bananas etc, how long until you feel the benefit?

[Broughtonblue]

when i get home from an early shift i quite often jump straight on my bike (about 3pm, so im back before rush hour). if ive had a busy day ive probably not eaten enough, possibly only a bowl of porridge about 7am. so before i start my ride i stuff a banana down my neck. i know i should eat better but sometimes its not possible with my job. my question is, how long does it take the body to turn this quick snack into energy? likewise if on a longer ride, with jelly babies, energy gells etc, is it an instant hit, or is it a case of 15 minutes or something?

 

[ufkacbln]

I was once told by a dietitian that it depends on the ripeness of the banana!

If you have a green banana then the polysaccharide chains are long and take time to break down so green bananas are better if you want a delayed, sustained energy release.

When the banana ripens these polysacharide chains break down, and in a black banana will be quite short. This means they do not need breaking down and hence are better for a more rapid energy release.

So basically you need to carry a range of bananas and eat according to your energy needs....

 

[Sittingduck]

They should be spotty for instant kick but tbh if you're only eating porridge until 3pm and a banana, then I don't think it's going to make much difference.

 

[ayceejay]

You are courting disaster with this diet IMHO. You need to eat a decent meal around 12. The foods you mention are emergency energy supplies and should not be regarded as a main source, a simple carbohydrate will get in to your system fairly quickly but the effect will be short lived.
Is there some reason you don't have a lunch break, a reason that I would find acceptable?

 

[edindave]

^ what he said. Eat some lunch. Has your employer heard of lunch breaks? EC Work Time Directive?
Employees need to eat.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

^ what he said. Eat some lunch. Has your employer heard of lunch breaks? EC Work Time Directive?
Employees need to eat.

Not always easy as it sounds: often I take porridge/muesli in for my lunch beak, nothing decent to be had otherwise, only empty carb loaded stuff.
Sometimes no time for a break either when it's busy. Later on one cannot be bothered eating at times. I can relate to the OP.

 

[edindave]

Packed lunch? Been taking my own lunch to work for years.

 

[Crankarm]

Not always easy as it sounds: often I take porridge/muesli in for my lunch beak, nothing decent to be had otherwise, only empty carb loaded stuff.
Sometimes no time for a break either when it's busy. Later on one cannot be bothered eating at times. I can relate to the OP.

Errr ........ I'm often very busy at work around lunchtimes, but still get time to have a lunch. I think the problem lies with OP and you, time management and awareness of healthy nutrition. Long term by not eating properly or regularly you could be creating other problems for yourself such as diabetes, increased susceptibility to heart attack later in life if you go for long periods without food and your blood sugar drops to an extremely low level then you get massive sugar rushes when you do eat something such as an energy gel or banana which your body cannot handle. You need to be sensible not adopt the ostrich technique, head in the sand. A good breakfast and proper lunch are insturmental in being healthy. Going home at the end of the day ravenous, then splurging and falling asleep on the sofa whilst News At Ten is on, is a recipe for ill health and a heart attack.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

A good breakfast and proper lunch are insturmental in being healthy. Going home at the end of the day ravenous, then splurging and falling asleep on the sofa whilst News At Ten is on, is a recipe for ill health and a heart attack.

Ahem ... I am aware of the above, sadly when "normal" folks have breakfast or lunch, I am the one serving it, so cannot have it.
Don't have a tv or a sofa

 

[Crankarm]

Ahem ... I am aware of the above, sadly when "normal" folks have breakfast or lunch, I am the one serving it, so cannot have it.
Don't have a tv or a sofa

You work in a cafe, McDonalds or an hotel?

Neither a TV or sofa ............ you're weird.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You work in a cafe, McDonalds or an hotel?

Neither a TV or sofa ............ you're weird.

Yes, been working in catering all of 30 years
Yes, I am extremely weird

 

[Ningishzidda]

My mum worked in catering for thirty or more years. She was a cook in a school kitchen. The school I attended for five years.
She also rode with one of the local cycling clubs and she, my sister and I would ride from Meriden to places like Leamington, Stratford and Droitwich on sunny Sundays in the school holiday.
Breakfast was a bowl of Weetabix, I can remember three, and four rounds of toast with butter and marmalade. When we reached the turn point, we had an ice cream and a bottle of Vimto or Cresta. A stop at a shop during the return was for a cake to share. Probably rich fruit, a mix of low and high GI, although we ( the children ) didn’t realise that at the time.
I cannot remember eating bananas on these days out. I can remember Mars bars and glass bottles of Coca Cola.
PS Mars bars were 4p.

 

[Skipper]

I never get the benefit of bananananananas. I hate the ruddddddy things!

 

[Tommy2]

What does the time at which you have breakfast and lunch matter, if you have to start work at 5am the your breakfast is at 4am.
Being too busy for a lunch break is illegal isn't it?

 

[PeteXXX]

Excellent question...
How long does an average banana No4 take to give you the boost you hope it does?
I tend to pop one in about 15 mins before I know I'll need a bit of a kick.


PS There should be an 8 or 9 when bananas are really the best for making banana cake