Nowadays, vegetables are often skipped in a diet for fitness in particular and sports in general. Most of people concentrate too much on the amount of proteins, carbohydrates and high-calorie foods, such as steak, oatmeal, eggs or rice. As a consequence, vegetables are out of their priorities. However, vegetables and fruits play an essential role because they provide nutrients to fight against oxidation, diseases, hunger and even accelerate the recovery of muscles.
There are sport stars in the world, including a NFL star, posting photos on Instagram with steak and eggs. Some even include a caption stating that vegetables might make them weaker. This has created a bad example for people, especially the young who often imitate their models’ diets.
In fact, these statements are true to some extent as proteins are vital to build muscles. Though, they make people confused about the role of vegetables in fitness. A lot of professional athletes around the world have confirmed that vegetables are essential. Many of them are even vegetarians.
Nevertheless, you do not need to become a vegetarian if you want to gain benefits of vegetables.
Multivitamin
Vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals that have great effects on our body’s development. Hardly can you find another better source of vitamins. In addition, it is definitely easier for your body to consume nutrients from plants. For example, vitamin B that is present in leafy green vegetables can improve the process of transforming foods into usable energy for our body. Furthermore, nutrients from vegetables reduce the risk of inflammation, oxidative stress and muscle injuries your might encounter from workout.
Some people argue that supplementary foods can bring the same effects and as a result, vegetables are not necessary any more. However, until now, scientists have not had the final conclusion about the real effects of supplementary foods. And even nutrient bars or drinks cannot be as effective and safe as natural ingredients, like vegetables and fruits.
To sum up, experts might not have the comprehensive understanding of vegetables. Yet, they are certain that vegetables are much better than industrial products. For years, studies have shown that vegetable-eating people are less likely to experience obesity and chronic diseases.
3 Types of Vegetables Athletes Should Eat
Increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits is such a great idea and you can apply all types to diversify the taste.
Here are just 3 out of top vegetables you should consider in your daily meals immediately.
Kale
Although every type of vegetables deserves a place in this list, kale is such an outstanding example because of its popularity and health benefits.
There is very little fat in kale. Interestingly, the fat found in kale turns out to be omega-3 fatty acids which have a lot of positive impacts on human health. Being particularly low in calories, kale impresses everyone with its density of nutrients, namely, vitamin A, C, K, B, copper, calcium, magnesium, potassium or manganese… They are also abundant in antioxidant compounds, such as quercetin and kaempferol, that are important to prevent oxidative damage.
Therefore, kale is a wonderful fighter againts inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer…
Sweet Potatoes
As soon as Usain Bolt broke the world record in Beijing Olympics, his father – Wellesley – shared to the media that his son’s secret was “sweet potatoes”. Though there is a variety of sweet potatoes that differ in color, they are all an excellent source of vitamin C, B6, fiber and manganese. Sweet potatoes also contain a great amount of carbohydrates that raise your level of energy effectively. Additionally, athletes can reduce the risk of arthritis efficiently with sweet potatoes thanks to their richness of vitamins, zinc, magnesium and beta-carotene.
Beets
Another secret is open to everyone. There is a significant increase in the number of atheletes from all around the world using beets and their products. Health benefits of beets have even been proved by scientific research. Beets provide folate and betaine, which prevent inflammation and swelling very well. Moreover, beets are super suitable for some types of sports, such as cycling or running, because they provide nitrates to stimulate the release of energy through mitochondria. You can benefit from dietary nitrates which reduce oxygen loss during intense physical activities.
In terms of injury prevention and treatment, beets have alkaline properties that intervene the deposit concentration in the joints. Thus, arthritis is no longer a concern for athletes who are addicted to beets.
In conclusion, almost all people are aware of the importance of vegetables and fruits to their health. Nevertheless, they might not use them regularly because of their obsession with protein-rich foods to build muscles quickly or their hatred of vegetables’ taste.
Making some small and steady changes in the daily diet is a significant step to help you get a better result with your training process. Athletes should think of vegetables and fruits every day since they are great support to make them closer to victories.
