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Banana Selection and Variety

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Banana Selection and Variety

Bananas are the most popular fresh fruit in the United States. They have a peel that comes off easily, they ripen after they’ve been picked, there is a generous supply all year, and they are inexpensive. Bananas have both a high amount of carbohydrates as well as potassium, which also makes them the fruit of choice for many athletes. (Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, 1992).

Selection

Avoid bananas with brown spots that seem very soft. Select those bananas with a nice color, specific for the variety. Choose fruit that is firm and free of bruises. Best eating quality has been reached when the solid yellow skin color is speckled with brown. Bananas with green tips or with practically no yellow color have not developed their full flavor. Bananas are overripe when they have a strong odor.

Storage

To further ripen bananas leave at room temperature for a couple of days. Once ripe you can store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. The peel may turn brown in the refrigerator, but the fruit will not change.

Varieties

The very popular yellow banana of Cavendish is the banana we see in grocery stores. However, Plantains, Finger Bananas and Red Bananas are also popular varieties. Most all have a soft texture when ripe

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BANANAS AND SPORTS PERFORMANCE

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BANANAS AND SPORTS PERFORMANCE
By Douglas N. Graham, D.C.
Bananas are the perfect food for active people. Self-contained, portable, tasty, easy to eat, filling, available year-round, inexpensive, and with a perfect mix of nutrients, bananas are the ultimate fast food for people on the go!

A single banana supplies more carbohydrates than any other piece of fruit. A meal of bananas will provide enough fuel so that you can remain active for hours.

Bananas are so sustaining because they yield up of their energy in increments. The carbohydrates in bananas are in three forms: glucose, fructose (both simple carbohydrates) and a complex carbohydrate. The complex carbohydrate is the slowest to break down into available fuel, hence it provides the longest lasting source.

During activities that last longer than one hour, it is possible to drain the muscles of their fuel (glycogen) and begin to use the limited sugars in the bloodstream to feed muscles. To prevent low blood sugar during exercise (a condition that makes you feel very tired), it is wise to drink a sports drink that is high in glucose. This will replenish the sugars that are used. Glucose enters the bloodstream very rapidly. A banana or two blended into a quart of water will provide glucose to act as fuel for energy during sports or hard work, and digest easily enough so that you do not experience stomach problems.

After exercise it is important to refill the muscle glycogen or you will remain tired. Bananas are excellent for this role as well. The fructose of bananas enters the bloodstream more slowly than glucose, yet both are easily converted to muscle glycogen. The “glycemic index” tells us how quickly the carbohydrates in foods get into our system. Bananas are grouped with foods that have the highest glycemic index.

Bananas also have an excellent mix of vitamins and minerals needed to fuel activity. Their potassium content (necessary for powerful muscular contractions) makes them the premier fruit for anyone who wishes to improve their athletic performance.

Serving Suggestions:

Five to ten TURBANA bananas per day, more if desired.

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BANANAS AND ENERGY

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BANANAS AND ENERGY
By Douglas N. Graham, D.C.

Bananas are one of the world’s finest foods for supplying fuel energy. They supply a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates that foster a quick and efficient conversion to useable fuel. Whether you need quick energy release or long lasting energy, bananas supply the fuel for the occasion.

Our bodies convert all food matter into simple carbohydrates (sugars) for use as fuel. This process can require considerable energy, and will often leave you tired, especially after a large meal. The carbohydrates in ripe bananas are already in their simplest form, and can be digested easily with a minimum of energy loss.

The sugars in bananas are called glucose and fructose. Glucose is the most easily digestible sugar. It gets into your bloodstream rapidly and can be utilized for a quick release of energy. The fructose is absorbed more slowly, and thus it provides a more lasting fuel release. Neither glucose nor fructose cause the adrenaline surge linked to consumption of sucrose (table sugar) that gives children the “run around like crazy” and then leaves them exhausted.

Bananas are famous as a good source of potassium, a mineral involved in proper muscle contraction. Insufficient potassium is one of the main causes of fatigue, muscle cramping and dehydration.

Bananas supply the dense and ready carbohydrates necessary to replace the muscle glycogen (muscle sugar) used during exercise. It is wise to eat bananas before, during, and after long bouts of activity, and after shorter, more intense sessions.

A good idea for energy is to have the daily lunch meal revolve around bananas. Five bananas plus other fruits and vegetables will leave you alert and with enough fuel to last the rest of the day.
Serving Suggestions:

Five to ten TURBANA bananas per day, more if desired.

Dr. Graham, author of “The High Energy Diet Recipe Guide” and “Grain Damage”, has been writing and speaking on health/fitness/nutrition since 1980.

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Banana Nutrition

December 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Research indicates that a banana supplies the body with more carbohydrates than any other of fruit. The compounds contained in a banana are vital fuel for keeping active.

Banana Facts: A single banana (100 grams) has almost zero grams of fat. A single banana has about 80 times less fat than an average hamburger.

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