Chickpeas: A Great Source of Fiber, Potassium, and Protein!

Whether you call them Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas, this funny sounding food is packed with great nutrition particularly for a runner. Chickpeas are a fiber-rich food. Fiber-rich foods not only help keep you regular, but they help you feel full longer.  Fiber (especially soluble fiber as found in chickpeas) helps to lower blood cholesterol and slow the absorption of sugar. So, if you're diabetic, this is a great food for you.  As for runners, chickpeas contain calcium and magnesium. Calcium is needed for muscle contraction and magnesium is needed for bone maintenance as well as proper function of nerves and muscles.  Chickpeas are also packed with potassium. This heart-healthy macronutrient and electrolyte is needed for a contracted muscle to relax. So, as a runner, keeping your potassium stores topped off helps stave off possible muscle cramps from depleted potassium stores lost through perspiration.  And to top it off , they're a good source of vegetable protein.  Chances are you've eaten Hummus , a popular middle eastern spread. Hummus is actually Arabic for chickpea. Hummus is readily available at your local grocery store and is also easy to make at home. Click here for a simple recipe. Chickpeas also make a great addition to any salad or pasta dish.  Added to a salad, chickpeas add a hearty meaty texture  and because of the high fiber, makes a salad more filling and satisfying. My family makes a great Chicken Primavera that incorporates chickpeas and it's awesome! Check out the recipe here.  

RunnerDude's New Favorite Book: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth

If you haven't already picked up on it, I'm an avid reader of fitness, running, and nutrition material. My wife would say I have enough books sitting in our kitchen alone, to open a small book store. (She's probably right.)

I've learned through all the reading I've done, that you have to be really careful not to get swayed by some underlying product that's being sold. So often, the information presented while still (usually) factual is often slanted to support a particular diet or fitness trend. That's why I was so delighted when I came across The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden, Ph. D., C.N.S. (Fair Winds Press, 2007). It's not a new book, so many of you may already be familiar with it. I've seen it several times at the book store, but on a recent jaunt to the local Barnes & Noble for my daughter to select her next Vampire series book, I had a lot of time on my hands. So, I got a cup-a-joe and found a chair in which to chill. Beside me and my chair was a display of "diet and nutrition" books. So, I picked up The 150 book and began to read.

A tagline on the cover reads, "The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What You Should Eat and Why." I'm thinking okay, "that may be an over promise." But, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it pretty much was that—an unbiased presentation of information on 150 really healthy foods.

Of course Jonny Bowden is wanting to sell the book. It does come with a free CD and it pitches his website http://www.jonnybowden.com/ where he has all kinds of health-related goods and books for sale. But, as far as the book itself goes, it's a great resource on healthy foods you should be eating and why.

The book is organized into 14 chapters each on a different food area—Vegetables; Grains; Beans and Legumes; Fruits; Nuts, Seeds, and Nut Butters; Soy Foods; Dairy; Meat, Poultry, and Eggs; Fish and Seafood; Specialty Foods; Beverages; Herbs, Spices, and Condiments; Oils; and Sweeteners.

From the onset, Bowden makes it very clear that these are not the only foods good to eat. He just feels of all the foods out there, these are probably the healthiest for us. Among the 150 he's selected, some are given stars which denote foods that he feels are "superstars" in their area and deserve some special recognition.

For each food, Bowden presents in a very readable and informal manner the science behind the food, what's been reported/researched on its health benefits as well as some background about the food in various cultures. For example, did you know that broccoli is a member of the brassica family of cruciferous vegetables? You know, bok choy, cabbage, kale, and Swiss chard. Broccoli is "vegetable royalty" because it's an excellent source of a family of anti-cancer phytochemicals called isothiocyanates which fight cancer by neutralizing carcinogens (the "bad guys"). Bowden continues by listing the healthy benefits of broccoli specific to women (helps reduce risk of breast and cervical cancer). He continues with other nutritional benefits apart from it's cancer fighting accolades (good source of protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and lutein).

