nytimes September 10, 2021 2:00pm Bananas vs. Sports Drinks? Bananas Win in Study #energyandsportsdrinks #bananas #exercise #bicyclesandbicycling #carbohydrates #research #appalachianstateuniversity #plosonejournal #news Bananas vs. Sports Drinks? Bananas Win in Study (Published 2018) A banana might reasonably replace sports drinks for those of us who rely on carbohydrates to fuel exercise and speed recovery.