• The Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving broke his Ramadan fast mid-game with a snack.
  • When the sun set, Irving left the court and came back eating fruit.
  • Fitness and nutrition experts say a banana is a good choice for workout fuel because it's packed with potassium.

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is observing the holy month of Ramadan, and broke his fast mid-way through a basketball game by eating a banana.

During Ramadan, Muslims across the world go without food or water from dawn to dusk, and in 2022 it falls from April 1 to May 1.

Late in the first quarter of the Nets' NBA Playoff match against Boston Celtics on April 20, just after sundown, Irving left the court and came back eating a banana, breaking a 14-hour fast, IB Times reported.

Whole foods, like bananas, are high-carb fruits that provide lots of energy, which makes it a good choice for sustained energy during intense exercise, experts say.

Experts recommend eating whole foods to stabilize energy

Focusing on whole foods like bananas during Ramadan will help keep your energy levels more stable, experts previously told Insider.

Personal trainer Faisal Abdalla recommends complex, fibrous, slow-release carbohydrates such as wholegrain rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, or sweet potatoes because they will release energy slowly and stabilize your blood sugar.

Avoid processed, fried, and salty foods. "These will dehydrate you and make the fast feel so much longer," Juliana Campos, former fitness coach to the Abu Dhabi royal family, explained to Insider.

Abdalla said that such foods "make the next day a real struggle, especially if you're training or losing fluids through sweat in warmer weather."

It's traditional to break your fast each evening with a date, which are a good source of energy and potassium, much like bananas.

"Dates are recommended because they're packed with potassium which helps your muscles and nerves function, and they keep you regular which can be an issue in the first few days of fasting," Abdalla said.

Read the original article on Insider

Dit artikel is oorspronkelijk verschenen op z24.nl