Why Is Eating a Banana After Jogging Good?

Eating a banana after jogging is helpful for your body’s recovery because the fruit supplies carbohydrates. During digestion, carbs are turned into glucose -- blood sugar -- to satiate an immediate need for energy, or they are synthesized into glycogen, a form of glucose that becomes stored in the liver and muscles for later use. Bananas also provide amino acids, which your body uses to make protein, essential for muscle recovery. And the fruit has electrolytes.

  1. After-Jogging Carbs

    • Go Ask Alice!, an online health information service of Columbia University, says studies have proven the importance of eating carbohydrate sources such as bananas within one hour of exercising. During this period, the website explains, the enzymes that change carbs into glycogen are most active and can quickly refill the muscles with a store of energy. It is also worth noting that at least one researcher believes the after-exercise nutrition window is longer. In an interview posted on Top End Sports, John Berardi, then a PhD candidate in Exercise and Nutritional Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario, said the first six hours following a workout are crucial for proper carbohydrate intake for muscles to regain lost energy.

    Protein

    • Although bananas are not as rich of a source of protein as they are of carbohydrates, whatever protein the fruit offers also contributes to post-jogging muscle recovery. According to Gabe Mirkin, M.D., co-author of “The Healthy Heart Miracle,” your muscles tear when you exercise them. Resting and eating protein after the workout helps to relieve muscle soreness -- and to bulk them up.

    Banana’s Nutritional Value

    • One cup of bananas provides 17 percent of the recommended daily intake of carbohydrates for a 2,000-calorie diet. The same serving also offers 5 percent of the recommended daily intake of protein. In addition, the fruit is a source of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, making it a wholesome food not only after jogging, but any time.

    Electrolyte Replacement

    • The minerals chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are electrolytes. They transport electricity in your body for healthy function of the heart and other muscles. When you sweat while jogging, the moisture carries electrolytes out through the pores, creating the need to replace these minerals. While bananas do not provide chloride and sodium, and contain a very little amount of calcium, the fruit offers 17 percent of the recommended daily intake of potassium and 15 percent of magnesium.