One of the most frequent queries that come to Runnea has to do with the best foods for runners. Well, our nutritionist, Sandra Gervilla, brings us her favorites according to different variables: Nutritious, healthy and perfect for popular athletes.
Within a varied, balanced and adequate diet, we find a multitude of foods that are beneficial to our health. In the case of athletes, some of them can become more important, as they can help us to cover needs generated in the practice of our sport, to improve body composition and even improve our performance.
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With the arrival of good weather, and the corresponding seasonal products, the catalog of available foods changes and it can become difficult to choose properly. Therefore, we propose a group of foods, which, although they are not the only ones, can be very useful to meet your goal:
Carrot
Although the carrot is not the only viable source of vitamin A (we can also find it in other foods such as bluefin tuna or eggs), this vegetable is a great dose of this vitamin, which can provide beneficial effects2] for the athlete as it improves the visual-motor skills (and therefore coordination), besides being a powerful antioxidant and improve the immune system (thus avoiding the risk of infections). In addition, it should be noted that it is a food that can be included in the diet of all runners, regardless of their dietary pattern (e.g. vegetarian diets).
Taking advantage of the fact that we are in full carrot season, a good way to include carrots in the diet can be in the form of snack (in strips or even combine it with products such as hummus or guacamole) or grated in salads.
Blueberries
Blueberries are a fruit whose consumption is widely recommended, and not only in athletes. Just a few months ago, an important journal3] published that the consumption of one cup of blueberries (approximately 150g) daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes or hypertension) by 15%. In addition, they can greatly influence the performance of athletes by increasing maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max).
How to consume
A good way to consume these berries can be by including them in your recovery shake, in the form of homemade ice cream (by freezing them and adding egg white and a touch of lemon juice) or simply as a snack in their natural state!
Green tea
Green tea is a very popular product among athletes, with a great antioxidant power and rich in vitamin E and C; but is it really a recommended product for runners? The answer is yes, of course! The first thing to say is that although green tea is currently a trend in the world of fitness, as early as 1999 The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition [4] evidenced the effectiveness of this substance in increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation (while in groups supplemented with caffeine no such effects were observed), thus demonstrating its effectiveness in controlling body composition.
In addition to this,green tea can be very beneficial for the runner since it has been observed thatsupplementation [5] with this substance in amateur athletes improves neuromuscular function, decreasing accumulated fatigue, muscle damage and oxidative stress.
Therefore, green tea can be a great ally both in fat loss and in improving the performance and recovery of the athlete .
How it is consumed
It can be consumed as tea, however, it can also be used in the preparation of smoothies or even ice cream (with Greek yogurt, for example), obtaining in addition to its benefits a very tasty and suitable product for the summer.
Beet
Beet is a vegetable whose season runs from July to November with a great capacity for improving health and sports performance .
Although for some time there was some controversy about the benefits of beet or beet juice (the latter being the form in which this vegetable is usually used), the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), one of the most important organizations in sports nutrition, classifies this food within group A, that is, which gives the highest level of scientific evidence to the effects related to beet juice .
What are the benefits of beet juice for runners?
The benefits provided by beet are obtained thanks to the large amount of nitrates it contains. These inorganic chemical compounds cause greater vasodilation, increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure at rest and producing a lower oxygen cost (which allows greater muscle oxygenation).
Consequently, the athlete obtains an improvement in sports performance. One study [6] observed that supplementation with beet juice produced a longer work time at high intensity and therefore, an increase in the time the athlete reached exhaustion (16% more).
Cottage cheese
We cannot forget about protein needs and the importance of covering them, both in endurance and aerobic sports. Protein can be obtained from various sources, whether of animal or vegetable origin, although dairy products are undoubtedly the best source of protein .
Cottage cheese is a dairy product from the production of soft cheese, in particular, from the whey produced during its production. Rich in protein (8-9g per 100g for the 3g per 100ml that milk provides) and low in fat, this can be a great product to consume in shakes, on toast or in salads.
In addition, it provides us with leucine, an essential amino acid (the body cannot produce it and therefore, it must be obtained through diet) for protein synthesis.
