Have you ever noticed how some foods seem to fill you up for hours and others leave you feeling even hungrier?
A few years ago, a group of researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia conducted an interesting study in which they compared the satiating effects of different foods.
The Science of Satiety
The result of the study, “The Satiety Index of Common Foods“, was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 1995.
Bananas Vs. Cookies
What’s interesting in this study is that, researchers found bananas to be no different than cookies in terms of satiety. If you look closely at the infographic below, you’ll notice that bananas are ranked in the same range as cookies.
In other words, bananas may be more nutrient dense but they fill you up and give you the same sugar crash as a cookie. So if your primary concern is weight loss then bananas may not be your best choice especially if you’re treating it as a stand-alone snack. Instead, you should replace your banana with something that ranks higher in the graph below.
Best Time To Eat Bananas
For non-diabetics, there are times when a rapid increase in blood sugar (and the corresponding increase in insulin) may be desirable. For instance, after strenuous physical activity, insulin helps move glucose into muscle cells, where it aids tissue repair. That’s why many of today’s coaches and physical trainers recommend high-GI foods immediately after exercise to speed recovery.
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