He also gives little "Worth Knowing" factoids that are pretty interesting to know. For example, did you know that carrots got a really bad and totally underserved rap by the low-carb folks because of their high glycemic index? Bowden continues the factoid by saying, " Actually, the glycemic index isn't very important—the glycemic load is. The glycemic index tests are done on a 50-g portion of carbohydrate, whereas the load tests are done on real-life portions. A carrot has only about 4g of carbohydrate, so its glycemic load—the only number that matters— is ridiculously low (about 3 on a scale of 0-40+). You'd have to eat a ton of carrots to get a significant rise in blood sugar."

Another thing that impressed me is that the majority of the 150 foods are ones that the average person is going to be purchasing. It's not loaded with a ton of exotic foods that you'd have to go to the Kingdom of Tonga to get. There were some that were new to me, and that's good. I like exploring new foods, but as for a resource, I want information on readily available foods—The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth does that.

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So we left Barnes & Noble with Vampire and foodie books in hand. (Blood wasn't on the list of 150 foods.) I'm thinking the cast of Twilight may want to pick up a copy. They're looking kind of pale.

Check out The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Having this book may just change what goes on your next grocery shopping list.

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Note: I purchased a copy of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth with personal funds. No payment or endorsement of any kind was involved with the review of the book. My review is strictly an independent review based on my opinion of the book.

Go Faster Food!

I've mentioned it before, but Twitter is such an awesome tool for meeting people from all over the world that you'd otherwise never have the opportunity to get to know. One such person is Kate Percy. Kate lives in the UK in Bristol with her husband, Mark, and their three children, Helena, James and Will. Like many, Kate decided to get into running because her spouse was a "sports fanatic" and always training for this marathon and that. She found that she really loved running and set a goal of running the New York City Marathon. After successfully completing NYC, she was hooked and has since completed marathons all over the world including Amsterdam, Berlin, and London. She's also reached the goal that many runners strive for—achieving a qualifying time for Boston.

Even though she was thoroughly enjoying her running, Kate found it a constant challenge to fuel her body adequately. Being an avid runner as well as a cook, Kate decided to explore recipes that would increase her stamina and achieve her personal best. The result of her exploration is a collection of over 100 delicious, nutritionally-balanced, energy-boosting recipes compiled in her new book, Go Faster Food (Vermilion, 2009).

During her exploration, Kate not only discovered that certain foods are better than others for helping with endurance and aiding in recovery, she also discovered that how much and when you eat are important factors.

Go Faster Food is packed with user-friendly information that's a must have for any endurance athlete. This is not one of those books you'll read and think, "that's cool" and then never pick it up again. I foresee this book becoming a dog-eared, coffee-stained, tattered staple of many a runner's library.

The book is organized into two main sections—"Nutrition and Training" and "Go Faster Recipes." The first section is broken into six chapters each focusing on a different topic such as carbohydrates, what to eat and when, and hydration. The layout of each chapter is very user-friendly and will make using the book as an ongoing reference very easy. The get-it-at-a glance call-out boxes for tips, lists, and examples make finding key information in each chapter quick and simple.

The second portion of the book provides over 100 recipes endorsed by a nutritionist to help amateur and elite athletes improve their endurance and fitness. Each recipe provides a general overview of the dish's health benefits as well as a detailed breakdown of energy (kcal), carb, salt, fat, protein and fiber content. The recipes are divided into 9 categories:

• Breakfast

• Soups and Light Meals

• Pasta

• Rice

• Polenta and Gnocchi

• Couscous

• Lentils and Pulses

• Desserts, Cakes and Energy Bars

• Drinks and Smoothies

Each recipe is marked with one or more of three different icons so you can quickly tell if the recipe is a "healthy meal for your general training diet" "good for endurance" or "good for recovery."

Some of my favorites include "Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Maple Syrup Almonds" and "Date, Apricot and Walnut Flapjacks" and my all-time favorite "Walnut and White Chocolate Chip Brownies."

The only drawback for "us Americans" is that you'll need to do some metric-to-standard measurement conversions, but using a site like World-Wide-Metric will make those conversions a snap!

Kate ends the book with some helpful menu-plan suggestions as well as a shopping list that will make stocking your pantry a breeze with food categories such as dried foods and grains, canned-goods, frozen foods, herbs & spices, and vegetables.

