• Glycemic Index: 48, low on the scale, but bananas can be a tricky food.
• Bananas often avoided by diabetics for their carb count and low water content, counting in at a whopping 27 carbs. Over 90% of the calories in a banana come from carbohydrates, packed in the form of starch, sugar and fiber. High levels of carbs can cause blood sugar spikes, but when paired with a strong source of fiber, digestion can be slowed enough that your blood sugar won’t spike. If you aren’t needing to be extreme about carb counting, you can take a step back and see that bananas while high in carbs, are a great source of potassium and magnesium.
• When a banana is still green, it contains less sugar and higher levels of resistant starch. In this scenario, this kind of starch functions similarly to fiber, helping to nourish good bacteria in your gut while balancing blood sugar and improving your metabolism.
• Resistant starch can also help patients be more sensitive to insulin, along with reducing inflammation.
• For some diabetics, even eating less than half of a banana can cause their blood sugar to spike.
• Both bananas and clementine come packaged by nature, which makes them a great snack for on the go.
• Bananas are easy to include alternative sweets into your diet, as substituting them into recipes can cut out other undesirable ingredients.