What are good foods for runners to eat?
Monday, July 26th, 2010 at
4:56 PM
im training for cross country and i need help coming up with good foods to eat mi coaches say foods high in potassium HELP!!! please i need food ideas
Filed under: High Potassium
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* Pasta. Pre-race pasta parties are popular for a reason – and that’s because if you’re competing in a race such as a marathon, pasta can make the difference between hitting the wall or steaming straight through it! Pasta is an easily digestible, extremely varied dish that provides slow-release energy – which is exactly what a marathon runner needs. Even if your event of choice isn’t the marathon, pasta is still an excellent, low-fat staple to have – and combined with low-fat protein such as lean mince or tuna, it makes an excellent runner’s refuelling package.
* Bananas. The original snack food, readily available and requiring no preparation, the banana is the healthy equivalent of fast food. It is ideal for rapid refuelling and comes in its own biodegradable wrapper! For slower-release energy, choose greener fruit, whereas if you’re after more of a quick energy ‘hit’ then get browner, riper fruit, as the different colour indicates that the banana has more fruit sugar – which makes it better for a post-run snack.
Try include them too in some of your main meals such as Breakfast, Lunch and Tea.
definitely eat bananas. theyre good and good for you and help prevent cramping. any fruits are also good. pasta/breads is really good for energy and all that good stuff. be sure to drink lots and lots of water.
Carbs:
Bananas, Bread, Ramen Noodles, Pasta, etc.
Protein:
Protein bars, beef jerkey, etc.
Hydration:
WATER and Gatorade.
Your best foods are complex carbohydrates all of the time and protein after training.
Potassium with magnesium will help reduce cramps.
Just eating potassium is not a good idea.
you’ll need carbs and protein. potassium is important, and so is calcium. potassium and calcium or almost identical minerals and work great together. that is why they often are put together in a supplement. i would just get a bottle of vitamins and minerals.
Fruits and vegetables with a lot of water and pasta and rice
Drink lots of chocolate milk! There’s a 30 minute "window" after you finish running when it’s the best time to eat and drink. If you can’t get something in that 30 minutes, within 2 hours is good too.
Chocolate milk will refill your muscles with protein and goes down easier than food. It’s also been proven to be more effective than gatorade or sports drinks, but those are good too.
Before running, I would say a banana, granola bar, cereal. Just stay away from high fiber, fat, and dairy, because those tend to give stomach aches.
After races, a parent always brings us sports drinks and bagels, as well as fruit snacks and granola bars. I think it’s mainly what works for you though!