If you exercise on a regular schedule, it's a good idea to include dates in your diet, dates can improve athletic performance.
One of my favourite pre-run snack is a Medjool date. Dates provide good nutrition and minerals for training and also easy to digest.
Most athletes already know the most efficient way to fuel the run, ride or other training is by consuming carbohydrates, minerals or fiber. And you also know that for a fast energy boost, simple carbs provide the quickest kick.
But not all carbs are created equal. Refined sugar, like that found in processed foods and sweets, is immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, creating a quick spike, and a crash too soon afterward, also affecting the digestion. Some athletes or runners enjoy a quick burst of energy at the start by consuming refined sugar, but that will make us hit the wall before our run or workout is done, no more energy.
Medjool Dates
Medjool dates are high in carbohydrates, potassium, and other minerals, dates are a solid fuel for performance and recovery.
Medjool dates are a whole fresh fruit. One serving of two Medjool dates has 33 grams of carbohydrates, also provides 15 percent of our dietary fiber. The fruit is natural plant fiber, which helps slow down sugar absorption into the body. This results in a steady source of energy.
If you exercise on a regular basis, it's a good idea to include dates in your diet.
Dates are an interesting fruit when it comes to fitness. They’re recommended for almost anyone, and especially for athletes.
Dates are popular because their nutrients and properties support our health and performance.
HOW DATES CAN IMPROVE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
1. They Give You Energy
Dates can boost our natural energy to give us the extra physical strength and good health, we will want to perform better every time. A good recommendation is to eat a date 10-15 minutes before exercising, so that our energy will be higher when we start.
Also, if we’ll be working out for long periods of time, we can eat them during our session. It will delay fatigue and we will perform better during our entire session. That’s why I always carry a few dates for Ultra Races.
2. They’re Rich in Potassium
Athletes should include potassium-rich foods in their diet. Luckily, dates are one of those rich foods. One of the most important benefits of potassium is that it improves our heart rate, blood pressure, muscle growth, and our body’s fluid regulation.
Also, it’s especially great for athletes who tend to get muscle cramps. Dates are a simple, effective, and easy natural way to help prevent muscle pain.
3. They Boost Muscle Health
Dates are rich in vitamin B3 (niacin), which directly impacts our muscles. This vitamin helps the functioning of our muscular system and favours of mental process capabilities.
In addition, B3 helps to convert carbs into energy and favours the production of red blood cells, which are responsible for sending oxygen to our muscles.
It is a good recommendation for athletes to make dates a part of their diet. Whatever sport we perform, we should always pay special attention to our muscles.
FOODS RICH IN VITAMIN B3
4. Recover Naturally
Medjool dates are an excellent source of potassium, containing 281 milligrams per serving. That’s 50% more of this important mineral and electrolyte by weight than bananas. The carbs and potassium in Medjool dates are especially useful for athletes. The sustained release of carbs refills our body’s glycogen, the main source of energy that is expended during strenuous activity. By also replenishing potassium and rebalancing electrolytes lost through sweat during exercise, Medjool dates also help prevent post-workout cramping and help with muscle recovery.
Other important nutrients dates provide are B3 vitamins-niacin, critical for converting sugar into energy, and muscle-building B6 vitamins, also vitamin A, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
Dates Can Improve Athletic Performance in Moderation
Dates offer many benefits and are high recommendations. But we shouldn’t start eating them in large amounts, they’re very high in sugar as well as calories.
We should eat them in small amounts, especially when they can help boost our fitness performance. Eating a lot of them is far from beneficial, it can drastically raise our blood sugar levels. Also, it would lead to an increase in muscle mass. We should eat no more 2-4 dates daily.
Different Ways to Enjoy Dates
Nice delicious dates for athletes have many benefits, so we just need to eat them. The most common easy way is to consume as a snack. They can also be easily carried in a bag, running belt, trail running backpack, cycling bags and many other packs. Luckily, we can reach for them at any time.
Try Some Nice Dates As A Pre-Run Or Workout Snack, Also Post-Training Snack, Appreciate Good Nutrition And Minerals For Athletes, Feel Better, More Energy, Nice Run, Less Muscle Pain!
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