In their quest for the ultimate performance nutrition, cyclists and sports scientists will turn their tastebuds to anything from a cousin of cannabis to the afterburn effects of a curry. We take a look at the secret superfoods you should be eating — and why…
1. Celery: sticks of cardio-boosting crunch
“Celery contains a whole lot of inorganic nitrate,” explains Andy Jones, performance nutritionist at the University of Exeter. In our bodies, this nitrate is converted into nitric oxide (NO), a molecule involved in the regulation of several biological processes.
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For a cyclist, chomping on a few sticks of celery in the hours before a race can have positive repercussions. Its high nitrate levels (250mg per 100g) put it in the same league as the much vaunted beetroot — but with none of the sour taste or red urine side effects.
“During exercise, the ability to produce NO appears to be linked to increased blood and oxygen delivery to muscles, as well as more efficient muscle contraction,” says Jones. “In combination, these effects can lead to improved performance.” In one of Jones’s studies, higher nitrate intake was linked to an increase in power output of 5 percent during a 4km time trial.
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As a key part of a tuna salad with fat-free mayonnaise, or blended into a drink with beetroot, carrot, cucumber, ginger and pineapple juice then strained through muslin to remove the pulp.
2. Hemp seeds: muscle food
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3. Amaranth: protein power popcorn
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4. Maple syrup: sweets for my saddle
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5. Scallops and crabs: stealth shellfish
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6. Mung and lentils: magic marker beans
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7. Flat coke: instant kick in a can
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8. Chocolate milk: the ultimate sports drink
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9. Coconut oil: fast-track fat fuel
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10. Curcumin: makes for recovery curry
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