Five Superfoods Popular with Athletes
- Oatmeal
- Sweet Potatoes
- Avocados
- Dark Leafy Greens
- Salmon
Determined to get to the top level of their physical abilities, there are superfoods athletes swear by to achieve their own fitness goals. Serious athletes always strive to be the best version of themselves and push their limits to the edge. When an individual undergoes intense training, he or she needs to fuel the body with the highest quality food available. Consuming these superior foods will not only improve performance, but they also can be quite tasty. While these foods are not the complete list of superfoods an athlete needs, they should be considered by anyone who wants to improve their overall training regimen.
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Oatmeal
It has often been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As an athlete, kicking the day off with a bowl of oatmeal can provide a source of energy. As a slow digesting food, oatmeal can help keep the body full for hours and help fuel a workout in the afternoon or evening. Other high caliber foods can easily be added to it, like bananas or almonds. As a food that is both convenient to prepare and versatile, oatmeal is a superfood athletes swear by to start the day.
Sweet Potatoes
The sweet potato is a complex carbohydrate that can truly provide myriad health benefits. For athletes, a sweet potato is a great option after a long training session. After intense training, the body will drop glycogen levels. Sweet potatoes help bring back your glycogen levels back up. Just like oatmeal, athletes swear by this superfood because it also has slow digesting carbohydrates to keep them full. The potassium contained in this superfood is also quite high, which will help prevent muscle fatigue.
Avocados
An avocado is a fruit with plenty of healthy fats athletes need to perform at a high level. Packed with fiber and nutrients, the avocado can be a sustainable source of energy for any athlete. It can also be a great post recovery food because of the high level of potassium. In fact, according to Medical News Today, an avocado contains more potassium than a banana (Bjarnadottir, 2017). Avocados are also comprised of critical vitamins and other nutrients, and athletes swear by this superfood for peak performance in daily functioning or exercise.
Dark Leafy Greens
No other food may be as nutrient-dense as dark leafy greens. Athletes should incorporate this superfood daily into daily meals as part of a superior eating plan. If athletes are not number one fans of dark greens, they can consider blending them in with a smoothie. It is quite easy to mix in a handful of spinach in with your breakfast smoothie to add a powerful punch. Or bake a tray of kale in the oven with some spices and herbs for a delicious alternative to potato chips. Having a variety of ways to prepare dark leafy greens help makes it an athlete superfood worth choosing.
Salmon
Salmon is known for having an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids. While these fatty acids have been known to help with our heart health, that isn’t the only reason an athlete should consume it. The omega-3 fatty acids can also help with a sore body following workouts. Salmon is also high in protein, a key component for athletes looking to build quality lean muscle. This is truly a great all-around food athletes swear by.
To be the best version of themselves, athletes consume the highest quality foods available. Athletes swear by these superfoods to help them conquer their fitness goals.
