Should runners eat bananas every day?

Bananas help replenish energy for running sessions, but should also be used with caution in special cases.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture , an average banana has the nutritional value of 105 calories, 27 carbs, 14 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fiber, and 422 milligrams of potassium. It also provides other nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, and electrolytes such as sodium and magnesium.

Bananas were arranged by the organizers of VnExpress Marathon Quy Nhon 2022 to supplement energy for runners. Photo: VM

With this nutritional content, a banana can provide the same amount of calories as a gel pack. Eating a banana before a workout is a quick and effective way to replenish energy. In addition, bananas can be easily purchased in many places such as supermarkets, markets... Many running races now provide bananas for runners to replenish energy during and after the race. There are also many ways to use bananas, they can be blended into smoothies or sliced and eaten with milk, oatmeal...

"Up to 90% of Americans don't eat enough fruits and vegetables each day. So eating a banana a day is a great way to get in some extra nutrition. It's almost impossible for the average person to get too much potassium in their blood by eating a banana a day, especially if their diet doesn't include potassium-rich foods," nutritionist Lauren Manaker told Runnersworld .

However, bananas may not be the right daily source of nutrition for everyone. According to Manaker, people who are on a potassium-restricted diet or who experience spikes in blood sugar levels when consuming bananas are not suitable for daily consumption. Bananas are also high in carbohydrates and sugar, which makes them a good choice for people with diabetes. However, according to research from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health , the carbs in bananas are in the form of poorly absorbed starch, similar to fiber, which means they release less glucose into the bloodstream.

Along with carbs, bananas contain potassium, an electrolyte that is important for cell function, muscle function, and heart health. Potassium and sodium work together and need to be kept in balance.

"Eating a banana every day is fine for most people, but it's better to eat a variety of fruits, and bananas are just one part of that," Manaker said, adding that the amount of bananas a person eats depends on their daily diet. However, it's not good to eat a lot of bananas with foods rich in carbohydrates.

Thuy Hanh

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