Steer your cart through any supermarket and they are everywhere – packaged foods of every imaginable kind. Universally, these can be considered “processed” and it’s a term you’ve likely heard bantered around for years. But recently, new terminology has emerged to define certain foods and beverages that are processed and then some – in other words, ultra-processed foods.

Experts estimate that falls under this ultra-processed category – and that’s concerning to health experts. According to the American Medical Association, consuming ultra-processed foods (UPFs) regularly increases a person’s risk of health complications, including cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Most endurance athletes tend to think of food as fuel, and as such try to steer clear of unhealthy picks. But when it comes to gels, chews, and electrolyte drinks, that’s a tough order. After all – most sports nutrition, by definition, is an ultra-processed food. So what does that mean for athletes? Should we go back to the days of eating bananas on bike rides?

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

While there is no universally-agreed definition, an ingredient list that reads like a chemistry quiz is a tip-off for something being ultra-processed. These foods go through multiple processing steps, from stripping away nutrients to mixing in sweeteners, fats, salt, artificial flavors, and emulsifiers to alter taste, texture and shelf life. This flavor and texture manipulation is the reason why ultra-processed foods are tasty – and why we keep coming back for more.

Items that often fall into the UPF category include frozen meals, baked goods, soft drinks, hot dogs, boxed cereals, ice cream, white bread, fast food pizza, and potato chips. This designation also applies to most performance-oriented foods like gels, chews, and bars. Even the most casual sports fan has seen athletes gulping down neon sports drinks on the sidelines and during post-game media interviews, and gels and chews are at every aid station during a race. They’re small, shelf-stable, portable, and formulated to fuel your workouts, which is why it’s easy to overlook their ultra-processed characteristics.

What the Science Says about Ultra-Processed Foods

Some degree of processing is nothing to fret about – after all, a bag of frozen blueberries can be considered a processed food but certainly not something that should be avoided. But eating too much food that has been powerfully manipulated by manufacturers .

A in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine associated the highest consumption amounts of UPFs with a 17% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality and a 16% increase in the risk for all-cause mortality. A in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition links UPFs to accelerated biological aging, noting that factors beyond the poor nutritional content such as the addition of non-nutrient components like emulsifiers and preservatives might largely contribute to the accelerated aging effect.

More data shows that UPFs can impact everything from brain to bone to microbiome health. Dyslipidemia, hypertension, weight gain, and insulin resistance are why going heavy on UPFs can be bad news for longevity. Truly concerning is that now  the daily calories in the typical American diet come from UPFs.

Is My Sports Nutrition an Ultra-Processed Food?

Let’s take a look at the makeup of a few types of popular sports nutrition products.

Vanilla gel

Ingredient list: Maltodextrin, water, fructose, L-leucine, potassium citrate, sodium citrate, citric acid, calcium carbonate, L-valine, sea salt, natural flavor, green tea (leaf) extract (contains caffeine), gellan gum, L-isoleucine, sunflower oil, sodium benzoate (preservative), potassium sorbate (preservative)

Is it ultra-processed? Yes.

Strawberry energy chew

Ingredient list: Organic tapioca syrup, organic cane sugar, water, pectin, potassium citrate, citric acid, natural flavors, Vit B3/B6/B12, fruit blends of apple, blueberry, pomegranate

Ultra-processed? You bet. 

Lemon-lime sports drink mix

Triple source energy blend (maltodextrose, dextrose, fructose), citric acid, silicon dioxide, natural flavors

Are you drinking a UPF? You know the answer.

It’s almost impossible to argue that the above food, like the vast majority of packaged sports nutrition products on the market, are not ultra-processed based on the somewhat loose definition of this food group. So is this something to be concerned about if you frequently fuel your exercise sessions with these products? Or is it possible that ultra-processed gels and drinks are the right nutritional choice for triathletes and do no harm?

Let’s dig into what we know about the benefits and risks.

Yes, You Can Still Use Some Ultra-Processed Sports Nutrition

There is a reason why rely on the various guises of packaged ultra-processed sports nutrition products to get them to the finish line: because they work. We have that purposefully using a UPF around training and competing can be helpful for performance. Sports foods are specially manufactured for athletes to provide the nutrients they may need during training or racing. (Imagine running for many hours with a sack of bananas.)

