Nutrition 101 for Runners, What Your Body Needs to Do Its Best!

Runners May Avoid Thinking About What They Eat Because They Are Getting a Great Amount of Exercise-try These Nutritional Tips for Optimal Health!

One nutritional component all runners and athletes in general need is energy!

Working out requires energy, and it is important to not limit your body to an energy bar or drink. Most runners can feel internally that their body needs carbs before engaging in a long run, however; after the run is where many runners and athletes in general make mistakes when it comes to what their bodies need.

Food delivers nutrients to your body that are essential to nourishing and repairing injuries. It is also essential in order to maintain optimal health.

A combination of proteins, fats and essential vitamins and nutrients is necessarily for optimum performance.

One food that is especially good for repairing injuries and helping athletes get enough Vitamin C is red bell pepper. One red bell pepper provides 3 times the amount of Daily Value of vitamin C. This vitamin is vital for repairing connective tissues and cartilage. Vitamin C also helps with the healing process. It is recommended that injured athletes go for five servings of vitamin C per day. Other foods that contain a great amount of Vitamin C include papaya, cantaloupe and oranges.

Another friendly food for runners and athletes is salmon. Salmon has an abundance of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. The protein in salmon helps to rebuild muscle and repairs bones, ligaments and tendons.

Protein also helps to build new cells. Omega 3 found in salmon helps with anti-inflammation. Another essential nutrient for injured runners, Omega 3 will actually prevent injuries from causing more pain to athletes.

Other foods that contain a concentrated amount of protein and omega 3 are mackeral, flaxseeds and walnuts.

Another wonderful food to munch on before or after working out is carrots. They are sweet, nutritious, and if you eat enough of them, you'll eventually turn orange.

Carrots provide up to 3 times the amount of Vitamin A that your body requires each day in as little as a half cup. Vitamin A is especially good at making white blood cells. Vitamin A can also be found in sweet potatoes, dried apricots and spinach.