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Recommended
Based on interviews with
sports nutritionists and physicians,
the Chicago Tribune came up with these
"super foods" for athletes and weekend
athletes, especially during the active
months of spring and summer
The 10 best foods:
Water.
The top choice of all the experts
consulted. It's necessary throughout
the year, but especially in the spring
and summer during outdoor exercise.
Replacing lost fluids with water (supplementing
with low-sugar sports drinks and diluted
juices is OK) will allow your body
to operate at peak efficiency. Plus,
when properly hydrated, your body
then can take advantage of all the
other nutrients on this superfoods
list
Bananas.
Easy to carry, peel and eat. They're
a quick source of carbohydrates and
are packed with potassium, which encourages
muscle contraction and a regular heartbeat
Broccoli. Provides
90 percent of the recommended daily
allowance of vitamin A and twice the
RDA of vitamin C per 1-cup serving.
Also rich in fiber and potassium
Lean red meats and dark-meat
poultry. Some exercisers
overlook the iron and zinc content
of red meat when deciding to lean
more toward fish for protein. Lean
cuts of red meat (anything with "loin"
or "round") are great foods for recreational
athletes; if you choose to pass up
red meat, dark-meat chicken without
the skin is another good iron source
Oranges. A great
way to get vitamin C and folic acid,
oranges also help the body absorb
calcium. Eating whole oranges is best,
to get more fiber into the diet
Skim milk and yogurt.
The most efficient food source of
calcium, milk keeps bones strong.
If you don't like the taste of milk
or can't tolerate its lactose content,
fruited yogurt is an alternative
Tomatoes. A fast-riser,
because of their lycopene content.
Researchers are finding out all sorts
of encouraging things about the antioxidant's
ability to fight cancer, particularly
for men concerned about prostate cancer.
Research shows that lycopene is significantly
better absorbed by the body when tomatoes
are cooked
Beans and legumes.
Take your pick of this category that
offers both carbohydrates and protein
Sweet potatoes. Packed
with beta carotene and other antioxidants
to go along with a carbohydrate boost.
Natural sweetness allows you to skip
the butter and sour cream
Whole grains. An
essential part of an athlete's diet.
Whole-wheat and whole-grain breads
are the start for sandwiches containing
a variety of foods and can be carried
throughout the day
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