Sports nutrition is processed to create fast-digesting carbohydrates in the form of gels, chews, and beverages to keep your muscles adequately fueled. As we increase the intensity of what we’re doing, we need more and more carbs (and calories!) as a fuel source. Ultra-processed sports foods use a mix of simple sugars to help with the digestibility and use of those carbs, while added citrusy or chocolatey flavors make them desirable to consume. That’s something most people don’t think about until they encounter an unflavored or unpleasant-tasting gel: If you don’t eat or drink something, then you can’t fuel the machine.

Athletes have special nutritional requirements to maximize their performance, and ultra-processed products can have a place in helping fulfill this. From a health perspective, we don’t yet have any convincing data that when UPFs are consumed in the context of long-duration or vigorous exercise they will have a deleterious impact on well-being. It’s easy to argue that getting a load of heavily-processed sugar from ultra-processed gels and drinks during a century ride is better than not getting fuel at all.

The vast majority of research linking UPFs with poor health has looked at the diet as a whole, and also involved a population of non-athletes. of basketball players found that a high intake of ultra-processed foods led to no noticeable detriment to performance or cardiovascular health. So there was no spillover effect in this aspect. However, a high intake of UPFs affected their microbiome negatively, the consequences of which are unknown. No other studies have specifically looked at ultra-processed foods in endurance athletes.

Consuming ultra-processed foods sporadically in a sports-nutrition context is likely not detrimental to overall health. It might only become problematic if you start leaning on bars and sugary sports drinks too heavily when you’re not working out. If using UPFs to boost your workouts helps you increase your overall cardiovascular and muscular fitness, perhaps this benefit can counteract any disadvantageous characteristics of these items.

But There Might Be a Limit

With all the bad news about them, it’s understandable why about UPFs. We should not dismiss the notion that there will be some degree of detrimental impact on health with heavy ultra-processed sports nutrition product use over the weeks, months, and years due to the nature of their production and formulation. These days, many pro triathletes are pumping in more than 100 grams of carbs for each hour of activity, and most, if not all, of those calories are hailing from ultra-processed products. But perhaps what you eat for performance is not necessarily the best for your health.

In showing that athletes can tolerate more than 100 grams of carbs hourly and that this amount increases carbohydrate oxidation, there is some concern that not all this sugar gets used up during exercise. It could then sit around in your system afterward, resulting in a downturn of metabolic and microbiome health. We just don’t know for sure, and we don’t have the answers to this dilemma. As more athletes increase the quantity of use of high-sugar UPFs, we desperately need research to address this.

using continuous glucose monitors found even athletes with high rates of energy expenditure can spend long periods with blood sugar levels that would be classified as pre-diabetic. Perhaps some of that can be attributed to high-sugar consumption from UPFs during workouts. Even in endurance sport, you’re not fully protected from the adverse effects of added sugar intake pumped into UPFs, no matter how many miles you are cranking out.

There is also the concern about the health risks of eating non-nutritive ingredients added to ultra-processed foods, such as emulsifiers and artificial flavor. While hard-charging athletes have more room for “discretionary calories,” has shown there are health risks from eating UPFs, regardless of whether a person has an otherwise healthy diet. That means that eating too many UPFs – which can include fueling products – may be risky even if you normally also eat lots of whole, fresh foods.

suggests that endurance athletes that use whey or beef protein powder long-term may have a detrimental impact on the gut microbiome, which might not necessarily be because of processed protein, but instead the emulsifiers that are in so many of these products.

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For the past 10 years, Spring Energy has provided endurance athletes with , and more recently drink mixes, made from “real” foods. Athletes looking for wholesome alternatives to more traditional sugar-based gels made in a lab have flocked to Spring’s smoothie-like gels made with fruit and basmati rice.

While Spring products are more expensive than many gels, many athletes have found the tradeoff for high-quality, real food fuel that goes down easily on the run to be worth it. Until now.

After skepticism about the actual contents of Spring’s gels began brewing late last year, it turned into a full-blown controversy this week.

