Best Food For Athletes:
Peaches
By Drew Mulvey MS, CDN, CNS, CLT, PNL1, CISN
When I think of August, I think of these sweet little orange gems growing on the trees. They are not only amazing in cobblers, oats or recovery smoothies, but offer a slew of health benefits for those trying to get on top of their athletic game! Check out why they are a part of my nutrition routine this month!
Hydration
As with many fruits, peaches have a high-water content. This helps the athlete stay hydrated, which is particularly beneficial in the hot summer months (or when the athlete’s sweat rate is higher!) Dehydration by only 1% can significantly impact endurance capacity, strength, and cognitive performance.1 Add some peaches to your post workout shake or water with a little sodium to keep your body hydrated and muscles functioning optimally!
Vitamins and Minerals
Peaches are a good source of vitamins like vitamin C, which can support the immune system and help with tissue repair, as it is important for collagen cross linking. Though they are not in abundance, peaches also contain other vital nutrients such as vitamins E and K, niacin, folate, iron, choline, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc and copper. Potassium and magnesium are important for preventing muscle cramping and fluid electrolyte balance to keep the body hydrated, manganese and copper are important nutrients for energy production to fuel your workouts (and brain), vitamin E, with A and C is the trinity of antioxidant protection and yields the most protection against inflammatory compounds generated from exercise!
Antioxidants
Speaking of antioxidants, peaches are an excellent source of polyphenols. Why is this of great benefit to athletes? Let’s get a little technical for a second. These compounds help with a process called “mitochondrial biogenesis”, or the creation of new mitochondria. This is important as these are the energy powerhouses of the cells and keeps your body moving and functioning properly. In fact, lack of energy can significantly decrease time to exhaustion during endurance events; and impair recovery and toxin clearance from compounds generated during exercise. As mentioned in a recent review
“The new highly formed mitochondria are highly efficient and have the capacity to synthesis less ROS (reactive oxygen species responsible for muscle damage and increased inflammation) for the same amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP, the body’s natural energy compound), that is, they are more functional.”2
As mentioned above, peaches are also a great sources of vitamin C and Beta carotene, the plant form of Vitamin A. The latter is in the form of carotenoids. It has been hypothesized that carotenoid status in the body may directly influence athletic performance, particularly cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. This is due in part to its potent antioxidant properties. In a recent cross-sectional study done on adolescents, there was a positive correlation between carotenoid status and VO2 Max (Aerobic capacity. Basically, how fast you can run before getting winded or fatigued.) and curl-up capacity. 3 All in all, this can be beneficial for any athletic population.
Carbohydrates
Peaches, as well as most fruits, contain natural sugars. This has been a hot topic of debate recently as many medical findings have suggested that high sugar intake can lead to other diseases. Yet, for the athlete, carbohydrates are going to be your friends! In fact, they are the main fuel sources for your body.
What about the sugar? Fruits contain several other nutrients, particularly fiber, that help to slow the release of glucose and may not have the same effects on the body. Yet, during workouts <60 minutes, simple carbohydrates are direct fuel for active muscle. What’s a great way to incorporate this on the bike or on a run? Puree it with other fruits. Post workout, carbohydrates are going to be essential for muscle repair in recovery. I am thinking about lovely peaches and cream protein smoothie.
Gut Health
This is a perfect segway! I just alluded to the fact that the sugar in peaches is a bit different than that of table sugar. The whole peach contains several other nutrients that are beneficial for the body. One I’d like to focus more on is fiber. Peaches are 50% soluble fiber and 50% insoluble fiber. Let’s focus on the former first.
Soluble fiber is essential for decreasing cholesterol levels and feeds beneficial bacteria in your gut. These bacteria are essential for the production of several compounds such as short chain fatty acids that protect the lining of the large intestine, and digestive enzymes to help break down foods, extract the vital nutrients and make it easier for the body to assimilate them. Each of these are key as increased levels of exercise can affect the integrity of the intestines and digestive tract, potentially causing little microscopic holes in them. The latter is essential for almost every metabolic process in the body as well as proper recovery. Without delivery of nutrients to the body, the athlete runs the risk of having deficiencies which can lead to increased risk of stress fractures, cognitive impairment, and poor energy, stamina and recovery.
Insoluble fiber is important for bowel regularity, thus preventing constipation. This is also the last step in the body’s ability to clear out toxins and hormones. When the athlete is not regular, these can be placed back into circulation. This can potentially increase recovery time as recirculating debris and toxins can contribute to low grade inflammation and contribute to symptoms of PMS from hormones recirculating. Therefore, it is important to stay regular. With that said, hydrating is also another factor that will help with regularity.
Conclusion
What are you waiting for? Add some peaches in to your morning oats with coconut milk for a peaches and cream delight, add them in with some blueberries and kale to your post workout protein smoothie, make a healthy peach cobbler with oat flour (BY FAR my favorite!), puree with some banana for fuel during a long ride or run, or simply enjoy them as a nice snack with some nuts and seeds or a little nut butter.
Want to deliver your body an extra antioxidant punch for better recovery, energy and stamina from the power fruits and vegetables? Another way to get in seasonal produce is by adding dehydrated powders to your routine! These are picked at their nutrient peak, dehydrated and placed immediately in capsules to protect the fruits from oxidative damage. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of antioxidants for cellular health and restoration from strenuous activity. If you want to push past your limits and start igniting your athletic potential, check these out!
https://drewmulvey.juiceplus.com/
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References:
- Andrews, R. All About Dehydration. Precision Nutrition Website. 2023. https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-dehydration. Accessed August 17, 2023.
- D’Angelo, S. (2019). Polyphenols and Athletic Performance: A Review on Human Data. IntechOpen. Article retrieved from https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/66058.
- Jeong D, Park S, Kim H, Kwon O. Association of Carotenoids Concentration in Blood with Physical Performance in Korean Adolescents: The 2018 National Fitness Award Project. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 18;12(6):1821. doi: 10.3390/nu12061821. PMID: 32570892; PMCID: PMC7353445.
