DISCOVER RELEVANT FOODS FOR ENDURANCE SPORTS (2023)

Healthy diet and nutrition are essential to maintain good health and promote the performance of athletes specializing in endurance events. A healthy diet generally means a combination of foods rich and varied in nutrients, for example lean proteins, nuts, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables of all colors. Athletes are always looking for the optimal diet for the best possible consumption in order to improve their performance. Here we offer you some of the best foods for you athletes.

Orange or orange juice

Oranges are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It can help soothe sore muscles. It also combats the damage the body experiences after strenuous aerobic exercise. If you don't feel like eating the fruit, incorporate the nutrients by pouring in some freshly squeezed orange juice. A glass of orange juice contains 25.79 g of carbohydrates and plenty of calcium, vitamin C and minerals. It is a very relevant fruit after exercise. Conversely, drinking too much orange juice before a race can cause acid reflux and stomach upset, so be careful!

Almonds

With a composition very rich in fiber, vitamins, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and even β-carotene, almonds are the number one allies of sports enthusiasts. A daily handful of almonds has been proven to increase endurance, through better utilization of carbohydrates during high-intensity exercise. So don't hesitate to snack on some before exercise to fill a little hunger pangs or anticipate a drop in energy during it. The vitamin E in almonds acts as an antioxidant, therefore helping to relieve muscle pain and improving recovery. Supplementing with vitamin E can help counter oxidative stress and muscle damage experienced as a result of running. There are no prerequisites for taking almonds; they can be taken in oatmeal for breakfast, or on a salad for lunch or dinner. We recommend between 10 and 15 almonds per day to consume in your daily diet. In terms of consumption during training or races, it is a food that can be consumed before, during and after, a real Swiss army knife, this dried fruit!

Chicken

Protein is an essential part of a runner's diet, but having too much fat doesn't make sense because it can add unwanted weight and slow you down. Chicken is the healthy source of protein par excellence (contains the 9 essential amino acids) mainly chicken breast (around 20-25g of protein per 100g), obviously avoid well-grilled skin or sauce (even if it is true…how good it is!). In addition, chicken is rich in selenium which can also help protect muscles from damage caused by free radicals that occur when you exercise (chicken also contains vitamin B3, B6, Phosphorus and Zinc). By regularly consuming chicken and more generally white meats, we will develop a low consumption of saturated fatty acids, which will lead to an improvement in blood lipid levels which also prevents cardiovascular diseases. In terms of consumption, we recommend it a few hours before running (and if your race is in the morning as is often the case, take it the evening before) or as a meal after training.

Bananas

First of all, the banana is nutritious (90Kcal per 100 grams), it meets the numerous energy needs of athletes by providing, for example, nearly 25% of the athlete's daily needs for vitamin B6 (not counting other components such as vitamin B1). , B2, B9, C, phosphorus, calcium or folic acid). When ripe, it contains very interesting doses of fructose and glucose, providing the extra energy and fuel necessary for the functioning of the muscles. This fruit contains a good dose of potassium (around 400 mg). This is especially important for long distance runs or in hot weather when you sweat a lot and thus lose valuable minerals. Potassium (and other minerals like sodium, magnesium, and chloride) compensate for this loss and lower your blood pressure. Bananas are therefore important energy boosters for runners. A bit like almonds for dried fruits, bananas can be eaten before, during or after training or a race.

Oats

Oat flour or cereal makes a perfect breakfast. It provides you with plenty of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and is rich in fiber. Additionally, oats have a low glycemic index. This means they slowly raise your blood sugar levels. Oats are also rich in beta-glucans which lower blood cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar levels. It provides you with energy over a longer period of time and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. Oats also have the advantage of being gluten-free if eaten alone. It would be useful to eat oats before running for breakfast, and will give you protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber and energy, a really interesting mix!

Natural yogurt

Yogurt is the perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein. It has a high percentage of essential amino acids and is obviously rich in calcium. Consumed just after a race, it can speed up your recovery and thus protect your muscles. Additionally, the calcium in yogurt also strengthens your bones. Best before a race. Be careful, there are many yogurts, a Greek yogurt for example will have a different purpose, with a higher protein intake.

Dark chocolate

This is good news, dark chocolate is good for your health! It is a stimulant, a powerful antioxidant (polyphenols), it is also thanks to its high magnesium content, an ally in the fight against cramps and muscle fatigue, but also against stress by controlling cortisol levels. Dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Additionally, flavanols (secondary metabolites) help reduce inflammation. Ideally, consume dark chocolate before and after your workouts, with slices of banana!

And what do we offer you at Stimium? We offer you food supplements, and we simply have to go back to the original meaning of the words – we therefore offer products that complement your diet, so that you can have all the nutrients necessary for your sporting activity. But the difficulty we have is that we do not know the diet of each athlete, we follow the reports which are published each year on the eating habits of the French, and we then count on you, to choose the relevant products in our range in relation to your needs, and your consumption during your meals.

This is how we offer you, for example, Stimium GINGKO , which in addition to improving circulatory functions, stimulates sports performance, via an increase in blood flow allowing an increase in nitric oxide (NO) concentrations because we will find very few of this type of effects in conventional ingredients, the same goes for Stimium KG , which in addition to its properties on the protection of the immune system, will increase the production of nitrogen monoxide (nitric oxide - NO) because consumption of Ginseng is still not widespread, it will also be the same with Stimium Ashwagandha , the most powerful natural physical anti-stress, with antioxidant properties, restoration of physical energy, improvement of endurance and resistance or even Stimium GABA , thanks to its action on increasing cardiac output, reducing muscle tension, and reducing muscle spasms (muscle-relaxing neurotransmitter).

On the “muscular” part, if our protein consumption through food is not completely sufficient, we offer Stimium Pwr Creatine and Power Creatine Tabs , which allow an increase in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), to muscle strengthening Stimium® PreWorkOut Max to prepare the organism for muscle strengthening loads Stimium® [C] Whey , Stimium® Iso Hwy or Stimium® VegPro to maintain a good protein intake for the muscle fibers put to the test during trails and Stimium BCAA Instant , to help development muscular.

On recovery, after a significant effort, it is not always easy to drink or take the right ingredients, this is where we intervene with Stimium® Mc3 or Stimium® Mc3 powder to reduce the risk of cramps, and combat muscle fatigue, Stimium® Rgn3 Reload or Stimium® Rgn3 Clean-Up to restock with vitamins and minerals and finally our Stimium® Iso Carb Mix , to replenish these sources of glycogen and proteins.

Finally, if we do our best to stock up on vitamins and minerals, it is not always easy to be at the right level all the time, and that is why we developed Stimium MVM with its 13 vitamins and 12 minerals as well as Vital LLR , the only product on the market combining vitamins, minerals, ginseng and tribulus and releasing its active ingredients in 5 minutes, 45 minutes and 8 hours!