In January 2021, Spring Energy released a game-changing gel, Awesome Sauce. In collaboration with coaches and runners Megan and David Roche (who taste-tested and named the flavor), the applesauce, basmati rice, and sweet potato-based gel was designed to provide endurance athletes with a whopping 180 calories per 54 gram packet.

This high-carb alternative became especially enticing when was published in April 2022 reporting that ultrarunners should consume 240 to 360 calories (60-90 grams of carbohydrates) per hour. It’s no surprise that Awesome Sauce (sold at $5 a gel), with its small but surprisingly mighty nutritional content, initially flew off the shelves. It seemed too good to be true.

After several third-party lab tests, that appears to be the case.

Not-So Awesome Sauce? 

In late 2023, runners took to Reddit to discuss their doubts in Awesome Sauce’s nutritional facts, which were printed on the packaging and stated on Spring Energy’s website. Though it’s unclear who first performed a concrete test on the gel, two months ago, Liza Ershova, a Reddit user who uses the username “sriirachamayo”, posted in a thread called Ershova allegedly performed a test “in an environmental chemistry lab” and found that the dry weight of Awesome Sauce is 16g instead of the stated 45. She hypothesized that, “If all of those grams are carbs, that corresponds to about 60 calories, not 180.”

On May 17, German endurance sport speciality shop Sports Hunger stating that they, too, had Awesome Sauce gels tested by a third party, and allegedly found that each packet contains 16g of carbs instead of the 45g that Spring Energy claimed.

“The maker of Spring Energy assures us that they will rework their manufacturing process to ensure that they will again reliably achieve their high numbers that they declare to have,” a Sports Hunger representative says in the video. “We hope that this is really going to happen because we believe that natural food for many of our customers is a great alternative to the regular gels.”

On May 28, ultrarunning coach Jason Koop, who coaches elite athletes sponsored by Spring Energy, posted an Instagram Reel saying that he’d paid for Spring Energy Awesome Sauce to be tested by a third party, RL Food Laboratory Testing in Ferndale, Washington. The results showed that the gels tested contained 76 calories and 18g of carbs. The lab results can be found on . Koop declined to be interviewed for this article.

Other runners have also come forward after attempting to replicate the gels with varying degrees of Awesome Sauce’s ingredients: organic basmati rice, organic apple sauce, apple juice, yams, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, sea salt, and cinnamon—and could not achieve the gel’s original volume of 54g. Their experiments suggest that it’s impossible to fit all of those ingredients into the small Awesome Sauce package while achieving the stated nutritional content.

Claiming Responsibility 

On May 22, the Ershova shared Spring Energy’s response to their experiment on Reddit: “Our analysis supports the accuracy of our product labeling. However, we will reevaluate to make sure our data is accurate. Although we hoped your experience with our products would have been wholly satisfactory, we recognize that individual needs can vary. Given the wide variety of options available across different brands, we are confident you will find the right product that suits your specific requirements.”

Four days later, on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Spring Energy sent out an email to newsletter subscribers stating:

“In early May we submitted Awesome Sauce for third-party caloric and biomolecular analysis. Although the results indicated that on average our products deliver the designed nutrition value, we have recognized weaknesses in our processes and ingredients which can introduce unwanted variations in some batches.To mitigate those variations in our small batch production, we decided to modify some of the formulations, revise and innovate processes, and re-evaluate ingredient sources. These changes will bring higher quality and more consistency to our products. Enhancements of our products aimed to stabilize their nutrition values are on the horizon, and within the next few weeks, you’ll see the results of our efforts. A new and improved version of Awesome Sauce will soon be available.”

The internet outrage ballooned swiftly.

“‘On average’ – if someone has a beat on where I can grab packets of Awesome Sauce at 75g of carb per pack to allow for the average of their product to be 45g overall, hit my inbox,” @aidstationfireball . “Excited to taste the new, re-formulated, $7 gels they’ll replace these with.”

David and Megan Roche, the Boulder, Colorado-based running coach couple who collaborated with Spring Energy on Awesome Sauce, discussed the backlash on their podcast. They weren’t involved in the chemical composition and makeup of the gel, they claimed. Rather, they simply proposed the concept of a high-carb gel to their friend Rafal Nazarewicz, the founder and CEO of Spring Energy. They stated they understand the public’s outrage, and Megan added that they “didn’t really use it” during their runs because she didn’t feel that her body was responding to the energy it was supposed to provide.

