Weird Foods for Athletes
by Dana-Susan Crews
For today's post, we recommend that you sit back, put your feet up, and open up a big cold jar of pickle juice. Mmmm, right?
Endurance athletes make some interesting choices when it comes to electrolyte replacement and energizing food weapons. Here are a few of the most popular and why athletes choose them...
- Pickle juice. For many years, sports medicine professionals have recommended pickle juice. It was first used by athletic trainers in the NFL to help reduce muscle cramps. The mixture of salt, water and vinegar really helps athletes who sweat a lot. A lot of sodium is lost in sweat and pickle juice offers a quick replacement of sodium as well as potassium and magnesium. Some researchers believe that the vinegar also aids in reducing muscle cramps. You will see pickle juice offered on many race courses now, especially century rides, long distance triathlons and ultra marathons.
- Chocolate milk. Well, it's not just for kids anymore! Ask endurance athletes what their favorite post workout recovery drink is and you'll hear a lot of praise for chocolate milk. In some studies, chocolate milk was shown to have the perfect mix of carbohydrate and protein to help restore muscles and replenish depleted fuel stores. In addition, milk has sodium, potassium and magnesium which athletes need after a hard workout. Plus it has calcium and vitamin D.
- Coconut water. It's one of the latest trends in "sports drinks". It is considered a natural sports drink filled with potassium. There is not much sodium in coconut water which is typically recommended for heavy sweaters, but a lot of endurance athletes swear by the increased energy levels they feel after drinking coconut water.
- Beetroot juice. Especially popular with long distance cyclists, beetroot juice is becoming more and more common with endurance athletes who swear by its ability to increase stamina. According to nutritionists, this may be the result of it increasing nitric acid in the body which reduces energy requirements of muscles so you can exercise with less oxygen. On a side note, if you do start drinking beetroot juice, don't freak out when your pee turns red!
- Potatoes with salt. Tiny potatoes sprinkled with salt are a perfect starchy nutrient. It is recommended that they are baked or boiled and wrapped in foil so they can be easily carried in your Bento box or in your fuel belt. Rice balls are another salty starch recommended. Both are easy to absorb.
I asked runners and triathletes to tell me their favorite pre or post workout food/drink and here are some of their answers...
- Bagel with peanut butter and honey
- One cup of cooked oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of honey
- Banana and one cup of coconut water
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
- Small piece of grilled chicken with one cup of rice (night before the race)
- Cup of green tea and two boiled eggs
- Wild salmon with avocado
- Cup of coffee (with almond milk) and cinnamon dusted apple slices
- Egg white omelet
- Smoothie with turmeric
What are some of your favorite fuel sources for your workouts?
What About Coffee?
by Dana-Susan Crews
According to legend, coffee was discovered in the Ethiopian highlands by a goatheard called Kaldi. It is said that his discovery was accidental, something that happened when he noticed that after eating the "berries" from a certain tree, his goats became so spirited they did not want to sleep at night.
Later Kaldi reported this to the local monastery who began making a drink with the berries and discovered they were able to stay alert for the long hours of evening prayer. Finally word spread about the energizing effects of these berries, even reaching the Arabian peninsula and then, it spread all over the world.
Today coffee is grown in many countries, all of which can trace their heritage to the trees in the ancient coffee forests of Ethiopia. Approximately 75% of Americans drink coffee on a regular basis.
Caffeine is a drug. It is well absorbed from the stomach and intestine and peak blood levels occur about 45-60 minutes after consumption. Caffeine stimulates the brain. It increases blood pressure and pulse rate. It also increases stomach acid. Some coffee drinkers report acid reflux, anxiety and even insomnia.
Because of some of its negative effects, consumption of caffeine in the general public is something often heavily debated. Is it good or bad to drink coffee? Some studies suggest that caffeine has some health benefits. For example, by stimulating the brain, it is said to make you smarter. It is suggested that it can aid in weight loss and could lower your risk for Type II Diabetes. It might even help decrease your risk for developing Alzheimer's. Some research shows that there are antioxidants in coffee too.
So, with all the mixed research, what are your thoughts? Should endurance athletes drink coffee? It seems that a vast majority of triathletes and runners regularly drink coffee. Although the International Olympic Committee lists caffeine as a restricted drug (in high levels), most athletes consume coffee to give them energy to endure. Some athletes have come close to the restricted amount in drug testing and were almost banned from participating in their competition.
It is suggested that caffeine before a long race (i.e. Ironman or marathon running) may have some benefit because the longer the race, the more important fat is as fuel. According to a 2014 article by sport nutritionist Cynthia Sass, there are some important guidelines for endurance athletes drinking coffee...
- Don't over do it. The maximum amount of caffeine recommended for enhancing performance with minimal side effects is up to 6 mg per kg body weight (about 16 ounces of coffee per day for a 150 pound woman).
- Avoid high calorie coffee drinks. Instead, keep it healthy with options like almond milk and cinnamon instead of cream and sugar.
- Stay consistent with your intake. Don't have 2 cups one day and 4 the next. Your intake should be steady so your body adjusts which counters dehydration.
- Continue to drink water as your main beverage of choice! You must stay hydrated.
- Do not drink coffee or any caffeinated beverage six hours before bedtime.
What about you? Do you drink coffee before your workouts or races? What are the positives and negatives you have discovered?
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