Runner's World Essential Guides (8 page)

Feta is one of the oldest cheeses in the world. Made from sheep or goat milk, it comes in hard and soft textures and is naturally low in fat. The only drawback is that it’s high in sodium, so either soak the feta in water before serving or eat postrun to replace the salt you’ve sweated out. Parmesan is the easiest way to add complex flavor to pasta and rice dishes, and much more.

Opt for lean turkey slices from breast meat, or low-fat, sliced ham, which is a better choice in a BLT than bacon. Have your meat sliced at a deli because it lasts longer and tastes better than the packaged stuff. Drawback: It won’t last more than five to seven days. If you can’t wait for your number to be called, check the meats’ labels to avoid additives and preservatives that increase the “fridge life” of deli meats. Eggs are also fast, inexpensive, and protein-packed.

Always good to have at least a gallon of H
₂
O cooling in the fridge. Pre-pour water in water bottles so you can grab and run. Mineral waters are great with meals, but the bubbles may cause burps while running. Flavored waters are a huge help for runners who hate the rather unexciting taste of water.

In a 3-ounce serving, you get 15 grams of high-quality protein and a speck of fat in only 70 calories. Add to soups, toss into salads, roll up in a burrito, layer into casseroles, or eat straight out of the can.

Potatoes (white and sweet), onions, garlic, and dried chiles keep well outside the cooler. Carrots, celery, lemons, and limes keep at least a week in the fridge. Always keep frozen vegetables like spinach, peas, beans, and corn for stews, soups, sauces, side dishes, and salads. Pre-cut and diced frozen veggies are a great time saver too.

There’s nothing better for snacking, and they’re useful for cooking. Store nuts in the freezer (they keep longer). Don’t forget to stock nut butters in your pantry.

Store it in the freezer and use it as a flavoring for beans, grains, and vegetable dishes. Add to soups and salads, but remember: An ounce or two goes a long way.

Lean cuts of meat are an excellent protein source—one 3-ounce serving gives you almost half your recommend daily intake. Beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)—particularly if it’s grass-fed—and preliminary research shows that CLA may play a potential role in weight loss and bone health, as well as lowering the risk for heart disease and cancer.

Buy or make your own: Blend together one cup of 100 percent juice (try a mix, such as pineapple, orange, and cranberry) with one cup of fruit chunks or slices (with any edible peel still on), such as peaches, mango, and strawberries. Pour into pop molds and freeze for three hours. The fruit and juices provide reenergizing carbohydrates, potassium, and an array of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, which are found in red and purple fruits and help protect muscle cells.

It’s the middle of the afternoon, dinner is hours away, but your stomach is growling. Should you have a snack? Yes, as long as you choose wisely. When done right, snacking can be a key component of a runner’s daily diet, says sports nutritionist Deborah Shulman. “Eating every three or four hours can help control your appetite.” It can also provide nutrients you need before and after a run, says Pamela M. Nisevich Bede, M.S., R.D., a nutrition consultant for the Web site Swim, Bike, Run, Eat! But be judicious with your mini-meals. Constant grazing can lead to weight gain; have just one or two snacks a day (each between 150 and 250 calories). Avoid prepackaged junk foods, and stick to whole foods or minimally processed options, which will not only satisfy your hunger and cravings, but also provide surprising health benefits, too.

High in fiber and low in calories, popcorn is also a heart-healthy food. In a study presented at the 2009 American Chemical Society national meeting, researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania tested a wide range of whole grains for polyphenol count. Polyphenols are antioxidant plant chemicals that may protect your body from cell and tissue damage linked to heart disease and certain cancers. Researchers found that among snack foods, popcorn has the highest polyphenol level.

Juggling family, work, and training is challenging, and too much stress may raise your heart-disease risk. According to a 2009 study, dark chocolate may help. Researchers gave participants 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate (the size of a matchbook) daily for two weeks. The chocolate reduced stress-hormone levels in anxious participants. There’s also evidence dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure—another key to reducing heart-disease risk, says Shulman. But keep an eye on calories. “It’s like red wine,” says Nisevich Bede. “It can provide health benefits but should be consumed in moderation.”

A study published in the journal
Food Chemistry
discovered that the longer peanuts are roasted, the higher their levels of antioxidants. The extra-long roasting preserves more manganese and vitamin E (which help protect your bones and red blood cells, respectively) than lightly roasted or even raw nuts. Peanuts are rich in protein, fiber, and healthy unsaturated fats—three nutrients that help keep you feeling full. Store small bags of peanuts in your desk drawer, or make your own trail mix with peanuts, dried fruits, cereal, and pretzels, says Nisevich Bede.

Tart cherries have been shown to help relieve soreness; they might also be good for your heart. In a study in the
Journal of Nutrition
, participants drank about eight ounces of tart cherry juice or a placebo twice a day for two weeks. Researchers found the juice reduced oxidative damage, which can contribute to heart disease. The juice’s protective qualities come from its high level of antioxidants. “Your body creates antioxidants,” says Shulman, “but it’s important to eat and drink foods rich in them, too.” Although juice lacks the fiber of whole fruit, “it’s an excellent source of carbohydrate,” says Nisevich Bede, making it a good choice for recovering after a run.

