You train hard and you need to fuel your body accordingly. Don't let your hard earned gains go out the window because you are not fuelling optimally. In this post I will talk about antioxidants.
Antioxidants protect your body from free radicals and other toxins. A free radical is a molecule with an unpaired valence electron that is free to react with other molecules by either donating or accepting an electron. Radicals are highly reactive and unstable but they do have a very short half life. There must be a balance of antioxidants and free radicals in the body or oxidative stress occurs. Free radicals can alter fats, proteins, cells or DNA and lead to disease.
A good visual example is an apple. If you cut an apple and leave it exposed, it will turn brown. If, however, you coat the slice of apple with lemon juice before leaving it to sit, it will take longer for the brown to appear. The vitamin C in the lemon juice is a powerful antioxidant and slows the oxidation process or rot. In people, oxidative damage can cause aging and degeneration. Another relatable example is muscle soreness from exercise. Exercise can cause muscle damage which leads to repair and growth. The body's response to damage, however, is to send macrophages to the site. Macrophages release free radicals causing further damage and hence, muscle soreness.
It is easy to read all this and think that more = better when it comes to antioxidants leading many athletes to supplement (multivitamins, vitamin C and E) but that could do more harm than good. Some oxidative stress is a good thing. Oxidative stress occurs as a result of normal body processes for which it has antioxidant enzyme systems in place. These antioxidant systems can be strengthened through training in the same way that you can strengthen your aerobic and muscular systems through training. A 2008 study found that administering vitamin C in athletes hampered endurance capacity by preventing some of the cellular adaptations to exercise. There are some situations where supplementation could be helpful such as high altitude training and competition where radical production is intensified and defences are weakened or if there is a diagnosed deficiency, however, this is rare in well nourished athletes who eat a balanced diet. Nature does a pretty good job of providing us with what we need to flourish. In fact many of the antioxidants and nutrients in foods work synergistically and their functions are diminished when separated and taken singly as they are in supplementation.
So it seems that we can improve performance and slow the aging and degeneration process simply by eating a balanced diet and training appropriately. The following is a list of high antioxidant foods that all athletes should include as part of a balanced diet.
1. Berries are all very high in antioxidants - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, blueberries have more antioxidants than 40 other fruits and vegetables. Just 1 cup will give you 10 x the recommended daily amount.
2. Red grapes have high amounts of reservatrol in their skins. Reservatrol is the antioxidant compound that has given red wine its recent popularity. Raisins being dried grapes are also high in this excellent antioxidant.
3. Citrus Fruits are high in vitamin C - oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit
4. Dark leafy greens - spinach, kale, dandelion greens, chard, dark green lettuce varieties, etc. are rich in carotenoids, potent antioxidant compounds.
5. Red Peppers are high in vitamin C.
6. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are high in the antioxidant sulforaphane.
7. Brussel sprouts, broccoli's stinky cousin, contain isothiocyanate which detoxifies cancer causing substances in the body.
8. Dark chocolate and cocoa have a wide variety of powerful antioxidants. The higher the cocoa content of the chocolate the better it is. Look for 70% or higher.
9. Nuts have a good amount of antioxidants, in particular walnuts and pecans.
10. Vanilla has high amounts of vanillin which has proven antioxidant qualities.
11. Cinnamon is not only a powerful antioxidant but also an antimicrobial agent. Studies have also shown that cinnamon can be helpful in controlling blood sugar. Try it in smoothies, in oatmeal, baking or the classic cinnamon sugar sprinkled on toast.
12. Mint has one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any food. It contains the powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent rosmarinic acid. Try it muddled with lime and a bit of honey with soda water poured over top as a treat or simply add some mint leaves to your water. It is great as a tea, mixed into smoothies or in baking. Try a few chopped up mint leaves in your favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe.
References:
Lobo V, Patil A, Phatak A, Chandra N. Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health. Pharmacognosy Reviews. 2010;4(8):118-126. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.70902.
Vitamin C and E supplementation prevents some of the cellular adaptations to endurance-training in humans.
Morrison D, Hughes J, Della Gatta PA, Mason S, Lamon S, Russell AP, Wadley GD.
Free Radic Biol Med. 2015 Dec; 89:852-62. Epub 2015 Oct 19.
Gross M, Baum O. Supplemental Antioxidants and Adaptation to Physical Training. In: Lamprecht M, editor. Antioxidants in Sport Nutrition. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2015. Chapter 7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK299059/
Bakonyi T, Radak Z. High Altitude and Free Radicals. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 2004;3(2):64-69.
Huang W, Zhang H, Liu W, Li C. Survey of antioxidant capacity and phenolic composition of blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry in Nanjing . Journal of Zhejiang University Science B. 2012;13(2):94-102. doi:10.1631/jzus.B1100137.
Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, et al. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutrition Journal. 2010;9:3. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-3.
Paur I, Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, et al. Antioxidants in Herbs and Spices: Roles in Oxidative Stress and Redox Signaling. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, editors. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011. Chapter 2. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92763/
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