Of the 1000′s of people I have had the opportunity to talk with over the years, one of the most common foods mentioned as a breakfast staple is the banana. On the other hand, the avocado is very seldom mentioned. There is a pretty strong argument however, that of the two, the avocado is the far superior choice in the morning. Here’s Why…
The average run of the mill banana tips the scales at right around 4.5 ounces (the edible part) although many people eat a much larger portion. It doesn’t have any protein or fat to speak of, yet packs in 30+ carb grams more than half of those being in the form of sugar and about 120 calories. Along with that you get a decent serving of 4 grams of fiber, about 25% the daily recommended serving of Vitamins B6, C and of course potassium. However the banana’s potassium punch at around 500mg and 15% DV is somewhat over-rated.
The avocado on the other hand tips the scales at right around 7 ounces (the edible part). So for comparative purposes we’ll use only ½ of the avocado or around 3.5 ounces. It’s a caloric powerhouse with around 160, 14 grams of fat (the majority being monounsaturated, the good kind), 9 carb grams with merely 1 gram coming in the form of sugar. Slightly more protein than a banana, (barely any) but along with that you get about a quarter of your daily fiber at 7 grams, about 25% the daily recommended serving of Vitamins K, folate, with some decent numbers on B6, vitamin E and nearly as much (or more depending on who you talk to) potassium as in a banana ounce for ounce.
It seems pretty clear looking at the numbers that given approximately the same serving size, the avocado may be a better choice. Nutritionally superior with a more dense caloric, vitamin, mineral and fiber profile it also has far less sugar and thus promotes less of an increase in blood sugar levels.
Now here’s the kicker! It’s what most people eat with a banana….MORE CARBS! Let’s face it, bananas are usually mixed in and/or enjoyed with cereals, other fruit, yogurt, in smoothies, with milk, pancakes, waffles the list goes on. So, what many people get with their morning banana is a huge overload of carbohydrates, elevated blood sugar, and a burst of energy that is not sustainable with more carbs!
The avocado smoothie, diced avocado in yogurt, in my oatmeal…yeah DOESN’T HAPPEN! If you have avocado, it will likely be with veggies, maybe eggs, some diced chicken. Be creative. Experiment a little. 3 – 5 ounces of chicken on spinach leaves with half a diced avocado and a little Sriracha sauce makes and ideal breakfast nutritionally, will keep you energetic and feeling full longer and have a better macro and micro nutrient balance than almost anything you are likely to have with that banana….
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