overeat or eat unhealthy foods when we are tired.
The recommendation of the banana diet to stop eating when you are 80% full can also help you control the number of calories you consume.
Limiting the consumption of snacks and dairy products and their processed products can reduce calorie intake, especially fat and sugar, to prevent weight gain caused by excess calories.
How Many Minimum Calories Must be Met When on a Diet?
The banana diet also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy body and avoiding stress. This can help your body function optimally so that the body’s work, including the work of the digestive system, becomes normal.
Weight loss from the banana diet is possible because you will tend to eat less. Eating only fruit for breakfast and reducing snacks can contribute to weight loss.
This diet does not force you to make big changes, such as replacing some of your food with vegetables or requiring you to exercise many hours a day.
Because of the lifestyle approach, the weight loss that occurs tends to be long and may not be significant. However, the weight loss that occurs can be long-lasting because your lifestyle is changing on this diet.
Closing
The banana diet should not be recommended for a long period. It’s a good idea to combine a healthy diet and exercise to lose weight. Consult with your doctor about your diet choices.
