It’s one of the most common sights at the Australian Open: the world’s best tennis players wiping sweat from their faces between matches and eating a banana.
The tournament provides around 200 kilos of bananas to players every day.
And while athletes are also turning to scientifically designed sports drinks and energy gels, dietitians say there’s nothing better than the humble banana.
Bananas “check a lot of boxes”
Bananas are packed with essential nutrients for generating energy during a match, according to Lauren Stribley, in-house dietitian at Sports Dietitians Australia.
They contain carbohydrates for energy, fiber to help absorb nutrients, and minerals like magnesium and potassium to help ward off muscle cramps.
“Fueling is really important during competition, not only to fuel your muscles, but also to fuel your brain in terms of concentration and decision-making,”
» said Ms. Stribley.
“Bananas tick a lot of boxes when it comes to nutrition, which is why they’re a popular choice with athletes.”
Sports drinks and energy gels are scientifically designed to nourish the mind and body during competition.
Ms Stribley, who advises the Port Adelaide AFLW team and the South Australian women’s cricket program, said sports foods were also designed to be easily digestible and portable.
But bananas remain the favorites in the nutrition race.
Bananas contain a range of nutrients ideal for nourishing professional athletes. (612 ABC Brisbane: Jessica Hinchliffe)
“As sports dietitians, we tend to prioritize food options first,” Stribley said.
“Bananas have a low GI – a low glycemic index – which means they will provide you with longer-lasting energy.
“And especially with international athletes traveling the world, you can find bananas anywhere.”
Bananas for the future
There are more than 1,000 types of bananas in the world, but only one – the Cavendish – dominates global markets.
Around 50 billion tonnes of Cavendish bananas are grown worldwide each year, including almost all of the bananas consumed in Australia and supplied to the United States and Europe.
Researchers are studying ways to protect bananas from disease. (Supplied: Queensland University of Technology)
More than 5,000 Cavendish bananas will be supplied to Australian Open players this month, all sourced from Australia’s largest banana-producing state, Queensland.
Although a world without bananas seems inconceivable, a fungus found in the soil known as Panama disease poses a serious threat to the Cavendish factories.
But just outside Darwin, banana farmers have in partnership with scientists develop a banana plant resistant to Panama disease.
More than five million bananas are eaten every day in Australia. (Rural ABC: Lucy Cooper)
“It’s one of the five staples – there’s wheat, barley, rice, potatoes and bananas – so a lot of people rely on bananas for food,” grower Mark Smith told the NT Country Hour.
Last year, the genetically modified variety received regulatory approval for human consumption, but it is unlikely to be available in stores anytime soon.
The genetically modified Cavendish is considered a “reserve” in the case that it is a game animal, a set or a match for Panama disease.
