How many bananas do YOU need? 🍌
Dela
How many bananas do YOU actually need? 🍌
When we talk about energy intake during training, the same figures often come up:
- 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour
- 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour
- 120 grams of carbohydrates per hour
But there is one question that is often forgotten:
Do you weigh 60 kg or 90 kg?
Because in endurance sports, there really is no one-size-fits-all solution.
The banana as a benchmark
A medium-sized banana contains about 25 grams of carbohydrates.
It sounds simple.
But the same banana provides a different amount of energy in relation to body weight.
60 kg athlete
🍌 25 g carbohydrates
= 0.42 g carbohydrates per kg of body weight
90 kg athlete
🍌 25 g carbohydrates
= 0.28 g carbohydrates per kg of body weight
The same banana.
Two different bodies.
Two different sets of requirements.
Comparison with sports nutrition
Gel 45 g carbohydrates
60 kg:
✅ 0.75 g/kg
90 kg:
✅ 0.50 g/kg
500 ml sports drink with 90 g carbohydrates
60 kg:
✅ 1.50 g/kg
90 kg:
✅ 1.00 g/kg
Four bananas or one bottle?
90 grams of carbohydrates corresponds to approximately:
🍌🍌🍌🍌
Four bananas.
Or:
✅ 500 ml of sports drink mixed to 90 grams of carbohydrates
or
✅ Two 45-gram gels.
It illustrates quite clearly why sports nutrition has become such an important tool in endurance sports.
More is not always better
In endurance sports, there is a lot of talk about increasing energy intake.
And sure, too little energy can become a big problem.
But the goal is not really to consume as much as possible.
The goal is to consume enough to perform, recover, and feel good.
A light bike ride, a slow long run, and an Ironman do not require the same strategy.
Just like training, energy intake should be adapted to the individual.
My philosophy
I don't believe in the most energy possible.
I believe in the right amount of energy for the right person, at the right time.
Because the best energy plan is the one that works for you, not necessarily the one that works for someone else.