In addition, the Roches stated on their podcast that they have quietly harbored concerns about Awesome Sauce for years, and while they did not explicitly tell their athletes not to use it, they made a point of promoting other gels instead. (The Roches currently have a financial partnership with The Feed, the online warehouse that sells a wide variety of sports fuel, including Spring Energy.)

David elaborated in a lengthy on May 29: “It’s sad and infuriating that the nutrition was wrong, and we are thankful to the really smart people who figured it out on Reddit (including an athlete we coach who started the initial thread). When we described concerns to Spring, we were assured that the nutrition was correct and they followed all FDA regulations. We left the Spring sponsorship years ago, and we never received compensation for proposing the name/doing taste testing (outside of the $200 per month that we both received during the sponsorship). Since then, we have publicly directed athletes to other options for high-carb fueling, while hoping to be a source of love and support in the community. Our podcast covered our concerns as soon as the German lab testing indicated that we ·ÉŽÇłÜ±ô»ćČÔ’t be risking making defamatory statements about a business without substantial evidence.”

Who Can We Trust?

While concerns around Awesome Sauce instigated this investigation, it’s not the only flavor under scrutiny. Koop sent additional Spring Energy gels, Canaberry (named after professional ultrarunner Sage Canaday) and Hill Aid, to the lab for testing. The results indicated that both of these flavors also contain fewer calories than stated on their nutrition labels.

The lab results showed that the batch of Canaberry that was tested contains 10g of carbs (versus the stated 17g), and the Hill Aid sample contains 10g of carbs (versus the stated 20g).

Koop also paid for Gu Chocolate Outrage to be tested. The results were consistent with the nutrition facts. All three of these reports can also be found on .

These vast discrepancies between Spring Energy’s reported nutrition facts and the lab results raise the question: which gels can be trusted?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA), most running gels fall under the category of “dietary supplements”, which don’t have to be approved before being sold. However, the FDA requires that all dietary supplements have nutrition information clearly marked on a product’s packaging (including serving size, number of servings, and ingredients) and periodically inspects manufacturing facilities to confirm that products meet the labeling requirements. The FDA also reviews product labels for accuracy.

“Dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA, but much of our role begins after products enter the marketplace. In fact, in many cases, companies can produce and sell dietary supplements without even notifying the FDA,” the FDA states on their website.

The FDA allows nutrition labels to have an inaccuracy margin of up to 20 percent—for reference, based on multiple lab results, Awesome Sauce’s caloric content is about 57 percent less than what the label says.

Sports psychologist and ultrarunning coach works with some of the top endurance athletes in the world, and is best known for training Meb Keflezighi to  his 2009 New York City Marathon win. She recommends several products out on the market to her ultrarunner athletes, as well as suggestions that might work with a person’s individual plan. Typically, she suggests that athletes rotate gel flavors to avoid flavor fatigue, which can impact an athlete mentally and derail performance. So if a certain brand is proven to work well for an athlete, she says, use a variety of flavors.

“I usually use high molecular weight carbohydrates, but the thing is, they’re not as sweet as other sports nutrition products out there,” says Austin, who owns a consulting business providing sport performance services to Olympic and professional athletes as well as military and industry personnel. “So what we’ll do is we might throw in another gel like the Awesome Sauce to help give them that sweet component. It’s just in their arsenal.”

She says, in general, her athletes who have consumed Awesome Sauce have had positive experiences, but that because these gels were just one part of the fuel plan, that muddies the waters a bit. In addition, the potential lower calorie count of this gel may make it easier to digest. However, Austin recalls that one of her clients was taking in one Spring Energy gel (multiple flavors) every hour in her ultra, but found herself so hungry that she needed to eat a lot of the food provided at aid stations on the course, too.

“She was a smaller ultrarunner, and I thought it was interesting that she was taking in all these calories,” Austin says. “She was using Spring Energy gels, and I now I’m thinking, ‘Maybe this is why she needed all the additional food on the course, too, because she wasn’t getting what we thought she was.’”