I'm not sure if Go Faster Foods is available in US bookstores yet, but you definitely can order it from Amazon. Be sure to check out Kate's blog and website for more great recipes and nutrition information for endurance athletes.

Great Eating Tips for Marathoners or Any Runner

I've mentioned Nancy Clark's Food Guide for Marathoners in previous posts, but it's such a great resource for marathoners (actually any runner) that I wanted to tell you a little more about it. Nancy Clark, MS, RD, has also written the best-selling Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. Based in the Boston area, she counsels both casual exercisers and competitive athletes through her private practice at Healthworks Fitness Center in Chestnut Hill.

What I like so much about Clark's books is how they exude her passion for teaching everyday champions how to use food to help achieve their best. Clark mentions in the preface of the book that many of her clients have their training down but don't really have any idea how to use nutrition to improve their stamina and endurance. Clark provides this missing link. But her books aren't just full of food stats and figures. When you read her books, you really feel that she understands not only the elite runner, but the needs of the everyday runner as well. This is evident through her tips for how to deal with eating healthy in our busy, hectic lives—from making meals, to choosing healthful foods in our fast-food society, to providing dozens of easy-to-prepare recipes.

Nancy Clark's Food Guide for Marathoners is divided into four sections:

1. Everyday Eating for Marathoners

2. Balancing Carbs, Protein, Fats, and Fluids

3. Fueling Long Walks and Runs

4. Weight and Marathoners.

Each section covers 4-5 topics related to the section. For example, Section 2 contains "Carbohydrate Confusion" "Protein for Marathoners" "Fats and Your Sports Diet" and "Water and Sports Drinks." Clark has an exceptional knack for taking the most technical jargon and putting it in easy-to-use layman's terms. While Clark lists all the "right" foods to eat she also realizes that many of our cupboards may not contain these items. This is evident in her suggested list of nontraditional breakfast foods:

• left over pizza

• left over Chinese food

• mug of tomato soup

• potato zapped in the microwave while you take your shower

• tuna sandwich

• peanut butter and apple

• protein bar

Clark says "any food—even a cookie (preferably oatmeal raisin, rather than chocolate chip) is better than noting" when talking about the importance of eating breakfast. She also provides a great chart showing the Iron, Fiber, and Fat contents of some popular breakfast cereals (i.e., Cheerios, Wheaties, Fiber One, Cap'n Crunch) so you can mix and match them to meet your specific training needs.

It's providing this type of information that makes her book so helpful and user friendly. She provides similar tips and useful information for lunch and dinner foods such as her "Quick Fixes: Dinner Tips for Hungry Runners" where she suggests what should be in a marathoner's cupboard (cereal, spaghetti, brown rice, etc.), refrigerator (low-fat cheddar, mozzarella and cottage cheese, low-fat milk and yogurt, etc.), and freezer (whole-grain bagels, whole-wheat pita, broccoli, etc.). I find the "Popular Snacks During a Long Run" list she provides very helpful too (dried figs, energy bar, tootsie roll, diluted juice, diluted (defizzed) cola, etc...)

I've read a lot of nutrition-related books and often (when I finish) I put them back in the bookcase never to be cracked open again. Clark's books however are never in the bookcase. They're full of dog-eared pages, coffee stains, and (embarassed to say) peanutbutter and jelly stains from constant use.

Fuel for The Long Run

The long run. The nemesis of the marathon runner's training plan. You either can't wait for it or you dread it depending on a lot of factors. Most runners, particularly beginning runners, know the importance of hydrating before running and after running, but proper fueling before, during, and after the run? Not so much. Runners having unsuccessful long runs often complain of nausea, fatigue (bonking), muscle cramps, or barely being able to move hours after the run. Not all, but many of these symptoms can be avoided with proper fueling before, during, and after the run.

