What Happens to Your Body When You Eat a Banana Before a Workout

If you’re looking for a portable, sweet, quick and easy pre-workout snack, there’s nothing better than bananas.

Bananas provide energy in the form of carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals to help you continue your workout. But what actually happens to your body when you eat a banana before exercising?

Here’s what eating a banana before a workout does inside your body, and when to eat bananas for the best results.

When you eat a banana, your body breaks it down into parts, using it for fuel and more.

Digestion, or the process by which your body breaks down food and liquids into smaller, digestible parts, takes between 14 and 58 hours for most people.

After ingesting a banana, it is broken down in the stomach and small intestine by stomach acid and digestive enzymes. The nutrients from the banana are absorbed through the walls of your small intestine and enter your bloodstream.

When the sugar, or glucose, from banana enters your bloodstream, it increases your blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar rises, your pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that carries glucose to cells where it can be used for energy.

Your body can use this readily available glucose to fuel muscle contractions during your workout.

Bananas also provide important nutrients for active people, like potassium, which plays an essential role in muscle and nerve function. Potassium works alongside other minerals, like sodium, to regulate muscle contractions. It is therefore important to prioritize potassium intake during training.

Bananas are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals essential for overall health, including muscle health.

Here is the nutritional breakdown for a medium sized banana weighing 118 grams:

• Calories: 105
• Carbohydrates: 26.9 grams
• Protein: 1.29 grams
• Fat: <1 gram
• Fiber: 3.07 grams
• Vitamin B6: 0.433 milligrams, or 25% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Manganese: 0.319 milligrams, or 14% of the DV
• Vitamin C: 10.3 milligrams, or 11% of the DV
• Copper: 0.092 milligrams, or 10% of the DV
• Potassium: 422 milligrams, or 9% of the DV

Bananas provide a readily available source of energy in the form of carbohydrates, making them a good fuel choice for most types of activities. A medium-sized banana contains just under 27 grams of carbs, which equals 1.8 servings.

Foods rich in carbohydrates, such as bananas, are preferred before training, because they provide a quick source of energy for your muscles and can help replenish glycogen, the storage form of glucose, in muscle cells.

In addition to carbohydrates, bananas provide potassium and vitamin B6, which are nutrients that play a role in muscle function and energy production. B6 is necessary for converting carbohydrates into energy and also supports immune health, helps form hemoglobin in red blood cells, and aids in the production of neurotransmitters.

The potassium in bananas is necessary for proper muscle and nerve function as well as maintaining fluid balance and blood pressure.

Most people can benefit from eating a banana half an hour to an hour before starting their training. This gives you enough time to digest the banana and for your body to start releasing glucose into your bloodstream, which you can use for fuel.

Bananas are also a good choice for morning exercisers who can’t stomach a full meal, as they are light and gentle on the stomach.

Keep in mind that while bananas are a great choice for shorter cardio workouts, you might need a little more nutrition if you’re doing more intensive activity.

For example, research shows that eating a protein-rich meal within 3 to 4 hours before a strength training workout can promote muscle growth and improve muscle recovery. For longer endurance workouts, it is best to consume a larger, more complete meal a few hours before training.

Since bananas are low in calories and protein, they are only suitable for light exercise. More intense workouts and longer workouts require more fuel. People whose blood sugar levels fluctuate quickly may also need to pair bananas with a small amount of protein, such as peanut butter, to reduce the risk of blood sugar spikes.

Additionally, ripe bananas are high in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs), which are carbohydrates that your digestive system doesn’t absorb well.

Some people, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are sensitive to foods high in FODMAPs and experience symptoms such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea after eating them.

Eating a banana before a workout can give your body a quick source of fuel so you can perform at your best.

Bananas provide an easy source of carbohydrates as well as vitamins and minerals needed for energy and muscle function, such as potassium and vitamin B6.

While bananas are fine for most people, it’s important to tailor your pre-workout meal or snack to your workout type, health needs, and goals.