Ultramarathon dietician is surprised and disappointed in the news about Awesome Sauce. “My clients and myself bank on the efficiency of the gel being easy and light to carry,” she says. “Underfueling within a long run can create acute symptoms like low energy, nausea, or brain fog. Ultrarunners find themselves in dangerous situations on long runs and races, and are often in remote areas, so unintentionally underfueling could have negative consequences.”

Austin says runners can still rely on information they’re receiving about endurance fuel, but that it’s always possible there are, as Spring Energy suggests, bad batches. She’s leaning toward this being the reason for the nutritional inaccuracies (keeping an open mind that more information can come out) because she’s had experiences with bad batches of gels in the past, where the product tasted off and she brought it to the attention of the brand, who confirmed it was an error on their part.

By May 30, Spring Energy had removed Awesome Sauce from its website, although it can still be purchased in the All Inclusive and Vegan Spring sampler packs. There, Awesome Sauce is described as, “our best-seller, has been created for all carb lovers who want to fuel in a healthy way, with wholesome products free of added sugars!”

owner Lee Wilson has made the decision to take Awesome Sauce,  Canaberry, and Hill Aid off store shelves. “It came down to the integrity of it,” Wilson says. “After the other flavors came out with the test results, we decided we can’t sell it.”

Nashville Running Company crew member Eric May added that this whole ordeal is disappointing, especially because the gel was so popular in the community.

“We used to have people come in when we got shipments and walk out with boxes of them,” May says. “It’s a bummer.”

He adds that a few customers have remarked that they still really enjoy Awesome Sauce and will keep using it.

“How a company reacts to the issue tells you a lot about them, and the fact that they’ve taken down their product, it means they’re probably doing their homework to see what’s going on,” Austin says. “I would say, give them a chance to rectify the situation.”

Sabrina Stanley, a pro ultrarunner from Silverton, Colorado, has used Awesome Sauce frequently in the past, but says she stopped eating it when she felt she was taking in three times what she should be consuming to keep hunger at bay. She adds that though it’s a huge disappointment that athletes thought they were buying a gel under the impression it was a different product, the company is the only party at fault.

“Professional athletes aren’t responsible for making sure the nutrition label is correct,” Stanley says. “They are often sub-contracted to give opinions and help promote a product in hopes of making a few extra dollar to continue doing what they love. They aren’t in the lab developing the product and writing the nutrition label, like the consumers, they are trusting the hired them to do their due diligence.”

On May 29, Spring Energy , with Nazarewicz saying they’ve identified weaknesses in the manufacturing process, and that only some batches were accidentally made with varying nutritional values. Nazarewicz apologized and stated Spring Energy is introducing changes to its process and hopes to continue its mission toward making real food performance products.

“Spring Energy has admitted to inconsistencies in their product and also said in a recent IG post this was not intentional or malicious,” Shobe says. “However, to be this far off from your stated nutrition label deserves some major inspection. The whole thing made me question not only the integrity of their products but the nutritional labels of other products. Why, as a dietician, didn’t I become more suspicious of Awesome Sauce in the first place?”

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For elite runners, proper nutrition is one of the key ingredients to success. But among the rigorous workouts and races, maintaining a balanced diet that’s optimized for performance and recovery can be a challenge on its own. That’s why the pros turn to trusted brands like to round out their training with essential nutrients. As the official sports nutrition partner of the , NOW fuels winners and record-setters—but its products are also useful for everyday runners. To learn more about how the Brooks Beasts are fueling for the win with NOW, we talked to , the team’s nutritionist and associate professor of health and human performance at Eastern Oregon University, and seasoned team member and world record holder . Here’s what they had to say.

Nutrition for Runners

șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű: Who are the Brooks Beasts, and why is their nutrition so important?

Kyle Pfaffenbach, PhD: The Brooks Beasts are a professional track team consisting of some of the world’s best middle-distance runners. Nutrition is one of the four foundational pillars of training, with workouts, sleep, and mental health being the others. Proper nutrition, first and foremost, promotes overall health and wellness. From a performance perspective, sound nutritional practices allow the Beasts to train effectively, recover properly, and race competitively.

