When You Eat Banana With Peanut Butter, This Is What Happens To Your Body
Legend Elvis Presley knew the perfect blend of sweet and salty was peanut butter and banana. His favorite sandwich included these two gems between two grilled and buttered slices of bread. When you think about it, a peanut butter and banana sandwich isn't a bad combo, especially if you use healthy whole-grain bread. Peanuts have healthy fat and protein to keep you feeling full, and bananas give you some fiber and carbs for energy. You get all three macronutrients (carbs, fat, and protein) in a simple, small snack.
Athletes proclaim their love for bananas and peanut butter before their workouts. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles told Women's Health that she enjoys peanut butter and banana before she hits the mat. Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington started each race with peanut butter, banana, honey, and cream of rice. Even if you're not a professional athlete, a banana and peanut butter combo provides specific nutrients that can fuel your workouts and overall health.
Nutrients in peanut butter and banana that can fuel your workouts
A medium banana and two tablespoons of peanut butter combined have 611 milligrams of potassium, which is a great electrolyte that prevents cramping during hard workouts. What's also great about this combo is that it's relatively low in sodium — just 153 milligrams. More than likely, you probably already get enough sodium in your diet, anyway. Peanut butter and banana together also have 89 milligrams of magnesium, which is another electrolyte athletes need to maintain fluid balance and sustain muscular contractions.
Active athletes need vitamin B6 to break down protein so it can build and repair muscles and other tissues. Eating banana and peanut butter together puts you one-third on your way to your daily recommended amount of vitamin B6. You'll also get 31% of your daily niacin to help metabolize food into energy. Amino acids such as arginine are also key for athletes and working out. A 2017 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that athletes who supplemented their diets with 2 grams of L-arginine per day for 45 days saw greater improvements in their VO2 max, a measure of sports performance. Peanut butter and banana together have 933 milligrams of arginine.
Peanut butter and banana for overall health
Eating a banana by itself might not be a satisfying snack, but adding some peanut butter provides just enough protein and plenty of fat to sustain your hunger for hours. Don't be too worried about the fat in peanut butter because less than 20% of its fat comes from saturated fat. Six of the fat grams in peanut butter come from oleic acid, which is an omega-9 fatty acid that can lower inflammation and reduce cholesterol.
Without the banana, you'd be missing out on the antioxidant vitamin C if you just ate peanut butter. A banana lacks vitamin E, but peanut butter is a good source of this antioxidant. The pair also gives you almost 5 grams of fiber. Just be sure to choose an all-natural peanut butter that only contains peanuts and salt to avoid excess sugars or other added ingredients.
Eating peanut butter with banana might be difficult unless you slice the banana and put it atop the peanut butter on some toast. However, one way to enjoy the combo together without bread is to freeze your bananas just after their peak of ripeness. This brings out the sugars in the banana so it tastes sweeter. When you're ready to eat, pop the banana in a cup and microwave for 30 seconds or less. Add a tablespoon of peanut butter and stir.