Food For ... Summer Running
It’s time to add some summer sunshine into your food plan so today we are talking about some summer foods which are not only delicious but will also support your running performance during the summer time.
We are looking at 4 different summertime foods and outline the nutritional properties of each and then consider how they could be added as part of your meal plan with some menu ideas.
Finally, we’ll share a 1-day menu plan using these 4 foods:
1. New Potatoes
2. Tomatoes
3. Watermelon
4. Radishes
SHOW NOTES
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New Potatoes – key nutritional properties
New Potatoes are delicious and tasty, and because they are small they are quick and easy to cook.
The key macronutrient in potatoes is Carbohydrate, we know if we don’t have optimal carbohydrate in our food plans that may be a limiting factor in our running performance.
In an average portion of 125g or just over 5oz there is 25g CHO – that is approximately 4 baby potatoes – that would be a portion for everyday nutrition so for an endurance runner following an athletes portion plate they would likely have double or treble that portion for one meal time.
There is no FAT, and approx. 3g of protein in the 125g portion size, and there is a small amount of fibre – 2g. When potatoes are cooked and then left to become cold, they develop “resistant starch” which is helpful for digestive health as resistant starch feeds colonic bacteria so supports your microbiome. So, eating a cold potato or a potato salad is recommended as being good for your gut! Potatoes are a high GI food – so the glucose content will get into your blood stream quickly. Some ultra-runners and ironman athletes eating boiled skinless potatoes as part of their fueling during events.
If you want to lower the GI/GL effect you may do this by combining eating them alongside some protein – ideal for after training or racing.
The way you cook a potato will also affect its GI content – baking is higher than boiling – all to do with the changes in chemical structure when you cook. Cooled potatoes also have a lower GI.
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Reviewing the outcome of a 2019 Study - Potato ingestion is as effective as carbohydrate gels to support prolonged cycling performance.
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The key micronutrients in potatoes are:
· Vitamin C (at 27g per portion). Vitamin C is important for collagen production and iron absorption
· Vitamin B6 – a small amount at 0.2mg per portion – important for carbohydrate and protein metabolism
· Potassium – there is more potassium in a portion of potatoes than a banana – potatoes 620g and banana around 400g!! Potassium is an important electrolyte. We often lose potassium in sweat so it’s important to replenish – so eating potatoes as part of your post run meal would be supportive
· Another class of nutrients in potatoes are Carotenoids, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin, are found mostly in yellow and red potatoes, although small amounts are also found in white potatoes
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Food ideas for using new potatoes include: plain boiled with fresh mint, lightly roasted with garlic and rosemary, served hot or cold with dressings or dips, sliced into frittatas or egg muffins, patatas brava
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Tomatoes – Key Nutritional Properties
One of the nutrients in tomatoes most researched is LYCOPENE, which is an antioxidant and the redder a tomato is the more lycopene it’ll contain. It’s a fat-soluble nutrient so eating your tomatoes alongside some olive oil would be a great...