What are some of the most beneficial supplements for runners?

Pfaffenbach: The most important point to remember is that supplements are just that—supplemental to a healthy diet. If a runner’s overall diet is not sorted, supplements rarely make up for that. Once a healthy diet is in place, one of the most important supplements is . Whey is a highly absorbable form of protein that kick-starts the recovery process when taken after each run. Next would be . Collagen peptides taken before runs may support ligament synthesis, which could help maintain healthy soft tissues.* There is also a variety of effective supplements that may offer benefits to runners, including , , , and .

 

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Why do Brooks Beasts choose to use NOW Sports Nutrition products over other brands?

Pfaffenbach: We trust NOW Sports. NOW is transparent with its testing and quality control. The supplements are manufactured in-house under very strict conditions. Many of the products in the Sports Nutrition line are third-party tested and certified through . Finally, we like that NOW offers uncomplicated, straightforward supplements in effective doses. They avoid overly complicated products with complicated blends that often have ineffectively small doses of the desired ingredients.

Fueling for Wins

Brannon, what does your daily regimen and post-workout for nutrition look like?

Brannon Kidder: For my daily nutrition goals, I typically focus on my macronutrient needs. I don’t count these values every day, but I have tracked them in the past to get an idea of what an ideal day would look like. Every day, I shoot for the same fat and protein goals and then vary the carbs to suit my needs. I always make sure that I am getting enough fats and protein first for my recovery. Then, I will make sure to fuel appropriately with carbs for my hard and long efforts. I eat carbohydrates every day, but the needs change for a five-mile recovery day versus a 15-mile run.

 

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Even though the food changes from day to day to suit my training needs, I always focus on hydration and recovery.* I add an tablet to my water before and during my workouts to help replenish what I’m losing through sweat. Then, I drink a shake using with some carbs added following training.

As far as daily supplements, I’ll also take pre-workout to delay muscle fatigue and speed up recovery time.* And as part of my recovery plan, I use to help maintain muscle strength and mass.*

I have been a member of the Beasts for more than seven years, and I try to dial in nutrition a little more each year. When I’m eating well and using supportive supplements, it can really help optimize my performance.*

What have been some of your biggest accomplishments this season? 

Kidder: We started off the outdoor season with a world record in the distance medley relay! It is a somewhat rare opportunity to run a relay as a professional. When the chance to run a DMR was presented to me and my teammates—Brandon Miller, Isaiah Harris, and Henry Wynne—we jumped at the opportunity. We were excited for the chance to race as a team again. There is something special about racing with and for your team rather than an individual event.

 

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Going into the event, we were excited about assembling such a good team and thought we might be able to take a pretty good shot at a world record. On paper, we had the ability to do it, but most of the time your relay result isn’t as simple as adding up everyone’s on-paper personal bests. I think we were able to get the record because we were all running for each other. We knew it would take all four of us having a good day to get the record, and we got the job done. I ran better than I would have knowing my three teammates were relying on me. The season is just getting started, but that has definitely been my biggest accomplishment so far.

What advice can you give runners working toward personal goals in the sport?

Kidder: Whenever I’m asked this question, my answer is always “be consistent.” Running is a sport that really gives you back what you put into it, but sometimes those gains are measured in months and years rather than days and weeks. It’s hard to tell in the moment, but having many solid days stacked on top of each other is the best way to improve. A bunch of good workouts and runs will always beat some great workouts surrounded by inconsistency.

products have been recognized among the best in the industry, backed by world-class research and development standards and quality-sourced ingredients, to support a range of sports nutritional needs for professional to everyday athletes.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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When Elhousine Elazzaoui in the foothills of the Italian Riviera in October, there’s a good chance the Moroccan sensation was following his stomach.

“After a long race or a run, I’ll eat a tagine,” said the 31-year-old nomadic tour guide. The Zagora-born son to a Berber family confirmed his love of tagine, while training in Switzerland, where he splits his time between the Alps and Morocco.

Although Elazzaoui’s strong performances can be attributed to his alpine training, from his win at the 2018 80K Morocco Race to his course record at the Skyrace Loredino-Lavertezzo a year later, it all began for him where he was born.

