The women's table tennis singles final of the Tokyo Olympics came to an end, and China's Chen Meng won the crown. At the same time, a picture during the game # Chen Meng eating bananas during the break of the game caused netizens to discuss and quickly appeared on the hot search.
Netizens said that they were cute after reading it, and some people said that they also prepared the same banana, while eating and watching. Not only that, netizens also found that Chen Meng seems to like to eat bananas, especially during the game break↓
In fact, it is not difficult to find that in some energy-consuming events, many athletes will eat a banana at halftime.
Chinese badminton player Chen Long
Former Chinese basketball player Wang Zhizhi
Spanish men's tennis player Nadal
Brazilian female tennis player Beatriz
Serbian men's tennis player Djokovic
There are so many fruits, why are bananas so popular with athletes? Life Times interviews nutrition experts to take you through the nutritional value of a banana.
Experts interviewed
Professor Ma Guansheng, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University
Professor Zhao Lichao, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University
Honorary Chairman of Tianjin Nutrition Society Fu Jinru
Ph.D. in Food Engineering, Department of Agriculture and Biology, Purdue University, Yun Wuxin
<h1 class = "pgc-h-arrow-right" > a banana to "repair" the body</h1>
It's a common behavior for athletes to eat bananas during competitions, and Fan Zhihong, an associate professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University, summed up several of its advantages in attracting athletes:
Rich in carbohydrates
Replenish energy quickly
Bananas contain both sugar and starch, and are rich in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can quickly replenish energy for athletes, and the digestive burden is small, the metabolic burden is also small, and it is more suitable for short-term competition scenarios than eating fat and protein.
A 2013 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in which gymnasts was tested found to restore attention levels in athletes, provide energy to muscles, and reduce turnovers and falls on balance beams.
<col>
name
Energy (kcal)
Protein (g)
Fat (g)
Carbohydrates (g)
Strawberry
32
1.0
0.2
7.1
pineapple
44
0.5
0.1
10.8
pear
51
0.3
13.1
apple
53
0.4
13.7
grape
45
10.3
banana
115
1.2
28.9
*Edible portion per 100 g
Potassium is abundant
Relieves neuromuscular tension
Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps to reduce neuromuscular tension, which makes sense for the high-pressure moments of the game.
The feeling of fullness is stronger
Reduces hunger during exercise
Bananas are solid foods, have a good feeling of fullness, and have a slow release rate of water. Unlike liquid drinks, the feeling of fullness is low, and the moisture is quickly absorbed by the body, and then rushes to the bathroom.
Easy to chew
Reduce eating time
Bananas are eaten quickly, can be eaten in the shortest possible time, and will not waste time because of eating, hindering various operations in the preparation.
Peel and eat
Easy to carry and save on the field
Bananas have skins, which can ensure that the flesh inside is fresh and hygienic, but it is easy to peel, which is particularly convenient to eat, and does not let the hands be contaminated by food.
No refrigeration required
More suitable for long distance races
Bananas are widely available, do not need to be refrigerated, are easy to carry, and are convenient to store for two or three days. Especially in some long distance races, runners will use bananas as an important food to replenish energy along the way.
Hypoallergenic
Reduce dietary adverse reactions
Almost everyone can accept the flavor of bananas. At the same time, bananas are hypoallergenic, and unlike some tropical fruits, some people have adverse reactions or cannot accept their taste.
In addition to the above advantages of attracting athletes, bananas have these lesser-known benefits:
Regulates mood
The tryptophan contained in bananas can be converted into serotonin, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that can promote people's mood to become peaceful, reduce the degree of pessimistic depression, and even reduce pain, so bananas are also known as "happy food".
In addition, bananas are rich in B vitamins, which have a calming effect on the nervous system.
Improves eye health
A study published in the American Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that bananas are rich in carotenoids, which can be converted into vitamin A through the human liver, which is particularly beneficial to eye health. Eating one banana a day improves eye health, reduces eye diseases, and reduces the risk of blindness.
Improves brain power
A Uk study of 200 students found that eating fruits with higher potassium content, such as bananas, helped improve students' concentration, learning efficiency and achievement.
Relieves heartburn
Bananas can protect people's gastric mucosa, reduce the secretion of stomach acid, and patients with bad stomachs occasionally eat one or two sticks. However, bananas are cold foods, so do not overdose.
Relieves brain fatigue
The brain's most needed source of energy is glucose, and unlike other cells in the body, the brain "eats" glucose and cannot rely on other forms of energy. The main source of glucose for the body is carbohydrates. Bananas are rich in carbohydrates such as sugar, glucose and other components, which are convenient to carry and efficient brain "energy bars".
In addition, bananas are also rich in the mineral magnesium, which has the effect of eliminating fatigue.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > nutrition experts eat bananas this way</h1>
Food is not perfect, to eat the right person, eat the right amount to better intake of nutrition:
Picking tips
When choosing, you should look for those fruits that are well-shaped, large and uniform, and the whole banana is flawless and shed, and the color is bright.
In addition, it should be noted that fresh bananas should be smooth, no spots, no trauma, the peel is easy to peel, the flesh is slightly hard, pinched up is not soft, the taste is sweet, not astringent, no strange taste. If the skin is black and soft, or the stalk is black, dry and wrinkled, it is likely to have begun to decay and cannot be purchased.
Recommended dosage
The nutritional composition of raw bananas is still in the stage of gradual enrichment, and the taste is not as good as that of ripe bananas, so it is not recommended that everyone eat it. Eating ripe bananas should also be grasped, and you can eat 1 to 2 sticks a day.
Eat crowds with caution
Bananas have a high potassium content, and those with acute and chronic nephritis and renal insufficiency should not eat more. Bananas have a glycemic index of 52, which is a low glycemic index food, so diabetics can eat a small amount of bananas, but pay attention to reducing the intake of staple foods.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > bananas are best hung and preserved</h1>
After buying bananas home, many people are accustomed to putting them in bags, but soon they will find that the banana peels begin to turn black, how should they be properly preserved?
When various fruits such as bananas ripen, a gas called ethylene is the "culprit" that causes the skin of bananas to turn black. As bananas ripen, more and more ethylene is released. Therefore, controlling the ethylene around the banana can control its ripening rate. The more ripe it is at the time of picking and the higher the storage temperature, the faster the ethylene is produced. Experiments have proved that 13 °C is the optimal storage temperature for bananas. At this temperature, the banana ripens slowly.
Therefore, hanging the banana and keeping it well ventilated can make the ethylene produced pass away with the wind, thereby delaying the aging of bananas. In some supermarkets, you can see shelves dedicated to hanging bananas. You can also make a banana rack yourself: find a wire hanger, hold both ends of the wire hanger with both hands, bend forward from the center of the hanger, keep the bending angle at 90°, so that it can be laid flat on the table, and finally break the hook forward.
If you want to delay the ripening of bananas, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and put them in a cool place; if you want to speed up ripening, you can seal them with fruits such as mangoes, apples, and pears. It should be reminded that bananas should not be bought too much at a time, which can ensure nutrition and avoid waste. ▲
Editor of this issue: Deng Yu
Copyright notice: This article is the original of Life Times, and unauthorized reproduction is refused.