Bananas are better than energy drinks for physical activity and training

Is there a completely natural alternative to energy drinks? According to research, it is precisely the banana.

Do you practice physical activity or do you work out? Then always bring a banana with you, a good and natural solution, cheap and definitely better than energy drinks, to fill up with carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. A new research say this.

We do not like energy drinks that are usually full of undesirable substances such as aromas, colorings and preservatives, and they are also based on excessive amounts of stimulants such as taurine. We can choose other decidedly more natural solutions including good fruits, and this is true even if we work out and play sports.

A new research conducted by Appalachian State University of Kannapolis and published in the journal Plos One show this, comparing the effects on the cells of carbohydrates generally consumed during sport.

As we all know, carbohydrates are of fundamental importance for the metabolism of our body since we derive most of the energy from them. And this is therefore particularly useful even during physical activity when the ingestion of these substances allows the muscles to have the proper nourishment and keep the level of inflammation low.

Through an experiment, some researchers have tried to understand if there is a valid natural alternative to energy drinks that people take often during work out. And actually the alternative exists and it is the banana, a nutritious and anti-inflammatory fruit even if, as a small disadvantage, it can create some abdominal swelling in some cases.

To affirm this, experts have asked 20 professional bikers of both sexes to ride for 75 kilometers by bike, drinking only water. The same group was then asked to repeat the route by drinking not only water, but also energy drinks or eating half a banana every 30 minutes.

To assess inflammation markers and metabolites, the researchers checked the blood values before and after the bike ride. The results are these:

• drinking water: it leads to relatively high levels of inflammatory markers
• drinking energy drink: the inflammatory markers were lower and the metabolic profiles less stressed
• eating half a banana every 30 minutes: lower inflammatory markers, less stressed metabolic profiles and more blocking of some genes that intensify inflammation

The sugars present in the banana are therefore more digestible and able to better reduce muscle stress compared to energy drinks. However, researchers have not yet managed to understand the mechanism by which the banana acts and if the recommended dose in the experiment is really the more effective.

Anyway, now we know what to bring with us when we decide to work out.