Banana: Log it with peel or not?
 

Have you ever wondered what would be the truer, more accurate caloric values for the fruits/vegetables that you log?

This thread is about bananas. I've been wondering whether the canned caloric value (Food Journal) is for a peeled banana or one that is not peeled. With a little experiment, I've gotten my answer and can now share this with you.

The following are caloric values for the same banana, using different options under the Food Journal:

Banana, large (8"-8-7/8" long) ---> canned, estimated value ..................... 121 cal

Same banana, (~ 8" measured), with peel, weighed @ 223 grams ................ 198 cal

Same banana, without peel, weighed @ 141 grams ....................................... 125 cal



Therefore it can be concluded that the caloric values supplied for bananas are for bananas WITHOUT the peel. This is an important distinction for anyone who weighs out their foods. Not so much for someone who does not.

For those who weigh, 77 calories DOES make a big difference, especially if you eat 2-3 bananas a day like I do.

Does anyone dispute this finding or wish to add to this? Please feel free to do so. The goal here is to be accurate. Thank you.



PS: I'm also wondering about apple cores and peach pits. Those will be my next experiments. :)

I don't know anyone who actually eats the peel. A 4 cal difference seems like a darn good estimate to me.

I always assume I am probably eating 100+ more cals than I log each day.

Now if someone chews gum everyday should they count it? Depends. I do low carb and a 1.5g piece of sf gum (the little square kind) has 1g carb and 2.5 cals. I usually chew at least 2 pc a day. I don't count them. They fall into my 100+ safety area.

Some people may chew a whole pack everyday and not count it. A 20 pack is 50 cals. Not that big of a deal to me but the 20 carbs is huge chunk of the amount I allow for myself each day.

When you add up all the "little things" most of us don't think to log it's easy to see why weight loss can be slowed down when we think we are doing everything right.

I don't think there could realistically ever be a way to know your exact cal/macro values even if you were able to track the weight on a .001oz. scale.

Would be kinda tempting to try though, huh?

LOL, yeah, I think even gorillas peel their bananas! :D

It's true about adding up all the little things. I think this is why some people can't understand why they are not losing as fast as they should. Or perhaps they are doing more visual estimates on foods rather than actually weighing them.

I totally agree. And it's not an exact science by any means, this "tracking". But it's pretty darn good! :)

I also chew 1-2 sticks of 5 calorie/2 carbs gum per day.

I have never eaten a banana peel, but my old dog used to pick them off the top of the trash and eat all but the nub at the top! Guess he was getting his fruit whether I thought he needed it or not. Nothing else in the trash would be touched.

Of course nobody eats a banana peel.

If I'm the only one who was weighing the entire banana, with the peel, then logging that, then I suppose I'm the only silly person on this board. :D

Ever had apple bananas? I love those!

Never had an apple banana. :eek:

But I've seen them at the store... I'll have to give them a try. I've been skeptical because they are so dark, but supposedly that's when they are best (sweetest). I just googled them and they look enticing. :)

Yep, they are actually ripe when they turn dark. I got some for a friend to try but I think he thought they were already bad and probably tossed them, lol. :D

I keep them in the fridge. They don't get mushy and they last a lot longer than regular bananas too.

Thanks for doing the research Vito. I wonder why the database would have info that would assume we're eating the peel?! ;->

Since I don't always have a scale handy, my question was how to measure the banana. I was curious because it was often hard to decide if I had "large" or "extra large" bananas.

So, should one measure the banana from tip to tip ("bypassing" the curve of the banana), or along the curve? And it along the curve, where, on the banana should you measure? the results could be quite different!

For the same banana:
tip-to-tip measurement = 5.75" = "extra smal'" = 72 cal
along the smallest curve = 6.25" = "small" = 90 cal
through middle of curve = 7" = "medium" = 105 cal
along the longest curve = 8" = "large" = 121 cal
weight (without peel) = 98 gr = 88 cal (I'm going to assume this is the most accurate measurement)

This means that when I don't have the ability to weigh my (unpeeled) banana, I measure along the smallest ("inside") curve of the banana.

hope that helps some folks out there.

Michelle

I don't know, Michelle, but I thought it strange enough to mention! :D

By the way, you obviously found this thread through a search. Nice work! :)