Nurtition "quick tip" #1: Antioxidants

[Damon]

I thought this thread of quick tips could be useful. Not all nutrition knowledge needs to be gleaned from a lengthy article... and I don't feel like writing that much all the time. So here's the deal, if you have a snip-it of nutrition information, post a quick tip and share some supporting information or a link.

Tip 1: Eat foods that are high in anti-oxidants. Endurance athletes experience more oxidative stress than most people due to their high training volume. What this means is that the longer you work out the more oxygen free radicals you create. These are bad for a number of reasons but the most significant is tissue damage. Free radicals break down cell membranes and the damage can take place on your skin, in your muscles or in your internal organs. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals (I won't go into how) and are therefore beneficial. Food that contain free radicals: Tomatoes, papaya, spinach, blueberries, liver, broccoli, and cheese. There are a large number of foods to select from other than the ones listed. Here is a good link:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Antioxidants- ... &id=623213

A diet rich in antioxidants has also been shown to prevent and protect the body from diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Rheumatoid arthritis and cataracts. So, not a bad idea to include a diverse assortment of foods in your diet. Stay healthy!

Damon

[jared]

For the most part if you're eating these foods that are high in antioxidants, you're not only eating great food, you're eating great tasting food! Come on, look at that list. Great vegetables, fruits, olive oil, sweet potatoes? That's good stuff.

[Damon]

Indeed. It's weird how my tastes have changed since I started doing multisport. Whole foods always sound good and they definitely taste good... much better than anything processed. And since Ashley is a veggie, that makes things easier as well.

Damon