A balanced diet is always the basis of good nutrition. However, many people end up removing lots of the nutritional value from their food without realising it. Clean eating is a great practice to counteract this.
Eat clean and stay fit!
Clean eating is a concept that strives to make sure that you get the most out of your diet. Many food preparation methods – boiling and frying, we are looking at you – dramatically reduce the nutrients left in your food once it gets onto your plate.
Runners need all the vitamins, proteins and minerals they can get to effectively fuel up before running. Generally organic fruits and vegetable are ideal for runners. Organic fruit and vegetables have fewer pesticides and are often grown in more natural environments. Of course, getting fruits and veggies onto your plate is more important, in the greater scheme of things, than the origins of those food stuffs.
Fruits and vegetables for runners – the how-to guide
There are a few guidelines to preparing fruits and vegetables for runners:
- Wash vegetables that are not pre-prepared with cool water and a vegetable brush.
- Never soak fruits or vegetables in any form of detergent – and avoid soaking them in water too.
- Remove the outer leaves of leafy vegetables to avoid pesticides (lettuce, cabbage, etc.)
- A greater variety makes for a nourished runner.
There is no need to avoid frozen fruits and vegetables – flash frozen produce retains its nutrients. - The fresher your fruits and vegetables are, the more nutritious they are.
- Make sure that you eat at least two portions of fruits or vegetables every meal.
Great fruits and vegetables for runners
Fruit
Oranges
Blueberries
Cherries
Cranberries
Pomegranate
Bananas
Dates
Grapes
Vegetables
Sweet potato
Mixed greens
Kale
Soy
Tomatoes
Broccoli
If none of these get you jumping to start grocery shopping, find a mix of fruits and vegetables that you like. When it comes to making sure that you get a variety, remember to mix colours and tastes. Generally different nutrients are linked to specific colours and tastes.