Do Fruits & Vegetables Impact Performance?
We’ve all heard that it’s important to eat your vegetables! We’ve seen the MyPlate graphic showing that half of your plate should be fruits & vegetables. But why is that important for athletes? We know that carbohydrates supply the body with energy. We know protein is related to muscle recovery & growth. How are fruits & vegetables related to performance?
Fruits & vegetables are a key component of an athlete’s diet for several reasons:
Fruits & vegetables are filled with nutrients that aid in recovery from training or from injuries. When athletes are missing these key nutrients, they can suffer from fatigue or muscle damage.
Starchy vegetables like white potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and peas provide energy to fuel activity.
Fruits & vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and bananas provide potassium, which is essential for maintaining hydration status in the body.
Fruits & vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, and dried fruit provide iron, which is essential for transporting oxygen to your working muscles.
Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, collard greens, and kale contain calcium, which is essential for muscle function and bone strength.
Some fruits & vegetables contain nutrients and antioxidants that strengthen your immune system. Without these nutrients, your immune system may not be able to fight off colds or other illnesses, which results in missed practices or competitions.
Many fruits & vegetables have a high water content, which improves hydration.
It is recommended that you get at least 5 servings each of fruits & vegetables every day. A serving size of fruits and vegetables is approximately the size of a baseball. If you need some guidance on what is considered a serving of fruits or vegetables, see the infographic below from the American Heart Association.
Most people struggle to meet the recommended 5 servings of fruits & vegetables each day. Here’s some tips & tricks to get more fruits & vegetables in your diet!
Prep fruits & vegetables after grocery shopping! Oftentimes, eating fruits & vegetables requires prep time. They need to be washed, peeled (sometimes), and chopped. Set yourself up for success by doing the prep work after returning from the grocery store. You are much more likely to eat mangoes, cucumbers, or bell peppers (for example) if you have them prepped and stored in containers in your fridge.
Blend them up! Add fruits and vegetables (frozen or fresh) to your smoothie. Some of my favorites to add to smoothies include strawberries, bananas, peaches, spinach, butternut squash, and pumpkin.
Use frozen vegetables! Many athletes do not buy enough vegetables because they do not want them to go bad in their fridge before being used. Frozen vegetables have already been prepped (saves you the time of prepping!) and they are just as healthy. Add frozen vegetables to pasta, stir fry, or scrambled eggs.
Add color to your breakfast! Nearly every breakfast staple can be enhanced with fruits and vegetables. Add berries to your oatmeal. Add banana slices to your cereal. Top your pancakes or waffles with strawberries. Toss diced tomatoes and bell peppers in your scrambled eggs. Add berries to your Greek yogurt.
Add vegetables to your sandwich! Spruce up your turkey and cheese sandwich with sliced tomato, leafy greens, avocado, or onion.
What is your favorite way to add fruits & vegetables to your meals or snacks? Tell me in the comments.
Hi, I’m Anna!
Welcome to the Nutrition with Anna blog! Sharing recipes, sports nutrition tips, & inspiration to eat foods that fuel your lifestyle and athletic goals without rules or restrictions.