Bananas: A Craft Service Snack Essential

Bananas

I know from experience that crews go bananas over bananas! They are the first fruit to disappear from my craft service table and are also the most requested. Why? Because bananas are packed with essential vitamins and minerals the crew needs to maintain top performance.

A single banana contains protein, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and most importantly 358 mg of potassium. Potassium is a nutrient responsible for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance both of which are easily depleted during a 12-hour production workday.

When your potassium levels are low, you can easily become fatigued.

Bananas fall within the medium range of the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale from 1 to 100 that measures the affect certain foods have on blood sugar levels. This is important because the lower the number, the longer it takes for the body to turn that particular food into sugar and the longer crews are able to sustain their energy levels.

You may also be interested in: The Best Kind Of Snacks For Craft Services 

Food with high glycemic index numbers like carbohydrate sports drinks will give crews quick bursts of energy but before long will send them crashing like waves against the shoreline.

A recent study conducted at the Appalachian State University Human Performance Lab examined which energy booster was more beneficial to endurance cyclists… bananas or carbohydrate sports drinks.

Half of the study participants were given a cup of carbohydrate sports drink and the other half received half of a banana in 15-minute intervals during a 2.5-3 hour road race. Then blood samples drawn before and after the race were analyzed.

The results showed that the banana provided a better nutritional boost because of its fiber, vitamin B6, and potassium properties. None of which were found in the carbohydrate sports drink that was composed mostly of flavored sugar water.

The study also found recovery time was better in the participants who ate the bananas.

Now I’m not saying that because of this study you shouldn’t offer carbohydrate sports drinks as part of your craft services package. You should because not everyone is going to be a banana fan. I’m just saying you should make sure you have plenty of bananas on the craft service table as the healthier, more nutritionally beneficial alternative to sports drinks.

Another reason crews go bananas over bananas: they are the perfect grab-n-go craft service snack. A crew member can grab a banana, stick it in their pocket, and go about the day’s business. When their energy level wanes they can eat the banana for a nutritious lift!

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One last thing before you go, check out the recipe below. It’s a great way to prepare bananas for pass around!

 

Banana With Crunchy Almond Butter
A delicious way to dress up a banana!
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Ingredients
  1. Bananas
  2. Crunchy almond butter
  3. Raisins
  4. Chopped assorted nuts
Instructions
  1. Slice banana lengthwise then crosswise forming four sections.
  2. Spread a generous amount of almond butter on each section.
  3. Sprinkle raisins and chopped assorted nuts on top of each section.
  4. Serve.
Notes
  1. I have purposely omitted amounts because exact amounts are dependent on your crew size.
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