2025, Vol. 12, Issue 5, Part H

Many athletes search for natural foods to boost performance and speed recovery after exercise. Dark chocolate has gained popularity among sports people due to special compounds that improve blood flow and reduce fatigue. However, dark chocolate is expensive and not widely available. Bananas are affordable, accessible everywhere, and packed with natural sugars and essential minerals like potassium.
This study compared which food works better for athletes-bananas or dark chocolate-while examining cost effectiveness. Twenty eight trained male cyclists participated in three separate cycling tests on different days. Before each test, they consumed either two bananas, dark chocolate, or plain water. We measured cycling completion times, blood sugar levels, and recovery rates.
Results showed both bananas and dark chocolate improved performance compared to plain water. Bananas provided slightly better performance with superior blood sugar control and digestive comfort. Most importantly, bananas delivered equivalent benefits at seventy five percent lower cost than dark chocolate.
This study proves bananas are an excellent, affordable choice for athletes seeking performance improvement without expensive sports nutrition products.