The Steem Running Project: Runner's Rainbow Nutrition Series--Orange

Hello again Steemit runners! I hope everyone is having a fantastic week. We have had some perfect running weather in my part of the world the past few days, so I am making the most out of it by racking up the miles. That also means I am eating lots of nutritious foods to help my body recover from all of my runs. I am back today for some more ideas with the next vibrant hue in the runner’s nutrition rainbow—orange!

Here are some common orange foods to fill out this part of the rainbow:

• Oranges (pretty obvious, I know), including kumquats, clementines, tangerines
• Carrots
• Squash (pumpkin, acorn, butternut, kabocha, etc.)
• Sweet Potatoes
• Papaya
• Mango
• Cantaloupe
• Peaches

You have probably heard about the main nutrient that gives orange-colored foods that pigment—beta-carotene. This antioxidant is a precursor to Vitamin A, which is essential to skin and eye health. Just like lycopene, this nutrient can be very important to help battle sun damage from frequent outdoor running. My running buddy and I just had some lady yell at us on our Sunday run this week about “watching where we were going”, so obviously eye health is important for runners to be able to avoid obstacles out there in the mean streets of suburbia or anywhere you get to run. ;) Side note—we were being very careful in the neighborhood as we always are; the lady was inexplicably crabby for such a lovely day. One tip about beta-carotene is that it is actually absorbed better from cooked food or when paired with a little healthy fat like nuts or avocado. Not that you can’t have your crunchy raw carrots as a snack, but make sure to incorporate some cooked veggies into your weekly routine, as well.

There are quite a few other antioxidants (vitamin C, some B vitamins, alpha-carotene) in orange foods that help the body fight inflammation. I will definitely do a whole series on anti-inflammatory foods, as that is quite important for avid runners. A lot of studies about chronic health conditions and injuries point to inflammation as a possible main culprit. Making sure to include richly colored foods like these vibrant orange ones are one big piece of the puzzle in helping our bodies fight inflammation.

Runners can also benefit from whole food carbohydrates to fuel the recovery process and restore glycogen, so many of these orange-pigmented foods also fit the bill to add much-needed calories to our daily intake. If you are training for longer distances and tend to log a lot of miles or train intensely, you need to make sure you are taking in enough calories to fuel your body properly. Of course it is always a fine balance, so each one of us will have different needs. Immediately following a long run is a great time to consume a higher carbohydrate meal with a complement of high quality protein and fat because your body will be able to immediately use the majority of the carbohydrates to replenish the glucose in your bloodstream and liver/muscle glycogen instead of storing the excess as fat. Sweet potatoes and squash are great options, especially if you opt for a grain-free and/or gluten-free diet. I know I have a bit of a sweet tooth, so eating naturally sweet foods that are high in fiber is a much better way to satisfy that than eating a cupcake full of inflammatory processed sugar and flour stripped of all of the original grain’s nutrients.

Though we have been discussing more of the advantages of the flesh of these brightly colored fruits and vegetables, some of the seeds from this category of foods can also be great for runners. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) in particular have a great nutrient profile. They not only contain a good serving of healthy fat, but they are also high in minerals like zinc, calcium and iron. Women especially tend to be more prone to iron deficiencies which can impact energy levels and running, so including pumpkin seeds into your weekly diet can help boost iron intake. Iron is better absorbed in the presence of vitamin C, so make sure to have some of the pumpkin flesh or some orange slices to get the most benefit.

I really love most orange foods, so I have a hard time picking a favorite. Sweet potatoes might just top the list, though (as you can probably tell from a few of my latest recipes on my personal page). Anyone else have a favorite or want to share their favorite way to serve some up?

For more information about @runningproject please see the latest status report: https://steemit.com/runningproject/@runningproject/the-steem-running-project-7th-status-report-we-are-already-46-approved-runners

Also see the latest update on the 5k training program here: https://steemit.com/running/@runningproject/the-running-project-5k-training-program-week-7

The latest gear update to keep those feet healthy here: https://steemit.com/runningproject/@runningproject/how-to-get-oriented-when-buying-running-shoes

Posted by @plantstoplanks on behalf of the @runningproject