Bananas: AKA Nature's Energy Bar

Vocabulary Review

A staple (noun) – A food that is eaten very commonly and is a significant and crucial part of a certain diet.

Example: Rice is a staple food in many Asian countries because people eat it almost every day.

Carbs (noun) – carbohydrates; foods that give your body energy, such as bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes.

Example: Many athletes eat carbs before a game because they need energy for exercise.

Spike (verb) – to suddenly increase quickly.

Example: Drinking a lot of sugary soda can spike your energy for a short time.

Crash (verb) – to suddenly drop or decrease after increasing.

Example: Some people crash after drinking energy drinks and feel tired later.

Enthusiasts (noun) – people who are very interested in or excited about something.

Example: Fitness enthusiasts often spend a lot of time exercising and learning about nutrition.

Aid (verb) – to help or support something.

Example: Protein can aid muscle recovery after a difficult workout.

Artificial (adjective) – made by people instead of being natural.

Example: Some people avoid drinks with artificial flavors and colors.

Element (noun) – a part or ingredient of something.

Example: Sleep is an important element of staying healthy and productive.

Enhance (verb) – to improve something or make it better.

Example: Listening to calm music may enhance your concentration while studying.

Reach for (a food or drink) (phrasal verb) – to choose or take a food or drink, usually automatically or quickly.

Example: Many people reach for coffee when they feel tired in the morning.

Brain fog (noun) – a feeling of not thinking clearly or feeling mentally tired and unfocused.

Example: Lack of sleep can cause brain fog and make it difficult to concentrate.

A pick-me-up (noun) – something that gives you more energy or improves your mood.

Example: A short walk outside can be a good pick-me-up during a stressful day.

Elastic (adjective) – able to stretch and return to its normal shape.

Example: Young skin is usually more elastic and firm.

Melatonin (noun) – a natural chemical in the body that helps control sleep.

Example: Some people take melatonin to help them sleep better at night.

Caveat (noun) – an important warning or limitation about something.

Example: The new diet sounds effective, but one caveat is that it can be expensive.

Cramming (verb/noun) – studying a lot in a short period before a test or deadline.

Example: Many students stay up late cramming the night before an exam.

To do wonders (expression) – to improve something greatly or have a very positive effect.

Example: Drinking more water and getting enough sleep can do wonders for your energy levels.

Bananas: AKA Nature's Energy Bar

Teachers love apples, rabbits love carrots, and athletes love bananas. You may have at one point noticed that bananas are a staple of most athletes' diets. Runners eat them, football players eat them, and so do swimmers, cyclists, dancers, and all types of athletes. But what's so special about bananas? Why bananas? Should we all be eating more bananas?

One banana has the following: 105 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 3.1 grams of fibre, 1.3 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat, and 358 mg of potassium. For someone running, sweating, and using their muscles, this is pretty much the perfect recipe: fast-digesting carbs for immediate fuel, potassium to replace what was lost in sweat, and fibre, which keeps your energy release steady rather than spiking and crashing.

Bananas Rival Sports Drinks for Performance and Recovery

Interestingly, while many sports enthusiasts love sports drinks such as Redbull and Gatorade, a study from Appalachian State University found that bananas are equally as effective in terms of boosting performance and aiding recovery. One study observed that cyclists who ate half a banana every 15 minutes during a 75-kilometre race performed just as well as those drinking sports drinks. Moreover, bananas offer a lot that sports drinks cannot, such as antioxidants, potassium, fibre, and vitamin B6, without the added sugar and artificial ingredients found in most sports drinks.

Brain Function: Potassium Keeps Our Nerves Healthy

Most people may be surprised that bananas are actually quite beneficial for our brains. The natural supply of potassium is one of the most important elements of the banana. Potassium provides a feeling of mental clarity since it enhances cellular communication in the brain. When you combine that with the stable supply of energy provided by the glucose in bananas, you get exactly what you are looking for when you reach for a coffee or some other source of caffeine.

Along with potassium, the combination of magnesium and B6 works together to reduce inflammation in the brain, regulate mood, and improve memory. It is likely due to this that there are so many studies showing the practical benefits of eating bananas, such as bananas being linked to higher test scores, and reduced stress and brain fog.

This makes bananas the perfect pick-me-up or mid-day snack.

Anti-Aging: Antioxidants, Vitamin C and Beta Carotene

While the research is limited on exactly how effective it is, antioxidants, vitamin C, and beta carotene have been linked to reduced signs of aging. These compounds help fight off free radicals, which are the unstable molecules that damage skin cells and speed up aging (and wrinkles) over time. Some research on banana leaf extract even showed increased collagen production, the protein responsible for keeping skin tight, firm, and elastic. But impressive as that is, not many people eat banana leaves.

Banana Peels Are Healthy

Lastly, if you are daring enough to eat the peel of a banana, you'll be interested to know it actually contains melatonin, which does wonders for your sleep, helping you fall asleep faster and have better quality sleep. There is one caveat, however. The amount of melatonin is somewhat low, so you'd need to eat approximately 10 thousand banana peels just to get 1 mg of melatonin.

The overview?

It looks like bananas turn out to be one of the simplest, most affordable ways to add something healthy to your diet.  Whether you are an athlete training for an Ironman or a university student cramming for an exam, bananas should be your new go-to choice when you need a pick-me-up.

 What do you think? Has the banana earned the title of being "nature's energy bar"?

Conversation Questions:

• Did anything in this article surprise you? Why?

• Do you often eat bananas? Do you think you should eat them more now?

• Which benefit of bananas in the article do you think is the most important?

• Do you think people underestimate simple foods like bananas? Why?

• Do you think natural foods are usually better than processed foods? Why or why not?

• If you had to recommend one healthy food to people, what would it be and why?

Diet:

• What is a staple in your diet?

• Do you think your diet is healthy? Why or why not?

• What is your favorite healthy food?

• Are there any unhealthy foods that are difficult for you to avoid?

• What do you think about sports drinks and energy drinks?

• Do people consume too much sugar nowadays?

• What food or drink do you usually reach for when you feel tired?

Sports:

• Do you play any sports or exercise regularly?

• Do you think all children should play sports?

• Do you think diet is more important than exercise?

• Is it good to be competitive?

Health:

• Do you think people today are healthier than people in the past?

• Do you think sleep is important for good health?

• Should we make smoking illegal? What about all unhealthy things?

• Do you think people care enough about their health?

• Are governments responsible for improving people's health?

• Do you think supplements are necessary for regular people?

• Is it better to get nutrients from food or supplements? Why?

• Do certain foods affect your mood or energy?

• Do you think stress affects our health?

• What activities can help improve mental health?

• Do you think modern lifestyles are damaging mental health?