Turns out the breakfast of champions can help speed recovery after a tough workout. In a study published in 2009 in the
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
, cyclists rode for two hours and then ate whole-grain cereal with fat-free milk or drank a carbohydrate sports drink. Several days later they repeated the test. Researchers found the pantry staple replenishes energy stores equally as well as sports drinks. Milk also provides quality protein, which is ideal for muscle recovery postrun, says Shulman—making this less-expensive (and less-processed) option a smart postrun snack.

Eat Better:
When buying cereal, skip brands that have sugar listed as the first or second ingredient. Those products contain too much sweetener to be healthy.

Pop Your Own:
Plain kernels contain no extra calories and taste fresher. Add herbs, spices, or nuts.

Watch the Fat:
Choose prepackaged popcorn that’s 90 percent fat-free. Or go with nonbuttered brands and add a touch of butter spray.

Bump up Cacao:
The higher the percentage, the more antioxidants.

Avoid Alkali:
Also called Dutch-processed, alkali destroys nutrients.

Pass on Oils:
Bars with vegetable or hydrogenated oils are of poorer quality.

Go for Dry Roasted:
Other methods that add oils or sugar up the fat and calories.

Look for Skins:
Peanuts with their skins contain high levels of antioxidants.

Skip the Salt:
Presalted peanuts often have added oils.

Up the Fiber:
It should have at least three to five grams of fiber per serving.

Go Whole:
Look for whole wheat or other whole grains in the ingredients.

Avoid Sugar:
It should have fewer than seven to nine grams per 100 calories.

Science:
Scientists in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, gave runners two cups of either chicken-noodle soup or water before a 90-minute run in the heat. Compared to those who had water prerun, runners who ate the soup had better hydration and electrolyte levels postworkout. Researchers think the soup’s sodium made subjects thirstier, which encouraged them to drink more.

Action:
Before a hot run, have some soup with about 800 milligrams of sodium per cup to promote drinking midrun.

Science:
Exercise physiologists from Rutgers University gave participants a black tea extract or placebo for nine days and put them through a strenuous workout. Compared to the placebo group, participants who received black tea supplements had significantly lower amounts of muscle soreness and damage. Researchers believe catechins, the antioxidants in black tea and green tea, were responsible for reducing inflammation.

Action:
Drink one or two cups of black or green tea a day to increase the amount of catechins in your diet and perhaps stave off muscle soreness.

Science:
Researchers at the University of South Carolina gave lab animals a supplement of quercetin, a compound found in apples, for several days. They ran the animals on a treadmill until exhaustion and inoculated them with the influenza virus. Animals that received the quercetin supplement were less likely to get sick than those that did not receive the supplement.

Action:
Make foods high in quercetin (apples, onions, garlic, and broccoli) part of your diet, especially after an intense or long run, when your immune system is fragile.

Science:
Scientists at two universities in Minnesota gave runners drinks with or without caffeine (equal to two cups of coffee) one hour before a VO2 max test. Participants who had caffeine experienced a 4 percent increase in VO2 max and a 3 percent increase in lactate threshold. This performance boost can translate into a 30-second improvement in 10-K time.

Action:
Have one or two cups of coffee or tea an hour before a hard workout or race for a potential drop in times.

Science:
Researchers in Melbourne, Australia, put participants through two bouts of exhaustive exercise to drain glycogen stores. Researchers then gave the athletes a large dose of carbs, either with or without caffeine. Within four hours, caffeine boosted glycogen rebuilding by 66 percent compared to carbohydrate alone.

Action:
After a hard run, refuel with a carb-rich meal along with coffee, tea, or a caffeinated energy drink to boost recovery.

Most supermarkets stock more than 30,000 items, yet every time we race up and down the aisles of the grocery store, we toss into our carts the same 10 to 15 foods. Which isn’t such a bad thing, as long as you’re taking home the right foods—ones that will keep you healthy, fuel peak performance, and easily cook up into lots of delicious meals. So before your next trip to the grocery store, add the following 25 foods to your must-buy list.

Runners should eat a small handful of almonds at least three to five times per week. Nuts, especially almonds, are an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that many runners fall short on because there are so few good food sources of it. Studies have shown that eating nuts several times per week lowers circulating cholesterol levels, particularly the artery-clogging LDL type, decreasing your risk for heart disease. And the form of vitamin E found in nuts, called gamma-tocopherol (a form not typically found in supplements), may also help protect against cancer. Add almonds and other nuts to salads or pasta dishes, use as a topping for casseroles, or throw them into your bowl of hot cereal for extra crunch. Combine with chopped dried fruit, soy nuts, and chocolate bits for a healthy and tasty trail mix.