3 Endurance Sport Superfoods | The Science

In the athletic field, we are careful to use the term “superfood” because of its misconceptions about supplements and “miracle” substances. Indeed, most whole foods can be considered superfoods. With these considerations in mind, I have picked 3 of my favorite sports superfoods- geared toward the endurance athlete.

Spinach

Spinach is one of the most nutritionally complete foods on Earth, packing a huge variety of vitamins, nitrates, and minerals. Try mixing spinach in delicious pasta, or a hearty salad with protein and some carbohydrates. Nitrates dilate your blood vessels- increasing the uptake of oxygen to skeletal muscle cells. Thus, our mitochondria can perform more efficiently. Keep in mind that cooking greens can lower their bioavailability for the key nutrients that they provide.

Salmon

Salmon- like most fish- contains omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA and DHA. These two components improve nervous system function, improve the cardiovascular system, and decrease post-exercise inflammation. EPA and DHA have positive effects on cardiovascular function- including reducing inflammation, decreasing peripheral artery disease, and reducing major coronary events. While many athletes may not prefer fish, EPA and DHA may be consumed through various supplements. As always, it is important to ensure the integrity and quality of every supplement. At Summit Sports Nutrition, we prefer this JP+ Omega-3 Fatty Acid supplement.

Coffee

Ah, that sweet morning cup o’ joe! There is no need to go into crazy detail here- coffee has been proven over hundreds of studies to provide ergogenic effects to athletes across all scopes of practice. Caffeine, the primary agent of coffee, acts on the nervous system to lower the perceived effort of a workout. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants and has been linked to an increase in post-exercise muscle glycogen recovery.

Science

It is absolutely vital to conduct your own research and consult trusted sources when addressing nutrition, supplements, and ergogenic enablers. Although we should always approach nutrition from a food-first basis, we understand the need for small periods of supplementation. As athletes, we find ourselves on the road a lot- with little time to cook! That is why we trust JP+ Fruit, Vegetable, Berry, & Omega Blend. This trusted and tested solution helps fill those gaps in between events!