Superfoods are products with amazing nutritional properties. What are superfoods really? What are the benefits of eating them? And can adding them to the diet really affect the athlete's form? Here are the characteristics of superfood, how it works for athletes, and an overview of the products that are noteworthy.
Superfood is not only about exotic chia seeds, spirulina and goji berries. Superfoods is a common term for foods that contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals. However, there is no scientific explanation as to which foods can be called superfoods. What does this term actually mean and can it have a meaning in sports?
What is superfood?
Superfoods are supposed to contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals. However, there is no scientific definition of super food. Their group most often includes vegetables and fruits. These include chia seeds, goji berries and aloe vera. Among Polish vegetables, broad beans and beetroot, and more specifically beet juice, deserve to be called great.
Since there is no term superfood in medicine, where did it come from? Well, it is a product of marketing. For this reason, we have to be careful about advertising abuse. Everything that is he althy is more and more often called super food. However, to actually deserve this name, the food must contain above-average amounts of vitamins and minerals, or a rare combination of nutrients. As a result, superfoods should be a vitamin bomb or provide he alth-promoting substances that are difficult to reach.
Action of superfoods on athletes
An athlete's body is like a car in first gear. It burns a lot of energy and produces a lot of exhaust gas. Its metabolism is at full speed and therefore needs the best quality fuel. A person who trains intensively has a much greater need not only for macronutrients, but also for micronutrients.
Workouts cause oxidative stress, which should be reduced to some extent with antioxidants. You can find these in abundance in superfoods. These are vitamins C and E, and for example resveratrol. B vitamins, magnesium and potassium will affect the proper functioning of the muscles and the nervous system, as well as the cooperation between them. Unfortunately, the usual sterilized vegetables andfruit is not able to meet the needs of an athlete's orgasm.
An athlete who does not get enough micronutrients, even if he is providing enough calories, will go on and on. His body will say enough at some point and the form will drop dramatically. It is worth remembering that food is not only fuel in the form of calories, but also substances responsible for regeneration and increase in efficiency. To function properly, this machine needs much more attention and more expensive fuel.
Diet is 70% of an athlete's success. The remaining 30% is hard work in training. To be possible, however, nutrition and supplementation must play. However, it will be less important if we properly balance the diet.
Top 10 superfoods for athletes
Although the list of the best foods for people who practice sports is much longer, these products won our hearts. Here is a selection of the top 10 products necessary in the athlete's diet in our opinion.
- Beet juice
Beet juice has become very popular in endurance sports. He even earned the nickname "legal doping". It is related to the content of nitrogen compounds - nitrates. Its effect on the body is very positive. Due to the release of nitric oxide (NO) compounds, blood vessels and arteries widen, which results in better oxygenation of the heart and a reduction in oxygen consumption by muscles during exercise. Simply put, beetroot juice improves efficiency, and additionally is a source of valuable vitamins and minerals.
- Goji berries
Used in Chinese medicine for a long time. They are often called the he althiest fruits in the world. This is due to their enormous dose of antioxidants. Thanks to their properties, they can positively affect the work of the brain.
- Chia seeds
Chia seeds are valued for the fact that they contain a huge amount of omega 3 fatty acids. Spanish sage is also a great source of calcium and iron. All these substances are extremely important for athletes. Omega 3 protects the brain, improves its function and improves the functioning of the nervous system. For martial arts fighters, it is the basis of supplementation for reasons of protection against brain injuries. Iron contributes to the better transport of oxygen through the blood, and calcium helps to maintain strong and he althy bones.
- Walnuts
Basically all nuts are a mine of nutrients. Here, however, it is easiest to find walnuts. Nutcrackers grow freely throughout the country. Nutsthey contain he althy fats and a lot of valuable B vitamins. Additionally, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin E and copper. Their appearance slightly resembles the human brain and this association is correct because they actually have a positive effect on its work
- Aronia
Aronia is another Polish superfood that is often underestimated. It is recommended for people suffering from hypertension. It can be used as an additive to add juice to water. It is a great source of antioxidants, vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorus and iron.
- Honey
Honey is sweet, delicious and very he althy. You can draw from it in handfuls, as long as not straight from the bee's hollow. It has antibacterial properties, improves regeneration, detoxifies and strengthens immunity. The properties of honey depend on its type, but it should be remembered that it loses it under the influence of heat.
- Chocolate
But not milky, so liked by everyone. Only good quality, with the highest cocoa content (from 70% up), made from raw, unprocessed cocoa beans. Such chocolate contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are best absorbed by the body. Cocoa helps reduce oxidative stress due to high levels of magnesium, chromium, B vitamins and antioxidants (polyphenols, catechins, epicatechins).
These substances help to shorten the recovery time after training. Cocoa beans are also one of the best sources of magnesium, corresponding to, inter alia, for muscle relaxation. Moderate amounts of chocolate promote positive changes in muscle fibers, thanks to which it is possible to improve their endurance. For example, nutritionists recommend that runners consume about 30-40 grams of dark chocolate (i.e. 5 cubes) or one tablespoon of dark cocoa per day.
- Turmeric
Turmeric is a natural source of curcumin, which is especially recommended for people who train martial arts. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and increases the body's resistance.
- Garlic
Garlic is a natural antibiotic. Athletes should eat it from time to time to improve immunity. It will also be an ideal solution for minor colds. Garlic also has a positive effect on the work of the heart, which is heavily burdened by exercise in people who train.
- Broad beans
Finally, a Polish superfood that few people remember. I'm talking about Bob, of course. It's worth iteat it in season because it has tons of nutrients. It is primarily a great alternative to meat, due to its high protein content, like all other legumes. It can also lower the level of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood.
It's important to remember that not everything that is called superfods is actually superfods. Often the food we eat every day is better for us than "fashionable" dishes imported from abroad. We should remember that it is not without reason that different plants grow in different parts of the globe, and our body adapts to life in certain latitudes.
About the authorTomasz Piotrowski He is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist. He gained his knowledge from the best experts in the fitness industry in Poland. He has several years of experience working as a dietitian in a private facility in Krakow and experience in working as a personal trainer. He also writes expert articles on he alth, training and supplementation, and works in the supplement industry. He is passionate about fist fencing.Read more articles from this author