10 Benefits of Bananas
Benefit #4: Exercise
Planning to work out after work, but afraid you won’t have enough fuel to power through a full workout? Grab a banana. Bananas are great pre-workout snacks as they are very effective in fueling us with energy and replenishing electrolytes. Some studies even suggest they may be more effective than sports drink, which tend to be more calorie harming than useful.
One study looked at male athletes competing in long-distance cycling races. They compared athletes refueling with Gatorade every 15 minutes to athletes refueling with a banana and water. Researchers saw that the athletes’ performance times and body physiology were the same in both cases. But the banana’s serotonin and dopamine improved the athletes’ antioxidant capacity and helped with oxidative stress, improving performance overall.
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