Bananas mixed into milk make a delicious smoothie that people of all ages enjoy as breakfast. The drink is a great way to cool down in summer. Both bananas and milk are rich in nutrients and minerals, so they’re generally considered a healthy option.
Fitness enthusiasts love banana-milk smoothies as they help post-workout recovery. This combination also may help people lose weight and build muscles, though some experts suggest otherwise.
Many nutritionists and experts claim that bananas and milk can contribute to weight gain, digestive problems, and congestion issues. The blend is also unsuitable for pregnant and menstruating women to consume bananas and milk together.
So is a banana-milk combination good for your health or bad? See what several research studies say.
Banana and milk both have multiple benefits for your body separately. So combining both ingredients can offer some health advantages:
A high dose of nutrition
The banana-milk combination is packed with a range of nutrients. Milk contains potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin B, and calcium. These components help strengthen bone health and manage nerve function, muscle contractions, and other key functions.
Bananas are rich in manganese, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and vitamin C. While minerals make bananas a great snack, vitamin C gives them exceptional antioxidant properties that protect you from cell damage.
Combining these beneficial ingredients provides a high dose of nutrients in your diet and boosts your vitamin intake.
Speedy post-workout recovery
Eating the right food after a workout is essential to maintain muscle gain and strength. Food items that enhance muscle growth help you recover faster after an extensive workout.
A study found that consuming protein after exercise can promote tissue repair and muscle synthesis. Similarly, carbs can contribute to your post-workout recovery. These nutrients rebuild glycogen content in your muscles, which breaks down during a workout.
Milk is loaded with proteins such as casein and whey, making it one of the best post-workout snacks. Bananas contain carbohydrates that replace your muscles’ glycogen stores. Both of these ingredients make a healthy post-workout snack.
Try making a nutritious smoothie with milk and bananas to blend in the right amount of carbs and proteins into your diet for speedy post-workout recovery.
A fulfilling start to the day
If you usually skip breakfasts, a banana-milk smoothie can be the best alternative to get a nutritious start to the day. These ingredients make a fulfilling yet healthy drink for people who perform physically-demanding activities.
A well-known nutritionist, Priyanka Agarwal, says that bananas and milk are
great for athletes, bodybuilders, and gym enthusiasts. She further states that bananas in milk make an excellent breakfast option for those who don’t want to prepare breakfast every morning.
So, if you’re always on the go, blend some bananas and milk and stay full and energetic the entire day.
Weight loss
Bananas in milk may even help you lose weight. In 1934, George A. Harrop, a student at Johns Hopkins University, conducted a study on the effects of a banana and skimmed milk diet on obese patients.
The diet included six bananas combined with four glasses of skimmed milk consecutively for ten days. The study participants were asked to take three or more meals daily.
This banana and milk diet combination was intended to help the patients lose four to nine pounds by the end. After ten days, Harrop asked the subjects to include fish, eggs, and lean meat in their diet.
Most patients lost weight, but the diet wasn’t tried on a large scale to confirm its efficacy. As a result, it was termed a “fad diet” in America in 1934 because the effects of this diet may only be short-term.
If you’re trying to lose weight long-term, you can try this diet. Otherwise, it’s better to use full-fat milk than low-fat milk for better results. Researchers found that full-fat milk promotes weight loss more effectively than low-fat milk.
You can consume a banana before or after drinking milk or make a milkshake.
Remember that you might feel a little weak in the initial days of this diet as your calorie intake reduces. You can easily manage this lethargy or laziness, but it may become challenging for some. In this case, you can consume one full meal every day.
To lose weight more effectively, you can take additional protein and fiber-rich items with banana and milk. These nutrients can help you lose weight quickly without making you feel hungry.