Hydration: Proper hydration actually begins the day before a long run. You don't need to drink gallons and gallons of water, but you do need to make sure your taking in lots of fluids the day before your long run. If the well is dry, drinking 8oz. of water just before your long run, ain't gonna hack it. Water is the most important part of any run especially the long run. Runners need to consume water before, during and after the run. There's no exact prescription for hydration that fits everyone. Each person is different and your hydration needs can vary from run to run depending on how much you sweat, the temperature, and your pace. Calculating your sweat rate is a great way to get a good handle on your specific hydration needs. To begin the test, weigh yourself just before beginning a 60 minute run. Record your weight. Run. Then reweigh yourself and record the second weight. It should be less than the first. Calculate and record the difference. In addition to the weight difference, record the outside temperature and the pace of your run. Each pound lost equals 16oz. of fluids. So, if you lost 2 lbs. on your run, you'd want to hydrate about every 15-20 minutes by drinking about 6oz. of fluids on future runs under similar conditions. It's a good idea to repeat this test under various conditions and speeds so you'll know how to modify your fluid intake depending on how hot it is or how fast you're running.

Sweat Rate Test:

1. Weight before running; record the amount
2. Run for 60 minutes
3. Weight after running; record the amount
4. Calculate the difference of the two weights; record the amount
5. Each pound lost = 16oz of fluids
6. Record the temperature and pace of run

Water is good, but sports drinks help offset electrolytes lost when you sweat. They also provide fuel for your muscles. Some experts suggest carrying one bottle of water and 2-3 bottles of sports drinks in your hydration belt. Having the bottle of water can help you rid your mouth of that dry feeling often a result of many sports drinks. It's best to train using the sports drink that will be provided during the marathon unless you plan carrying your own. Never drink a sports drink during a race that you haven't used while training. You never know how your body may react to something new. If your system is sensitive to sports drinks, you may want to try taking small sips more frequently such as drinking 2oz every 10mins instead of 6oz. every 15-20mins. Again, experiment with this during a training run, not during the race. If you plan on hydrating using the water stops during the race, slowing down or walking to ensure you get in the fluids is fine. Drinking from a cup on the run is very different than sipping from your water bottle.

Food:
Before the Run: What you eat before an endurance run can greatly impact your performance. No food or too little food before a long run can result in fatigue. It can also cause you to burn more m

uscle which can result in injury. Lots of runners don't eat prior to a run because they fear the dreaded upset stomach. But eating just enough to stave off that hungry feeling isn't going to cut it, especially with many miles ahead of you. Just like you train to increase your mileage, you need to train your body to eat something prior to running. What you eat and how much will vary from runner to runner. You don't need a heavy breakfast, but a combination of carbs and protein is a good plan. Some prerun foods to try include:

• a bagel with peanut butter
• a whole-grain waffle with peanut butter
• two graham crackers with peanut butter whole-grain cereal with skim milk (FYI: test on a short run; milk doesn't set well with some runners)
• Greek yogurt with fruit
• Uncrustables
• a sports bar (check the label and make sure it's not loaded with saturated fat)

The reason you need to eat is that you want to give your body some fuel to use before having to use its reserves. If you start off using your reserves and they get depleted, fatigue will soon follow as well as the dreaded "bonk." Fat is needed and is important in the absorption of nutrients, but avoid eating high-fat foods before a long run. These foods take longer to digest and will make you feel like a slug and may even cause you to feel nauseous on your run.

During the Run: For runs lasting more than 60 minutes, it's a good rule of thumb to take in 30-60 grams of carbohydrates every hour. Use the chart below from Runner's World to help you select some foods good for during your run.

After the Run: Eating 300 - 400 calories with a three-to-one mix of carbs and proteins within 30 minutes after finishing your run will help ensure a quicker recovery. During a long run, you deplete your glycogen stores as well as create microscopic tears in your muscle tissue. Eating a carb/protein mixture helps to restore the glycogen and repair those tiny tears. Some experts support eating 50 grams of carbs within 15 minutes of finishing your run. Good post-run eats include:

• a glass of low-fat chocolate milk
• a bagel with peanut butter
• a smoothie made with fruit and yogurt
• brown rice pudding with sliced banana
• whole-grain cereal with skim milk
• Uncrustables

Oh Nuts!

I used to think a running buddy of mine was a little crazy because he was so rigid about his diet. He ate 13 almonds a day, drank protein drinks religiously, and rarely ate any meat. When my running group would go to the local bagel shop after our Saturday long runs, he’d get a fruit cup instead of a bagel. He took a lot of ribbing from the group about his eating habits.

