We continue our journey through the wondrous world of NN Running Team nutrition. This Food Friday we have prepared a wonderfully refreshing, slightly zesty, and dazzlingly delicious fruit salad with mint dressing.
You know what they say: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," but why stop at just one apple when you can feast like a fruitarian and become an unstoppable force of nature on the track, the trail, the road, or even in your daily routine? We're about to squeeze out the juicy details of why fruits are the ultimate endurance athlete's best friend.
Endurance athletes in particular can significantly benefit from consuming sufficient and varied fruits. Fruits are a natural powerhouse; a fast energy supplier due to the 'fast sugars' (fructose/glucose), and they contain lots of essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can positively impact an athlete's overall health. 5 reasons why incorporating sufficient and varied fruits is a fundamental part of your diet as endurance athletes to optimize performance:
- Energy and Carbohydrates: Endurance athletes require a steady supply of energy to sustain prolonged physical activity. Fruits are rich in natural sugars, particularly fructose and glucose, which provide easily digestible carbohydrates.
- Micronutrients: Fruits are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants. These nutrients play a vital role in immune function and cellular restoration caused by intense physical activity.
- Anti-inflammatory Properties: Intense endurance training can cause inflammation in the muscles/body, leading to delayed recovery and increased risk of injury. Many fruits, such as berries, contain anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce inflammation.
- Gut Health: A healthy intestinal flora is essential for nutrient absorption and the immune system. Fruits are rich in dietary fibre, which supports gut health.
- Weight Management: For endurance athletes, maintaining healthy body weight is crucial for optimal performance. They provide a satisfying and nourishing option to satisfy sweet cravings.
The refreshing and zesty taste of the mint leaves is not the only thing, mint has more positive properties. For countless centuries mint has been cherished for its natural medicinal properties. The green leaves of mint are soothing for our digestive organs and also have an antimicrobial function that makes it nature's very own antibiotic. So, keep calm and mint on!
What: A fruit salad with mint dressing, as a healthy snack, or as a side dish with a summer BBQ with your running friends.
Why: Because fresh seasonal fruit is healthy, delicious, and indispensable in your running diet. The different colors of the fruit also look delicious and joyful.
How: Cutting fruit for about 15 minutes, mix, serve, and done!
When: Can be used before and after your workout. As fuel and as recovery for your muscles to refill your glucose stores.
Nutrition
Per person
- Energy (kcal) 108
- Carbohydrates (g) 26
- Protein (g) 1
- Fat (g) 0
- Saturated fat (g) 0
- Fibre (g) 3
- Magnesium (mg) 22
- Vitamine C 49
Ingredients:
- 1 bowl full of freshly mixed seasonal fruit to your taste, cut into pieces! (Such as mango, pineapple, watermelon, strawberry, banana, currant, raspberry, grape, apple, pear, apricot, peach...).
- 1 bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked.
- 1 lime squeezed out.
- 2 tablespoons coconut blossom sugar / light brown sugar.
How to prepare:
- Peel (when necessary) and cut the fresh fruit into edible pieces. Toss the fruit together in a bowl with the lime juice.
- In a pestle and mortar, bash the mint leaves. Add the sugar and mix again gently. If you don't have a mortar, use a cutting board and a chef's knife to chop the leaves very finely. Then mix the sugar on the cutting board.
- Add half of the mint-sugar mixture to the fruit. Spread it all out on a scale/plate and spoon the mint-sugar mixture on top.
Looking for more healthy recipes or food inspiration? You can find all of our #FoodFriday deliciousness here.