10 foods to achieve success in sports

Do you have sports targets set on your annual agenda? Perfect! We want to help you achieve sporting success, even if they are just personal goals, not professional. So we want to give you a series of tips with 10 foods to achieve success in your sport. A good nutritional base will get you closer to your goals!

1. Tomatoes

Bright red tomatoes get their colour thanks to an antioxidant called lycopene.

Several rstudies have linked diets with an abundant intake of tomatoes with the lowest cancer rates. However, much further investigation into this matter is needed in order to relate the two claims.

How do you keep natural tomatoes in perfect condition at home? Try to store them at room temperature. Do you know why? Because the refrigeration or cooling of tomatoes diminishes their taste.

2. Green leafy vegetables

Arugula, mustard leaves and other green leafy vegetables are an incredible source of fibre and antioxidant vitamins, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C.

Green leafy vegetables in many forms, such as simple salads, are very typical in Mediterranean cuisine.

3. Pasta

Wholewheat pasta has a lower glycemic index than normal pasta. This is the key for anyone at risk for diabetes, as low-GI foods help maintain normal sugar levels. Eating pasta, including vegetables and unsaturated fats (such as olive oil) can also reduce the glycemic index of food.

4. Fruits

The majority of Mediterranean kitchens serve fruit as a dessert, whether that’s an apple, a banana, mascarpone-stuffed figs with strawberries or mangoes in sweet wine.

5.Fish

Fish is a source of lean protein and is also full of omega-3 fatty acids.

And what effect does this have on your body? Omega 3s are fats that protect against abnormal heart rhythms and reduce inflammation. Therefore, for you as an athlete, it can aid you in a faster recovery.

What are the recommended fish? Salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, sardines and lake trout.

6. Beans

Whether dry or canned, beans have a good amount of fibre and vegetable protein.

7. Broccoli

In addition to being an abundant source of fibre and antioxidant vitamins, broccoli and its cousins-cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts) contain cancer-fighting substances called isothiocyanates.

We know that broccoli is perhaps not the most appealing meal for the little ones (and for some adults), but it is essential for your sports goals.

8. Sweet peppers

Red, yellow, green, and even chocolate-coloured…

9. Garlic

Garlic helps to maintain total cholesterol and blood pressure.

There are many different ways to experiment with this flavour, so you should find the one you like the most. A word of advice: keep garlic away from heat and light to avoid germination.

10. Wine

Finally, a recommendation for consumption, but in small amounts…

Studies and Sources Used:

• Mazidi M, Ferns GA, Banach M. A high consumption of tomato and lycopene is associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality: results from a multi-ethnic cohort. Public Health Nutr. 2020 Feb 27:1-7. doi: 10.1017/S1368980019003227.
• Santos HO, Genario R, Gomes GK, Schoenfeld BJ. Cherry intake as a dietary strategy in sport and diseases: a review of clinical applicability and mechanisms of action. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020 Mar 4:1-14. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1734912.
• Mastuo T, Miyata Y, Yuno T, Mukae Y, Otsubo A, Mitsunari K, Ohba K, Sakai H. Molecular Mechanisms of the Anti-Cancer Effects of Isothiocyanates from Cruciferous Vegetables in Bladder Cancer. Molecules. 2020 Jan 29;25(3). pii: E575. doi: 10.3390/molecules25030575.
• Castaldo L, Narváez A, Izzo L, Graziani G, Gaspari A, Minno GD, Ritieni A. Red Wine Consumption and Cardiovascular Health. Molecules. 2019 Oct 8;24(19). pii: E3626. doi: 10.3390/molecules24193626.

Other posts that you may be interested in reading:

• Foods that can ruin your diet. Read it here
• Foods for a good Immune System. Access it here