Is the banana really the ally of athletes?

Before, during or after, the banana stands out as a key food for athletes. It generally allows you to reach a level of satiety quickly and helps you hold on before or after exercise. But is it really a good idea to bet on this fruit? Here is the answer.

We can never repeat it enough: it is important to have regular physical activity. The French are aware of this, and nearly one in two people do sport more than once a week according to 2018 figures from the Ministry of Sports and the Economy. To practice regular physical activity, it is important to eat well. It is essential to eat a complete and balanced breakfast if you exercise in the morning or to focus on a good dinner or snack if you exercise during the day.

To stay in shape and recharge with energy, many turn to fruit. Banana in particular is one of the foods very popular with athletes. And for good reason, as explained the AIB website, inter-professional banana association, “with its concentration of carbohydrates and minerals, it ideally accompanies athletes throughout the day, whether they are amateurs or very active”.

Additionally, this fruit contains both starch and simple sugars “directly usable by cells”making it an ideal snack for athletes.

If you want to eat it before sports, choose an unripe banana that is rather pale yellow with green tips. In question ? Still according to the interprofessional association, “at this stage of maturity, its starch content is higher, which will help provide the necessary energy during exercise”.

For a snack during exercise or during the recovery phase, it is advisable to opt for a very ripe, yellow to striped banana. It will therefore contain more simple carbohydrates “ assimilated very quickly by the body” which represents “a valuable contribution to recharging the muscles following prolonged exercise”.