10 Must Have Foods for Runners!

While there isn't a specific diet runners should eat, there are some great foods they should make sure they have in their diet. The list below is not a complete list, but it does provide 10 foods that runners (actually anyone) should be including in their diet to help provide the vital nutrients needed to sustain their energy levels and provide for proper tissue repair.

1. Almonds—Almonds provide about 50% of the vitamin E, 8% of the calcium, and 19% of the magnesium needed each day. Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage. Vitamin E contributes to a healthy circulatory system and aids in proper blood clotting and improves wound healing. Magnesium is important for muscle building. Nuts also help fight obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, wrinkles, cancer, and high blood pressure.
2. Oranges—Oranges are a great source of Vitamin C. One large orange contains about 163% of you recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. They're also a great source of carbs and dietary fiber (a large orange provides 4g of fiber). Vitamin C is needed for maintaining the strength of tendons and ligaments and is also essential for the adrenaline synthesis (a hormone crucial for intense training). Vitamin C also serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free-radical fighter.
3. Sweet potatoes—Sweet potatoes are high in complex carbohydrates. They also contain naturally occurring sugars, protein, vitamins A, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium. The Center for Science in the Public Interest even ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables.

4. Beans—Beans, beans, any kind of beans! Beans such as black beans, pinto, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans (just to name a few) are rich in carbohydrates and a wealth of other nutrients. For example, a 1/2 cup of black beans contains 25g of carbs, 7 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber.

5. Greens—Dark green vegetables are packed with a ton of nutrients. Spinach, broccoli, Kale—the darker the better. Don't forget the salad greens too (radicchio, butter leaf, curly endive, and mache)! A cup of chopped kale for example, has 2g of protein and is a great source of thiamine, riboflavin, folate, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese. Vitamin K is great for runners. It helps protect bones and it may even play a part in helping to protect us from inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

6. Tuna—Endurance athletes need 1.8 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. That's a lot of protein! Tuna is packed with protein and perfect to help repair muscles after a workout. The protein found in tuna (as well as other fish) is a complete protein meaning it contains all the essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of lean muscle tissue. One can of light tuna (packed in water) contains 42 grams of protein!

7. Eggs—Eggs have been "In" and they have been "Out." The truth is that eggs are a great food to have in your diet, but just like anything, there's good and bad to it. The bad would be the cholesterol. But eaten in moderation, eggs can play an important part of your running diet. Like tuna, eggs are a complete protein, packing in all the essential amino acids your body needs. It's also a great source of protein (1 large egg has 6g). Eggs are also a great source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 and Phosphorus, and a very good source Selenium.

8. Greek Yogurt—Actually any type of lowfat yogurt will do, but Greek yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium. A cup of plain lowfat yogurt has 13g of protein. A cup of Greek yogurt packs about 23g of protein! Both are great sources of riboflavin, Vitamin B12, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Because Greek yogurt is think it's great to use as a substitute for sour cream in baked potatoes too!

9. Berries—Blueberries are rich in Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene. They're also packed with minerals such as potassium, manganese, magnesium. That's not it though, blueberries are high in fiber and low in saturate fat, cholesterol and sodium. Probably best of all, however, is that blueberries are high in antioxidants which help prevent cancer-causing cell damage. They also help boost the immune system, keeping you healthier.

10. Pasta—Of course no list of runner foods would be complete without pasta, but let's broaden that category to "cereal grains." Now you can include other foods consisting of rice, wheat, barley, corn, and rye. When looking at products made of these grains be sure to look for 100% whole grain. This will ensure that you're eating more of a complex carbohydrate food and not a simple carb. Be careful though. Sometimes a package will say "Made with whole grains." If that's the case look at the ingredient list and see where "whole grains" is listed. If it's not one of the top two ingredients, then it probably contains very little whole grain. There are several good whole grain pasta options available now too. So be a savvy shopper and check out all the great whole grain options available.