The Connection Between Banana and Bodybuilding

If you are a gym buff, then you have probably heard that you should eat a banana before and after your work out. Yes, it’s true! A banana is a very important food for body builders and most of them do eat banana before and after their gym session. But what’s in the fruit? Is it because of its protein content? Protein is very essential in building muscles because it helps in muscular repair after an intense workout. Or is it because of the potassium? We all know that banana is very rich in potassium. Well, to know the truth, let’s see how much protein and potassium the banana contains.

The facts:

In an average sized banana, there would be about 400 mg of potassium and around 1 gram of protein. Now let us analyze if the protein content in a banana is sufficient enough to provide the protein needs of a bodybuilder post workout. According to studies, an average man needs 2 grams of protein/kg of body weight, and for athletes and bodybuilders, the requirement would be 3-4 gm protein/ kg of body weight. Considering the facts mentioned, we can safely conclude that eating banana after a workout has nothing to do about protein. Bananas are good source of potassium. 400 grams of potassium is actually 10 percent of the recommended potassium intake daily for the average man.

Electrolyte is lost during intense activities like in working out and potassium is one of those electrolytes. So eating a banana prior will help prevent too much potassium loss and eating one after workout replenish the potassium lost by the body. It will also prevent dehydration, muscular cramps and weakness which are common during excessive electrolyte loss.

So, there you go! Banana is important for bodybuilders because of its potassium content and not for its protein. To effectively improve your physique, eating a combination of banana and high protein foods like eggs, nuts and chicken breasts is the best thing to do.

The Connection Between Banana and Bodybuilding by Debra Trotter