Nutrition Spotlight: Bananas!

Looking through my most recent posts, I noticed that I haven't posted about nutrition in a while. And since you all know how I feel about proper nutrition and being aware of what you eat, I thought today would be a perfect day to get back to some nutritional pointers. Let's talk about something easy, something that I'm pretty sure everyone eats anyway, but may not know why it's so important to keep eating: Bananas! 

Recently, for some reason I've been hearing young dancers giving bananas a bad rap for being fattening. Excuse me, what? That is an outlandish statement because bananas, like most fruits, have a negligible amount of fat. Bananas don't have any cholesterol or sodium either: just tons of beneficial nutrients that help with muscles, energy, digestion, and your immune system. 

Okay, let's talk 'nanas:

What can they do for my muscles?

The nutrients in bananas are really a dancer's best friend. This famously potassium rich fruit prevents muscle cramps by regulating fluids like an electrolyte. Also, the potassium, manganese and vitamin C all help build strong bones, muscles and ligaments and aid in post-workout recovery.

How can they energize me?

The carbohydrates in bananas give you the energy to be active and exercise with longevity and endurance. Magnesium helps to break down the proteins so that you are relieved from muscle fatigue. The amazing potassium will help in transforming glucose into glycogen so your body can store energy for later. Lastly, vitamin B-6 will protect your body from muscle strain by helping to transport more oxygen to your muscles.

What about my digestion?

Bananas are full of fiber, which, if you've ever seen a Kellog's Mini Wheats commercial, you know it helps you stay focused and full. Fiber also does a whole slew of other things for you like keeping you regular, aiding in liver functions, preventing heartburn by neutralizing stomach acid, as well as regulating cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 

My immune system too?

By supporting your immune system with bananas' vitamins and minerals you will be able to fight off stress and strain. Iron, potassium, and the B vitamins all help heal your body and calm your nerves. Lastly, bananas will actually make you happier because the tryptophan in them, also found in turkey, will boost serotonin!

Now after reading all of that, how can you say you shouldn't eat bananas? With the help of Livestrong, I felt inclined to debunk the irrational negative side effects of eating bananas, and I hope you can now see that there are none. Eat a banana before or after dancing to give you energy, focus, boost your performance and aid in muscle recovery. Or if you don't want to look like a monkey, bake it into some homemade bread or blend it up in a protein smoothie. It doesn't matter how you eat them, just start eating them now so that you can reap the benefits of this classic fruit.