Training & Nutrition - Banana vs Power Bar

I have only tried a Power Bar once, tasted like the old (are they still made?) Space Food Sticks. When going on a long road ride or race I take bananas. Downside is they are quite bulky and damage easily, upside is they are a lot cheaper than Power Bar. What are other people's thoughts - particularly on the nutritional benefit and performance of each.

- banana is better...

- avoid damage to yours by using a banana guard: (http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/bananaguard.html)

http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/jpg/bgyellow.jpg

I want the glow-in-the-dark Banana Guard.

You never know when finding your banana in the dark will save your life.

Fig Newtons.

I'm waiting to see a "Cyclist Shot Because of Banana Guard" headline when a cop mistakes one for some sort of weapon.

Fig Newtons.

+1

(but bananas are cheaper as a recovery food; newtons pack better though!)

I'll always favor something fresh and in its orignal form over something processed, homogenized, preservatized, etc...

cliff bar choc chip peanut

Trader Joe's Flattened Bananas -- dehydrated banana strips, kinda like banana jerky.

Fig Newtons.

No thanks. HFCS.

No thanks. HFCS.

Plenty of fig bar brands without HFCS or hydrogenated oils. Whole Foods 365 brand are my favorite, by far. Added bonuses: cheap and organic.

make your own energy bar?

Trader Joe's Flattened Bananas -- dehydrated banana strips, kinda like banana jerky.

You are joking, right?????

Dried bananas? I haven't found one that still has any flavor left to make it worth trying more than once. I will stick with the fresh fruit.

I'll always favor something fresh and in its orignal form over something processed, homogenized, preservatized, etc...

+1.

You are joking, right?????

Dried bananas? I haven't found one that still has any flavor left to make it worth trying more than once. I will stick with the fresh fruit.

No, seriously. They're really good. The texture is more like raisins, and since it's dehydrated, the flavor is concentrated. The only ingredient is bananas.

http://traderjoes.groups.vox.com/library/photo/6a00c11414cf6d5af500e398a998940001.html

Clif bars are great. Bananas are too, but Clif bars are full of vitamins, fiber, and protein. I found out recently they still even make ones with caffeine

Bananas are cheap, renewable, and anything left over when you're done with one is very biodegradable.

I like me some bananas before and during a ride.

Don't mind a fig newton or two either :D

Back to the OP's original ? That brought back some fond memmories. So, I googled, and yes, they still do make space food sticks.

http://www.spacefoodsticks.com/spacefood/index.html

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords=space%20food%20sticks&results-process=default&dispatch=search&store-name=all-product-search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-1_blended_28743313_2&results-process=default

The sugar content of a ripe banana is about 20%, and the type of sugar is
(gasp) HFCS, about 20% glucose, 15% fructose (evilness) and 65% sucrose,
sucrose of course is 50% glucose and 50% fructose. HFCS is between 45 and
55% glucose with the remainder fructose.

Clif bars are great. Bananas are too, but Clif bars are full of vitamins, fiber, and protein. I found out recently they still even make ones with caffeine

I love clif bars too.

Oh, and I love your avatar. I haven't seen the ol' kamek in a while. That brings back the memories.

Prefer Clif bars. Hate to see all the banana peels on the road after a large group or charity ride. Never see a Clif bar wrapper. I find Power Bars hard to get down while climbing.

Fig Newmans are great. Organic. 70 cal. each. Amazing, huh? Are sticky when loose in a jersey pocket, but are fine in a bento box if it's not raining.

The sugar content of a ripe banana is about 20%, and the type of sugar is
(gasp) HFCS, about 20% glucose, 15% fructose (evilness) and 65% sucrose,
sucrose of course is 50% glucose and 50% fructose. HFCS is between 45 and
55% glucose with the remainder fructose.
eer no its not high fructose corn syrup doesn't come form anything but corn, clue's in the name

I like bananas before and after rides.

Plenty of fig bar brands without HFCS or hydrogenated oils. Whole Foods 365 brand are my favorite, by far. Added bonuses: cheap and organic.

Just tried 365 Organic fig bars yesterday...

OH MY!!!

Those are really good. Better than Fig Newtons.

I'm going to have to guard them so there are some left for my longer rides...

:fight:

Bananas when you're off your bike.

Clif bars when you're on a long ride.

Energy gels for shorter rides. Most gels taste like crap. I stick to Carb-Boom! and Gu. I ain't got time to sit down and chew.

Five egg whites and half a yolk fried for post ride recovery. Lots of protein and just a hair over 100 calories.

I can't digest Powerbars at all, so yes banana or gel.

Martin

No solid foods at all up to 7 hour rides for me. Gels and Perpetuem provide plenty of calories and are much easier on the stomach.