Bananas and milk offer some of the highest quality nutrition found naturally in nature. A diet based on only bananas and skim milk was introduced by Dr. George Harrop in 1934. He proposed that the simplicity of the diet along with the nutritional value it provided was a healthy way to help keep calories low and provide satiety. Although considered a fad diet due to the lack of significant amounts of other vital vitamins and minerals, a diet of only bananas and milk can help you kick-start a newer and healthier way of eating.
Benefits of Bananas
Bananas come loaded with a handful of vitamins that your body needs to function. One important mineral bananas provide is potassium. Potassium helps keep your nerve and muscle cells functioning healthy. Bananas also contain fiber, which helps with digestion and can help lower your body's bad cholesterol. One medium banana is around 100 calories and provides roughly 3 g of fiber and 422 mg of potassium.
Benefits of Skim Milk
Skim milk is a powerful formula packed with calcium, protein and none of the saturated fat whole milk contains. Calcium is important for bone health. Calcium is also used for nerve transmission, muscle contraction and for the secretion of enzymes and hormones. Protein in skim milk helps you build lean muscle mass and is responsible for healthy hair and nails. One cup of skim milk is around 85 calories and provides roughly 8 g of protein and 30 percent of your recommend daily amount of calcium.
Amount
The amount of bananas and skim milk you consume varies based on your caloric needs. Since bananas and skim milk are very low in calories, you may not be able to consume enough to make up for the number of calories needed. For example, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, the minimum recommended caloric intake for healthy males is no less than 1,500 calories per day; for women it's no less than 1,200. This means if you're male, you would have to eat around eight bananas and drink 8 cups of skim milk to meet minimum daily requirements. Although the diet will most certainly lead to weight loss, much of the weight will be from lean muscle mass as well as body fat.
Considerations
While bananas and skim milk do provide your body with calories and some important vitamins and minerals, there are vitamins and minerals your body needs that they don't provide in significant amounts -- such as iron, vitamin K, E and C. This can lead to deficiency related symptoms and malnutrition over time. A very low-calorie diet can also lead to low blood sugar, which can leave you feeling tired and cause dizziness. A better approach to this diet would be to use bananas and milk as a base for eating healthier while including other sources of vitamins and minerals -- such as vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. Low-calorie diets such as this one should not be done without medical supervision.
References
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- "The Complete Book of Food Counts"; Corinne T. Netzer; 2008
- "American Journal of Public Health": A Selected Public Health Bibliography
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