Banana is a very popular fruit in the world and you even often se athletes on television eat it very frequently. There is well documented reasons why professional athletes consume many bananas during a long competition season. They literally make the athlete preform better.
First of all, bananas are a rich source of fiber, potassium, nutrients, and carbohydrate for energy. High carbohydrate intakes are commonly recommended for athletes of various sports to optimize performance. Banana is a very healthy carbohydrate sources to eat before and after exercise. Athletes will be sure that it will support athletic performance.
What is best bananas or sports drink?
There has been made several studies to see if bananas or a carbohydrate sports drink had more beneficial usage during intense sports. Blood samples taken from the cyclists before and after the exercise were analyzed. Results show that not only was performance the same whether consuming bananas or sports drinks, but there were several advantages to consuming bananas.
The bananas gives athletes higher antioxidant levels. Antioxidants provide a powerful defence against attacking molecules called free radicals, which damage muscles through a chemical process called oxidation. Free radicals play a role in cellular and muscle inflammation. Basically they prevent or reverse damage in your cells.
Banana raises dopamine levels
These studies on athletes also showed how it creates higher dopamine levels. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter. Your body makes it, and your nervous system uses it to send messages between nerve cells. Dopamine plays a role in how we feel pleasure. Dopamine plays a role in many body functions.
As a neurotransmitter, dopamine is involved in; Movement, memory, pleasurable reward and motivation, behaviour and cognition, attention, better sleep, mood and learning.
As a hormone, dopamine is released into your bloodstream it causes blood vessels to relax. It also plays an important role in the “fight-or-flight” syndrome. The fight-or-flight response refers to your body’s response to stressful situation. “fight-or-flight” syndrome. This physiological and psychological response to stress prepares the body to react to the danger.
Banana and overall health
Banana contains several bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, biogenic amines and phytosterols, which are highly desirable in the diet as they exert many positive effects on human health and well-being. Many of these compounds have antioxidant activities and are effective in protecting the body against various oxidative stresses. Physical activity leads to an overproduction of reactive oxygen species.
In the past, bananas were effectively used in the treatment of various diseases, including reducing the risk of many chronic degenerative disorders. Degenerative nerve diseases include well-known diseases like; alzheimer’s disease, sclerosis, and parkinson’s disease.
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