If you have recently started on your healthy journey, you may be looking at different foods to incorporate into your diet that will support your fitness sessions and make you healthier. This month, GDN gym look into the incredible health benefits you can get from bananas and how they can support every part of your body and mind. There is much more to this healthy fruit than a simple breakfast, snack or dessert meal!

Regulate your heart function for your fitness sessions with bananas

Bananas are such a popular UK fruit. On average, each person eats about 10kg of bananas every year, and with many varieties, it’s not a fruit we will get bored of soon. With so many vitamins and nutrients packed into bananas, it’s no wonder they are one of the healthiest fruits we can snack on. 

Containing fibre, potassium, folate and antioxidants, all these nutrients positively support heart health and function. Some evidence even suggests that bananas may decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease – although much more study needs to be completed on this. Healthy heart function is vital to everyone, particularly those who attend gyms or fitness sessions regularly. 

Check out this recipe for baked banana porridge.

Support your gut health even when it’s not a gym day!

Bananas contain a high contain of pectin, which is a soluble fibre. Not only can it help lower our cholesterol, but it normalises bowel function. Fibre makes us feel fuller for longer and reduces bloating, leaving our guts feeling healthier – perfect for before a fitness session where we need to be full of energy but don’t want to be full of food. 

The resistant starch in bananas acts as a prebiotic effect that helps fuel the gut bacteria, increasing and producing beneficial compounds. These short-chain fatty acids help to support the immune system and inflammatory responses in our bodies. 

Breakfast muffins to get you on the go!

Get your boost of energy for those intense fitness sessions

Bananas have a higher calorie and sugar content than other fruits, and this is mainly to do with their low water content. Combining the sugar content with fibre means a sustained energy boost when we eat bananas, which is excellent support for our fitness sessions. The potassium within bananas also supports muscle contraction during exercise, lowering the risk of cramping after intense fitness sessions like our Energy Workout. 

If you want to feel good during your fitness sessions, bananas contain tryptophan which the body converts to serotonin – making you feel happier. Improve your mood even after a strenuous workout by adding bananas to your diet! 

Scientific research has shown that eating bananas before exercise will help you burn fat faster. If you eat bananas just before your workout, they will be broken down into glucose during your session, which will be used for your energy. If you eat them just after your exercise, the glucose will help replenish the muscles.

Tasty 2 ingredient banana pancakes

Control your blood pressure when you eat bananas

With around 422mg of potassium in each banana and a low sodium concentration, it’s no wonder this combination has positive effects on our blood pressure and benefit our circulatory systems by delivering oxygen to our brains. According to the National Institutes of Health Advertisement, this is incredibly important to maintaining a regular heartbeat and lowering blood pressure. 

The FDA report that a low sodium and high potassium combination is associated with the most downward blood pressures and lowest frequency of strokes. Luckily for us, bananas hit this combination perfectly, providing a tasty way to be healthier. 

Why not get a banana guard to protect it from bruising in your bag?

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Feel fuller for longer when you eat a banana before your fitness sessions

Bananas are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. The potassium in bananas helps regulate the heart, which will allow you to push yourself to the limit during your workout sessions. Bananas also help to improve your stamina so that you can keep up your pace for longer. They also contain fibre, which is essential for digestion, and this will help you reach the finish line faster. 

We hope you enjoyed reading about the five health benefits of bananas. With this knowledge, we know that you can make the most of your fitness sessions by incorporating bananas into your diet to give you more energy and boost your immune system! So what are you waiting for? Book a fitness session today with GDN Gym, or give us a call to find out more about our luxury gym in Chalfont St Giles.