Why To Eat Banana After A Workout?
Who doesn’t have a penchant for these yellow and scrumptious fruits?
Bananas are portable fruits that are typically consumed as pre-workout snacks. Now arises another question. Should you eat a banana after a workout? Here’s an article that focuses on eating a banana after a workout.
Nutrients in Bananas
Bananas are the world’s most-loved and popular fruits that are relished by people from all over the world. They possess a mixed flavor of honey, vanilla, and caramel and are available in more than a thousand varieties. Did you know that bananas refuel your body after post-workout
Bananas are highly nutritious and are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. The nutritional breakdown of 100 grams of banana is listed below:
- 22.8 grams of carbs
- 12.2 grams of sugar
- 2.6 grams of fiber
- 1.1 grams of protein
- 0.3 grams of fat
- 89 calories
- 75% water
- Vitamins B6 and C
- Minerals: Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper
Should you Eat a Banana After Workout?
After a strenuous and grueling workout session, your body craves for delicacies to refuel the lost energy. But, you just cannot stuff down any food after a workout as it might affect your body’s health. Most men consume sugary shakes, salty foods, fried foods, energy drinks, and caffeine post-workout which deteriorates the body.
Anything that you eat post-workout must have the ability to repair your worn-out muscles and supply immense fuel to your body. Eating a banana after a workout is a wise idea as it contains high fiber and low calories. Bananas work to replenish the glycogen that you lost while working out. Hence, bananas are considered the perfect food for athletes and gym rats.
So, should you eat a banana after a workout? Definitely, yes!
Benefits of Eating a Banana After a Workout
Bananas are loaded with umpteen nutrients that boost up your energy after a tiring workout session. Eating a banana before a workout furnishes the fuel to sustain a strenuous workout session. But, what are the benefits of eating a banana after a workout? Here they are!
1. Acts as a stimulator to utilize protein effectively
Doctors recommend pairing bananas with a protein-rich food post-workout. The carbohydrates in bananas provide instant energy to utilize the protein immediately for muscle recovery. Thus, it stimulates the creation of new muscle cells and limits muscle breakdown.
2. Restores muscle glycogen
As you workout, the glycogen store breaks up consistently to release energy. Eating a banana after a workout promotes the body to release insulin, a pancreatic hormone that absorbs glucose during digestion and stores it in the muscles as complex glycogen.
The high carbohydrate content in bananas provides the necessary glucose for glycogen replenishment in the tired muscles. They also help in boosting the insulin sensitivity of muscle cells, thus making the restoration of glycogen easier. Hence, it ensures the rebuilding of damaged muscles.
3. Reduce inflammation
Bananas contain antioxidants such as dopamine, catechins, and polyphenols that prevent the body from excess inflammation. Dopamine present in bananas is not strong enough to alter your hormones and mood but heals your body. Eating a banana after a workout prevents swelling of the inflamed areas and enhances a speedy recovery.
4. Eases muscle cramps
After a workout session, your body is subjected to electrolyte imbalance due to excessive sweating. The essential electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium are lost due to which you may suffer muscle cramps.
As per research, an adult who works out for several hours requires at least 4700 milligrams of potassium daily. Eating a banana after a workout replenishes these lost minerals rapidly as bananas are loaded with potassium. It eases muscle cramps in the legs and arms and promotes a speedy recovery.
5. Aids in weight loss
Eating a banana after a workout does not promote weight loss directly. Its fiber and carbohydrate content makes you feel full for a longer time, making you avoid gulping down your favorite pastries. Bananas also have comparatively fewer calories which is a point to be happy about.
Different Ways of Eating a Banana After a Workout
Bananas are delicious fruits that can be eaten in different ways after a workout. Here are a few ways you can try when you hit the gym today!
1. Ripened banana
Eating a ripened banana as a whole after a workout session is considered the healthiest way to experience the miracles of the nutrients in it. When you chew a banana, all of its fiber and carb content is consumed and you feel invigorated immediately. Most of the carbs are partially digested by the saliva which is healthier than drinking a banana shake.
It isn’t hard to carry a banana in your gym bag. So, try replacing your energy drinks with bananas after your workout.
2. Banana shake
For those who prefer drinks over fruit, a banana shake lends a helping hand. A glass of banana shake after your workout routine restores the glucose levels in your blood and provides potassium and magnesium to nourish your tired muscles.
Take a glass and add ½ cup of milk and 1 mashed banana, a pinch of cinnamon, and ice cubes if necessary. Do not add sugar or sweeteners to the drink to make it healthier. Blend these ingredients well and your simple banana shake is ready!
3. Banana with Yogurt
We had mentioned earlier that pairing a banana with protein-rich food enhances the utilization of protein in the body. Here’s an interesting recipe that acts as a protein fuel after a workout.
Take a bowl and add 1 cup of milk or almond milk, 1-2 mashed bananas, ½ cup of Greek yogurt, little amounts of protein powder, some nuts and seeds such as almonds, cashews, macadamias, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, and a pinch of cinnamon for taste. Whisk these ingredients smoothly and your protein fuel is ready!
4. Banana with Oats
For men who are working out for weight loss, pairing a banana with oatmeal is beneficial. Take a bowl and add sliced bananas, required amounts of oatmeal, 1 cup of milk, and a pinch of cinnamon. This new recipe will make your taste buds crave more!
5. Banana with Honey
Some people yearn for a sweeter taste. In such cases, pairing sliced bananas with 2-3 tablespoons of honey makes a good combo. It is one of the most loved ways of eating a banana after a workout
Hence these are the benefits of having a banana after workout.
Also Read: Benefits Of Banana Shake
Why To Eat Banana After A Workout?
