One of our readers (Jorge) ordered an E-mail of Brazil to be suggested to talk about the advantages of eating bananas during the BTT, such as he and his group do.

Knowing biochemistry and when I am also a great follower of the bananas, decide to write a little on the subject! As a matter of fact, who already knows me knows that inside my CamelBak there is always a bunch of bananas, pears, apples.

In fact the bananas constitute an excellent way of putting energies spent during the BTT back. For my experience, a banana manages to put an end in a few minutes to that sensation of weakness and hunger that is felt after some hours to be pedaled. This must to the fact of the banana be a rich woman in simple "sugars", like the frutose, that are quickly absorbed for the blood current putting the levels of energy back in a few minutes. Isto deve-se ao facto da banana ser rica em “açúcares” simples, como a frutose, que são rapidamente absorvidos para a corrente sanguínea repondo os níveis de energia em poucos minutos.

However the banana is not only a fountain of quick energy, but also a fountain of energy to long term. When like a banana with the weakness sensation, only I feel hunger again when some time was spent (1 to 2 hours after) … This happens because the banana also is rich in complex sugars, I eat the starch (also present in the bread, potatoes and rice, reason for which these foods are very energetic). The starch being a complex "sugar", does not manage to be absorbed straightly for the blood, for what they will of prosecuted first for our organism (digestive enzymes) of way to transform the starch sweeten to us singles that constitute it. After this transformation the organism can absorb finally the simple sugars been derived from the starch. Given that this transformation is taking place during some time, this explains the reason of the banana to be a continuous and prolonged fountain of energy. O amido sendo um “açúcar” complexo, não consegue ser absorvido directamente para o sangue, pelo que têm de ser processado primeiro pelo nosso organismo (enzimas digestivas) de modo a transformarem o amido nos açucares simples que o constituem. Após esta transformação o organismo pode finalmente absorver os açúcares simples derivados do amido. Dado que esta transformação vai ocorrendo durante algum tempo, isto explica a razão da banana ser uma fonte contínua e prolongada de energia.

Besides the energetic advantages, the banana contains elevated levels of the mineral potassium, that I second the popular culture and some studies, helps to prevent the muscular cramps due to maintenance of the balance electrolítico in the muscle (as never before I had cramps, I do not know if it is true or not … and perhaps I had never them because I eat bananas). For end, like all the fruits, the bananas contain vitamins and anti-oxidant what help to protect the organism of the stress oxidativo produced during the sport … So can steal the energetic bars from me but the bananas do not take me

Good turns of the pedals, and try or report your experiences with the bananas
Embraces, AndreXTR