Can You Lose Weight With The Morning Banana Diet?

What They’re Saying
Eating a banana every morning along with following a few simple dieting rules can help you easily lose weight.

What We Know
The original Morning Banana Diet was created by a Japanese pharmacist to help her husband lose weight. By following the simple plan of eating a banana every morning, he dropped 38 pounds. Word spread like wildfire about this new magical diet and soon stores across Japan couldn’t keep bananas on the shelves. Now this Japanese craze has come to America.

The rules of the Morning Banana Diet are relatively simple …

• • Eat a banana (or any fruit) for breakfast.
  • Eat a normal lunch or dinner. Remember to eat until you feel full. Do not eat dessert.
  • Only drink water with meals. Outside of meals, non-caloric drinks (tea, coffee, and diet soda) are allowed.
  • Eat slowly and enjoy each and every bite.
  • Keep a diet journal.

These rules are similar to a healthy way of eating. While there’s an emphasis on eating a banana in the morning, the rules clearly note that you can substitute a banana for any fruit of the equivalent amount.

There is currently no clear evidence of a banana’s weight-loss abilities compared to any other fruit or vegetable. All fruits and vegetables can promote a healthy weight because they are low in calories, they contain fiber to keep your stomach satisfied, and they replace high-fat and high-sugar foods that can lead to weight gain!

How Do We Know This?
The notion of eating until you are full but not stuffed, keeping a journal, drinking lots of water, and eating slowly are all strategies of any successful weight loss plan. Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, which helps to keep you feeling full longer; this is why the diet spotlights eating a banana (or any fruit) every morning! This diet also emphasizes the importance of total calorie intake in weight maintenance. As long as your total calorie intake (the food you consume) is not more than your total calorie expenditure (exercise, general body movement, etc.), you will successfully maintain your weight.

Our Advice
Eating fruits and vegetables (not just bananas) as part of a healthy diet promotes weight loss and maintenance! There are several keys to successfully maintaining your weight: eating slowly, knowing when you’re full, and eating foods that are high in fiber (such as fruits and vegetables).

So … yes! Eat a banana every morning (or any fruit or vegetable for that matter) along with whole grains and a lean protein (like eggs) to start your day of healthy eating off right! The Banana Diet may have been so successful in Japan because it stems from the basic concept of eating a balanced diet, including fruits and veggies, for better health!