Who doesn’t have a penchant for these yellow and scrumptious fruits?
Bananas are portable fruits that are typically consumed as pre-workout snacks. Now arises another question. Should you eat a banana after a workout? Here’s an article that focuses on eating a banana after a workout.
Nutrients in Bananas
Bananas are the world’s most-loved and popular fruits that are relished by people from all over the world. They possess a mixed flavor of honey, vanilla, and caramel and are available in more than a thousand varieties. Did you know that bananas refuel your body after post-workout
Bananas are highly nutritious and are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, carbohydrates, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. The nutritional breakdown of 100 grams of banana is listed below:
- 22.8 grams of carbs
- 12.2 grams of sugar
- 2.6 grams of fiber
- 1.1 grams of protein
- 0.3 grams of fat
- 89 calories
- 75% water
- Vitamins B6 and C
- Minerals: Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Copper
Should you Eat a Banana After Workout?
After a strenuous and grueling workout session, your body craves for delicacies to refuel the lost energy. But, you just cannot stuff down any food after a workout as it might affect your body’s health. Most men consume sugary shakes, salty foods, fried foods, energy drinks, and caffeine post-workout which deteriorates the body.
Anything that you eat post-workout must have the ability to repair your worn-out muscles and supply immense fuel to your body. Eating a banana after a workout is a wise idea as it contains high fiber and low calories. Bananas work to replenish the glycogen that you lost while working out. Hence, bananas are considered the perfect food for athletes and gym rats.
So, should you eat a banana after a workout? Definitely, yes!
Benefits of Eating a Banana After a Workout
Bananas are loaded with umpteen nutrients that boost up your energy after a tiring workout session. Eating a banana before a workout furnishes the fuel to sustain a strenuous workout session. But, what are the benefits of eating a banana after a workout? Here they are!
1. Acts as a stimulator to utilize protein effectively
Doctors recommend pairing bananas with a protein-rich food post-workout. The carbohydrates in bananas provide instant energy to utilize the protein immediately for muscle recovery. Thus, it stimulates the creation of new muscle cells and limits muscle breakdown.
2. Restores muscle glycogen
As you workout, the glycogen store breaks up consistently to release energy. Eating a banana after a workout promotes the body to release insulin, a pancreatic hormone that absorbs glucose during digestion and stores it in the muscles as complex glycogen.
The high carbohydrate content in bananas provides the necessary glucose for glycogen replenishment in the tired muscles. They also help in boosting the insulin sensitivity of muscle cells, thus making the restoration of glycogen easier. Hence, it ensures the rebuilding of damaged muscles.
3. Reduce inflammation
Bananas contain antioxidants such as dopamine, catechins, and polyphenols that prevent the body from excess inflammation. Dopamine present in bananas is not strong enough to alter your hormones and mood but heals your body. Eating a banana after a workout prevents swelling of the inflamed areas and enhances a speedy recovery.
4. Eases muscle cramps
After a workout session, your body is subjected to electrolyte imbalance due to excessive sweating. The essential electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium are lost due to which you may suffer muscle cramps.
As per research, an adult who works out for several hours requires at least 4700 milligrams of potassium daily. Eating a banana after a workout replenishes these lost minerals rapidly as bananas are loaded with potassium. It eases muscle cramps in the legs and arms and promotes a speedy recovery.
5. Aids in weight loss
Eating a banana after a workout does not promote weight loss directly. Its fiber and carbohydrate content makes you feel full for a longer time, making you avoid gulping down your favorite pastries. Bananas also have comparatively fewer calories which is a point to be happy about.
Different Ways of Eating a Banana After a Workout
Bananas are delicious fruits that can be eaten in different ways after a workout. Here are a few ways you can try when you hit the gym today!
1. Ripened banana
Eating a ripened banana as a whole after a workout session is considered the healthiest way to experience the miracles of the nutrients in it. When you chew a banana, all of its fiber and carb content is consumed and you feel invigorated immediately. Most of the carbs are partially digested by the saliva which is healthier than drinking a banana shake.
It isn’t hard to carry a banana in your gym bag. So, try replacing your energy drinks with bananas after your workout.
2. Banana shake
For those who prefer drinks over fruit, a banana shake lends a helping hand. A glass of banana shake after your workout routine restores the glucose levels in your blood and provides potassium and magnesium to nourish your tired muscles.
Take a glass and add ½ cup of milk and 1 mashed banana, a pinch of cinnamon, and ice cubes if necessary. Do not add sugar or sweeteners to the drink to make it healthier. Blend these ingredients well and your simple banana shake is ready!
3. Banana with Yogurt
We had mentioned earlier that pairing a banana with protein-rich food enhances the utilization of protein in the body. Here’s an interesting recipe that acts as a protein fuel after a workout.
Take a bowl and add 1 cup of milk or almond milk, 1-2 mashed bananas, ½ cup of Greek yogurt, little amounts of protein powder, some nuts and seeds such as almonds, cashews, macadamias, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, and a pinch of cinnamon for taste. Whisk these ingredients smoothly and your protein fuel is ready!
4. Banana with Oats
For men who are working out for weight loss, pairing a banana with oatmeal is beneficial. Take a bowl and add sliced bananas, required amounts of oatmeal, 1 cup of milk, and a pinch of cinnamon. This new recipe will make your taste buds crave more!
5. Banana with Honey
Some people yearn for a sweeter taste. In such cases, pairing sliced bananas with 2-3 tablespoons of honey makes a good combo. It is one of the most loved ways of eating a banana after a workout
Hence these are the benefits of having a banana after workout.
Also Read: Benefits Of Banana Shake