Can eating a banana before exercise harm your heart? Will eating bananas after exercise make you fat? Sports nutritionists help you break 4 myths

For people who exercise, do bananas look like "god-like food"? Or "pig-like teammates"? Many people like to eat bananas before exercise, believing that it can increase exercise endurance; or eat bananas after exercise to prevent leg cramps. However, many people also say that eating bananas before exercise can harm the heart, and even eating bananas after exercise can make you fat? What is the truth? Come and listen to the sports nutritionist’s analysis!

Eat bananas before exercise

Benefits/Eating foods rich in carbohydrates (such as bananas) before exercise can increase exercise endurance

If you want to get the best effect from exercise and build muscle through exercise, in addition to protein, carbohydrate intake is also essential. Carbohydrates are essential nutrients during exercise, which can accelerate protein synthesis and reduce muscle loss. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates (also known as sugars), which can provide a source of energy. In addition, they are medium-GI foods and are a great help in increasing athletic endurance and performance.

Sports nutritionist Yang Chenghua said that after a long period of fasting, the muscle glycogen content is low. If the exercise intensity is high, it may not provide enough energy required for exercise. The body's muscle catabolism rate will increase, which may cause muscle consumption. On the other hand, if you eat a banana rich in sugar (carbohydrates) 1 to 2 hours before exercise, you can replenish the energy needed for exercise and thus avoid muscle breakdown and loss.

Myth 1: Will eating a banana before exercise cause bloating?

Some people on the Internet say: "Eating bananas before exercise will cause gastrointestinal bloating," causing discomfort during exercise.

"Answer": Sports nutritionist Yang Chenghua said that under normal circumstances, if you eat bananas 1 to 2 hours before exercise, it will not cause gastrointestinal bloating or discomfort during exercise, unless you have poor gastrointestinal function or are sensitive to gas-producing foods such as bananas, or you eat bananas too close to exercise time (such as within 30 minutes) and exercise before the bananas are digested, especially when the exercise intensity is high or involves large-scale shaking, it is more likely to cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Myth 2: Will eating a banana before exercise cause heart discomfort?

In addition, there is a popular saying: "Eating bananas before exercise can cause heart discomfort." The content points out that bananas contain a large amount of magnesium. Eating bananas before exercise will cause a sudden increase in the magnesium content in the blood, causing a change in the ratio of magnesium to calcium, causing heart discomfort.

"Answer": Sports nutritionist Yang Chenghua pointed out that since there are only 26 mg of magnesium in every 100 grams of bananas (about 1 banana), the content is equivalent to about 7-8% of the daily requirement for adults. Therefore, the above problems will not occur if they are not consumed in large quantities. Magnesium is an important mineral needed by the human body. It can stabilize the heartbeat and maintain the normal function of human metabolism, nerves and muscles. Therefore, taking a moderate amount of it from food is also helpful to the human body.

【Eating bananas during exercise】

Myth 3: Is eating bananas the best way to replenish energy during a marathon?

Sometimes you will see some marathon runners eating bananas to replenish energy during exercise. However, are bananas really the best source of energy during a marathon?

"Answer": Sports nutritionist Yang Chenghua said that because bananas have the highest carbohydrate content (high sugar) among all fruits, and they are easy to carry and eat, some marathon runners choose bananas as a source of energy. But in fact, professional marathon runners may be more suitable for sports nutrition supplements that can be replenished most quickly, do not require chewing, do not affect the finishing time, and do not affect the rhythm of the movement.

【Eating banana after exercise】

Benefits/Eating bananas after exercise can help muscles repair and prevent cramps

As for eating bananas after exercise, what are the benefits? Sports nutritionist Yang Chenghua said that after exercise, because muscles are under stress and are in a state of slight damage, they need insulin to help them recover and synthesize. Carbohydrates can promote the increase of insulin, help the body's amino acids be absorbed into the muscles, and increase protein synthesis. Therefore, eating bananas after exercise can not only replenish glucose immediately and allow the body to quickly obtain energy, but also help repair and grow muscles. In addition, the "potassium" and "magnesium" in bananas can help prevent cramps caused by excessive sweating and electrolyte imbalance after exercise.

Myth 4: Will eating bananas after exercise make you fat?

Many people are worried that bananas are high-calorie fruits. If you eat a lot of bananas after exercise, it will cause excessive calories in the body. If it is not consumed in time, it will easily be converted into fat and stored in the body, causing obesity, and the effectiveness of exercise will be reduced to zero.

"Answer": In this regard, sports nutritionist Yang Chenghua pointed out that bananas are low in protein and fat. Eating a moderate amount of bananas after exercise will not make you fat. On the contrary, the calories in them can help repair damaged muscle tissue and restore muscle growth, and they are not easily stored as fat.