A vegan, vegetarian, or simply plant-based runner can achieve as good results as one who does not give up meat and animal products. A balanced plant-based diet is based on five basic groups of products that are able to provide the body with all nutrients (including protein, iron) and strength for increased physical exertion. The authors of the book "Kitchen for runners. Strength from plants" - two runners and a dietitian suggest how to do it he althy and delicious.
Anyone who wants to get to know a kitchen based solely on plant products can reach for this book. We also invite you to read people looking for ideas for a varied diet that will provide enough energy for everyday activities, as well as for training and competitions.
Vegetable cuisine is usually divided into five product groups:
- grains and derivatives (groats, pasta, flakes),
- legumes,
- vegetables,
- fruit,
- seeds and nuts.
An additional group of products, looking at the topic more from the culinary than dietary point of view, are spices and herbs - fresh, dried or spicy, in grains.
IMPORTANT! In order for the diet to be wholesome, it is worth adopting a simple rule: ingredients from all groups should be on the menu during the day. Ideally, each meal consists of products from at least four groups, with particular emphasis on seeds and nuts.
Legumes
Due to the high content of biologically valuable proteins, they are especially valuable for athletes. They have a number of culinary uses, such as dishes replacing meat dishes. The pods are also very filling. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. If you're planning to lose weight, including legumes in your menu will help, as you'll fill them up despite your calorie deficit.
On the contrary, if you have trouble consuming a significant amount of food in order to provide yourself with a large number of calories. The solution is to cook the legumes until soft and blend them. Bean grains can be difficult to eat, but bean burgers are easy to swallow. Also, remember about soybean preserves. Tofu and tempeh togreat and tasty sources of protein that are prepared quickly. They are also more easily digestible than legumes. Try to choose tofu enriched with calcium valuable for bones. Another soybean product to include on the menu is soy milk with added calcium.
Don't be afraid to reach for canned vegetables, which are cooked very quickly. Rumors of their harmfulness are false, and the only drawback of canned vegetables is the large amount of s alt, which can be easily rinsed out with running water.
Some people have trouble digesting legumes. In such a situation, it helps to soak for many hours with changing the water and cook for a long time. A more sophisticated method is soaking in a half-percent solution of sodium bicarbonate, popularly known as baking soda. To obtain such a solution, dissolve 15 mg of baking soda in 300 ml of water per 100 g of pods. This treatment reduces the amount of substances that impede digestion and increases the availability of protein, while the nutritional value remains the same2.
Whole grain cereal products
The cereal palette is very diverse. From corn, through groats and rice, to pasta, bread and other products made of low-processed flour. All these products find their place in the plant-based diet. Since they're an excellent source of carbohydrates, they should be a large part of a runner's diet.
Good quality bread, cereals, cereals, homemade muesli or popcorn made without fat are a tasty and valuable choice.
seeds, pips, nuts
They are an excellent source of he althy fat, vitamins soluble in it, and he alth-promoting phytochemicals. Due to their interesting taste, they are also a valuable culinary addition. It is also worth reaching for peanut butters made from ground nuts. Prepare them yourself or look for versions without hardened fats in stores.
Surprisingly, this group also includes avocados. Botanically recognized as a fruit, cultured as a vegetable, and by nutritionists as a source of fat.
Since unprocessed sources of fat have more nutritional value than oils, it is better to use linseed than pressed oil and olives than olive oil.
Vegetables
Except for the pods, they are low in calories. However, all of them are rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Keep your plate colorful with vegetables. Also, don't forget about mushrooms - although they are not biologically plants, they are considered vegetables. They do not bring much nutritional value, but they have a lot of he alth-promoting properties and contain vitamin D2, which is deficient inour latitude.
Fruits
They are as high in nutritional value as vegetables, but slightly more caloric. And good! As a runner, you need he althy calories in the form of fruit carbohydrates. If you also want to provide your body with more energy for training or competition, use dried fruit, which is easier to eat in large quantities. Don't worry about fructose, there's much more of it in processed foods.
The listed products should account for 80-90% of your calorie requirement. Because they are nutritionally dense, they provide the body with the right amount of ingredients conducive to form and he alth.
As you probably noticed, there are no sugar, oils, white bread or pale pasta among them. Does that mean you can't eat them? If you were not running, I would very much encourage you to remove these products from your menu. But as a runner, you need affordable calories. Also the "empty" ones, so spend 10-20% of your energy budget on such products. You can also find highly processed foods, such as sweets or white flour items.
This will be useful to youThe book "Kitchen for runners. Strength from plants" by Violetta Domaradzka, Robert Zakrzewski and Damian Parolawill interest everyone who has been thinking about switching to a plant-based diet for a long time, but did not know how to "bite" the topic. The book has lots of practical tips on how to get started, what to buy, and how quickly to make changes to your kitchen and life. And as many as 140 recipes for breakfasts, lunches, soups, main courses, salads, bread additives, cocktails, drinks and sweets, including special recipes for dishes that should be included in your diet during training and sports competitions. All dishes are easy to prepare, and the recipes have been checked in action by the authors and provided with photos that stimulate the appetite.
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