My buddy is my age and whatever he was doing was working. His running endurance and speed keeps getting better and better and he’s in great physical shape. This made me curious about his eating habits and if there was anything to it. So I investigated nuts. Come to find out, nuts in general are high in protein and monounsaturated fat (the good kind that helps clear your arteries). Almonds, however, rule! David Zinczenko, author of The Abs Diet, says that “almonds are like Jack Nicholson in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest—They’re the king of the nuts.” He further explains that almonds provide about 50% of the vitamin E, 8% of the calcium, and 19% of the magnesium needed each day. Magnesium is important for muscle building. Nuts also help fight obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, wrinkles, cancer, and high blood pressure.

Eating a handful of almonds each day not only provides you with important nutrients it also helps fight obesity by making you feel fuller longer. It’s best to wash them down with a glass of water which helps the fiber in the nuts expand making you feel fuller.

Zinczenko warns to be careful though. The smoked and/or salted varieties don’t make the cut due to their high sodium content. Also be careful not to select other varieties of nuts that have been cooked in oil. If you like the roasted-butter taste, he suggests spraying a handful of almonds with nonstick cooking spray and bake at 400° for 5–10 minutes, remove them from the oven and sprinkle them with either brown sugar and cinnamon or cayenne pepper and thyme. For more recipes using almonds go to AlmondsAreIn.com.

I must come clean and admit that I’ve been eating a handful of almonds each day for the past 2 years. Thanks, Paul, for being a good role model!

Fuel Up!

Have you ever notice that you’re hungrier after a winter workout than a summer workout? I ran 9 miles today with my running group and the temp was around 25°. Took a while for my body to warm up, but when it did, I was quite toasty until after the run when I quickly got chilled again.

When your body temperature drops, your appetite is stimulated. This happens because food provides the fuel needed to warm the body. Because of this, runners need to “feed the fire” before a winter workout and after. But you don’t want to put just anything in your body. Make sure your feeding that fire with quality food such as whole grains and protein-rich foods. Because whole grains are high in insoluble fiber, they stay with you longer. Ever get a hunger pang during a run? Not a good feeling. Protein-rich foods also provide you with energy, help you feel full longer, and help your muscles recover quicker after your workout.

So what should you eat before a run? This will vary from runner to runner. Some of my running friends eat a big breakfast before a long run while others eat just a slice of dry toast. Before my Saturday morning long runs, I usually eat a sliced and toasted whole wheat English muffin topped with peanut butter and some strawberry preserves. This gives me the energy I need for the run without feeling overstuffed. Sometimes I’ll eat a bowl of Quaker’s Weight Control Instant Oatmeal. Don’t let the name fool you. The reason it’s called “Weight Control” is because it contains 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber which is more than their regular oatmeal. This helps fill you up and keep you that way longer so you won’t feel like snacking. If you prepare it with skim milk you add even more protein. I also like to add some walnuts or almonds. If you’re training for a marathon or working out a lot, you may want to try “The Ultimate Power Breakfast” (Men’s Health Abs Guide; Rodale, Inc.; 2008). Probably not a good idea to eat right before a morning long run, but if you’re running or working out a little later in the day, eat up!

The Ultimate Power Breakfast
1 egg
1 cup low-fat milk
¾ cup oatmeal
½ cup mixed berries
1 Tbsp chopped pecans or almonds
1 tsp vanilla whey-protein powder
1 tsp ground flaxseed
½ banana, sliced
1 Tbsp plain yogurt

In a microwavable bowl, beat the egg well, then add the milk, oatmeal, berries, pecans, whey powder, and flaxseed and nuke it for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave and let the mixture cool for a minute or two. Top with the sliced banana and yogurt.
Makes 1 serving: 590 calories, 30 g protein, 80 g carb, 12 g fiber, 17g fat, 4 g sat fat, 193 mg sodium

Not into the whey-protein powder? Leave it out; you’ll still have a protein-rich breakfast. Want to decrease the fat a little? Try using nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt. FAGE and Oikos are two brands available at my local grocer and they are very tasty. They are thicker than regular yogurt and have more protein.