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Fitness & Wellness

Are Bananas Good To Eat After A Workout?

At Body Sculptors in Louisville, KY, helping people look and feel better is our major goal. We strive to help you find ways to get better results in less time by using scientifically based workouts and healthy eating habits. One question that often is asked is whether it makes a difference what or when you eat when you workout. The answer is a resounding yes. After a workout, you need to replenish your body and one thing that helps is the consumption of bananas.

Your body depletes its stores of energy during a workout.

During a workout, you not only sweat, which means you have to hydrate, you also use stored glycogen. Your body has to replenish both stored glucose and electrolytes that help muscles to contract. The muscles have micro-tears that also need repair. That means it needs amino acids, the building blocks of protein, to help rebuild the muscle tissue.

To get those much needed nutrients, you need a quick snack after a workout.

The food shouldn’t be junk food, but something rich in nutrients. Not only does a banana contain high amounts of electrolytes lost in sweat, it has high water content and stores of natural sugar to replace the glucose. There’s nothing artificial in the banana, nor additives like added sugar, artificial sweeteners or preservatives. It has fiber, so the sugar content doesn’t cause the blood sugar levels to rise quickly. One study showed that if trained athletes ate a banana and hydrated after working out intensely, it increased levels of natural anti-inflammatory metabolites. It does the same thing NSAID medications do to deter inflammation.

The anti-inflammatory metabolites released also provide another benefit.

The rise of the metabolites may also decrease soreness often felt after a workout by enhancing recovery. Bananas also improve immune function with bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, phenolics and biogenic amines. Bananas contain all these benefits, plus vitamin C, which aids the immune system and B6, necessary for changing food into energy for the body.
A banana chopped into Greek yogurt with a glass of water could be the perfect combination of carbs, protein and rehydration. Other options are a banana, water and a handful of nuts.
When compared to sweetened sports drinks, bananas were just as good at replacing nutrients, while preventing after workout inflammation. They also provided more nutrition.
Rather than using ibuprofen, many athletes now find bananas are better to prevent pain. Unlike ibuprofen, they don’t cause cell damage that later causes inflammation.
Not only are bananas a good post-workout snack, they’re also a good option to consume before you workout when combined with a source of protein.
For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training

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