When would be a good time to consume it?
Cottage cheese can be consumed at any time of the day, however, some studies [7 ] have observed that protein consumption before bedtime stimulates muscle protein synthesis during nighttime recovery. Therefore, consuming cottage cheese before bedtime (approximately 30-60 minutes before) could be beneficial for the recovery of the athlete.
However, it should be noted that this study uses casein; therefore, can we assume that cottage cheese will provide the same benefits? According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, yes.
In that study [8] they compared the effects on resting energy expenditure (i.e., while sleeping) of cottage cheese or casein supplementation in young women before bedtime. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between groups, and therefore, the participants taking cottage cheese had the same resting energy expenditure as the casein group, thus obtaining a similar metabolic response in both groups.
Banana
The banana, although it has been demonized countless times, is an excellent choice for athletes. It is a fruit with a high nutritional density, it provides many nutrients for the calories it has; it is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, a micronutrient directly related to ramps (although these are also influenced by other factors such as dehydration or deficiency of other minerals).
In addition, it is a fruit rich in fiber and antioxidant capacity. In short, it is a must in a runner's fridge.
Dates
Dates are also a very good option for athletes. They are usually used more by endurance athletes such as cyclists, triathletes or runners of longer distances.
The reason is that dates are a fruit very rich in simple sugars, but also, having a low glycemic index, they are absorbed slowly, providing energy gradually. Finally, it should be added that as they are easy to transport, they are very useful for this type of athlete during competition.
Choosing the right foods can influence, and in a great way, both in your sports performance and in improving health, so do not hesitate and adopt these foods in your diet!
Coconut water
Coconut water is one of those products whose popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. With a pleasant taste, greater digestibility than sports drinks (with sugar and/or artificial sweeteners) and also being a good base for a post-exercise recovery shake, this food has risen exponentially in the top 10 of sports foods. Some studies [1] have observed a greater increase in performance vs. other energy drinks, although they have ended up concluding that more research is needed in this regard.
Is coconut water a suitable product for any type of runner?
Coconut water has an insufficient electrolyte profile, especially sodium (although we can find sodium-enriched ones on the market). Therefore, if you are a medium-long distance runner, you should take it into account to cover your needs in another way.
Coconut water is suitable for short duration runs (<1h) as we do not need to cover electrolytes. Therefore, if you are a novice runner or the distances assumed do not require a time longer than 1 hour, it could be an option, although water intake may be sufficient.
- References
1.Chaubey A, Sharma A, Bhatnaga B. Comparative Study on Coconut Water, Carbohydrate Electrolyte Sports Drink and Sodium Enriched Coconut Drink on Measures of Hydration and Physical Performance in Athletes. IORS 2017; 43):46-51.
2 Guest NS, Horne J, Vanderhout SM, El-Sohemy A. Sport Nutrigenomics: Personalized Nutrition for Athletic Performance. Front. Nutr 2019; 6:8.
Curtis PJ, van der Velpen V, Berends L, Jennings A, Feelisch M, Umpleby AM et al3 Blueberries improve biomarkers of cardiometabolic function in participants with metabolic syndromeresults from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019; 6:1535-45.
Dullo A, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M et al. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999; 70(6): 1040-5.
5 Machado AS, da Silva W, Souza MA, Carpes FP. Green Tea Extract Preserves Neuromuscular Activation and Muscle Damage Markers in Athletes Under Cumulative Fatigue. Front Physiol. 2018; 9:1137.
6. Jones AM, Haramizu S, Ranchordas M, Burke L, Stear S, Castell LM. A-Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance-Part 27. Br J Sports Med 2011;45:1246-8.
7 Res P, Goren B, Pennings B, Beelen M, Wallis G, Gijsen A et al. Protein Ingestion before Sleep Improves Postexercise Overnight Recovery. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2012; 44(8): 1560-9.
8. Leyh SM, Williangham BD, Baur DA, Panton LB, Orsmbee MJ. Pre-sleep protein in casein supplement or whole-food form has no impact on resting energy expenditure or hunger in women. Br. J. Nutr. 2018; 1209):988-94.
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