Do you like to have a fruit or a nutritious snack bar every day before working out? Have a banana before working out! For good reason, these nutritious fruits are a favorite pre-workout snack. Not only are they tasty, portable, and convenient—they also improve wellness aspects that can improve your performance in the gym.
Bananas are a great source of natural energy and important nutrients that can improve your performance during workout. Their high potassium concentration aids in muscle function, and their high carbohydrate content gives them long-lasting energy. Additionally, because of their simple digestion, they won’t make you feel heavy during your workouts! Continue reading to find out additional advantages of eating a banana before working out.
Is eating a banana before working out a smart idea?
The following are some possible advantages of bananas that may enhance your performance during exercise:
1. High in carbs
According to a 2018 study that was published in the Food Quality and Safety journal, bananas are an excellent source of carbohydrates, which your body converts into glucose for energy. You need this constant energy to push through your workout, especially the endurance exercises.
2. Potassium-rich
A 2012 study that was published in the Advances in Nutrition journal found that potassium, a mineral that is essential for nerve impulses and muscle function, is abundant in bananas. Preventing muscular cramps and weariness during exercise can be achieved by replenishing potassium lost through perspiration.
3. Simply digestible
Some pre-workout snacks don’t digest as quickly as bananas do. As a result, dietician Susmita N. says, “You won’t have any stomach pain when exercising.”
4. Promotes muscle healing
A 2018 study that was published in the journal Plos One suggests that bananas could aid in the rehabilitation of muscles after exercise. Their potassium and carbohydrate combination is probably the cause of this. According to the expert, it is also a rich source of vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, which is necessary for the repair of lean muscles following exercise.
5. Offers electrolytes and fiber
A good source of fiber, bananas aid in releasing energy slowly and steadily during your workout. Bananas are also a great source of electrolytes, which are minerals that support your body’s fluid equilibrium. Sweat causes electrolytes to be lost; replacing these electrolytes can assist avoid dehydration and enhance performance.
6. Lowers inflammatory response
Do you want to know how to lessen inflammation? Aim to include bananas in your diet every day. Because bananas include substances like phenols, carotenoids, and phytosterols, they help to minimize muscular inflammation after exercise.
Carbohydrates, which are abundant in bananas, are necessary for the release of energy during physical exercise. Because of its high fiber content, eating a banana before working out facilitates the release of glucose from the liver into the muscles gradually and steadily.