As a 14-year-old teenager, Elazzaoui happened upon a local race at the Zagora market and decided to join. He won. Ever since, Elazzaoui has never been far from the podium. In a photo finish, he grabbed third place at the DoloMyths Run of the Golden Trail World Series. He followed that with a second-place finish at the La Veia Skyrace and went on to dominate the Swiss Alpine Marathon 43K race, a solid 10 minutes ahead of the next competitor.

What Is Tagine?

Tagine is a North African stew, typically slow-cooked in a distinctive earthenware pot of the same name. The tagine pot has a unique design that allows for slow and even cooking, with the conical lid trapping steam and condensing it back into the food. This helps to keep the dish moist and flavorful.

Aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, and paprika blend with the sweetness of dried fruits such as apricots, dates, or raisins, fresh herbs, and crunchy nuts for a bit of texture. Savory broth is the medium to meld all the flavors together.

Root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and butternut squash are typical tagine ingredients alongside tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, garlic, chickpeas, and eggplant. These vitamin-rich veggies is precisely what draws Elazzaoui to the dish.

“I’m used to always eating organic,” he says, emphasizing the importance of quality ingredients in a tagine. Although the fresh veggies may vary, couscous is a necessity. Traditionally, it’s served with some kind of meat, like lamb. Elazzaoui is partial to chicken. But these days, vegetarian, even vegan tagines, are all the rage.

Moroccan-American Ultra Fuel

Ultrarunner Yassine Diboun, from Portland, Oregon, makes his tagine . Diboun, 45, is the co-owner of and has Moroccan roots.

Diboun agrees with Elazzaoui that tagine is a great celebratory dish for after a big race—an opportunity to indulge while replenishing glycogen stores. But he also sees it having carbo-load potential before the race with all of the root vegetables and couscous.

Although Diboun says he grew up without a significant cultural connection to Morocco, he credits some of his success to his North African running genes. His father came to the U.S. from Casablanca in the 1970s, met an American woman, and Diboun wasn’t far behind.

RELATED: Diboun Runs Through the Night to Confront the Darkness of Substance Addiction

Initially, his running was limited to soccer and basketball. Running as a sport never interested him. It wasn’t until his late 20s that he started running, but only as part of triathlons.

“I was kind of average in the water, a decent cyclist, and then I would just catch everyone on the runs,” he says. Others told him he’d be unstoppable once he fine-tuned his swimming and running. “Or I could just go run and it would be a lot simpler and a lot cheaper.”

Diboun took to trail running while living around the Finger Lakes of upstate New York near Ithaca, where he found that he could transfer his speed from roads to trails. Trail and ultrarunning was just taking off, and it was perfect timing for Diboun to grow alongside the sport.

“I just started crushing races,” he says. “I was in central New York, so I was kind of a big fish in a small pond and made a name for myself in the local trail running and ultra running scene.”

In 2009, Diboun’s wife got a job in Portland, Oregon, and the pair moved to what he calls the mecca of trail running. From there, his career really took off. He set the course record at the Leona Divide 50K with a time of just over four hours, and besides a few Western States finishes (once in the top 10), he won silver for the U.S. at the 2015 IAU World Trail Championships in Annecy, France.

So much of what draws Diboun to trail running is the spirit of the community and opportunity to connect with nature. That said, food is especially close to his heart as well. He calls food and trail running a “match made in heaven,” and recalls traveling decades earlier to Casablanca, to visit his grandmother, who showed him how to make tagine. Sitting among her “old school” pots and pans, he took notes.

“I sat there with a notebook and watched her make tagine,” he says. “I wrote down exactly what she did and how she did it.” For Diboun, tagine is a comfort dish for social occasions. “You can share tagine with one person or a whole family,” he says. “It’s the quintessential Moroccan dish.”

How to Make Tagine

“It’s all about the seasoning,” says Diboun. Like his grandmother taught him, he recommends using Ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice mix of cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg, allspice, cumin, and cinnamon. Different blends range from 40 to 100 ingredients.

Timing plays an important role, too, in terms of cooking the vegetables and the meat, if you’re going with a traditional recipe. Since Diboun is a vegan, he substitutes meat for chickpeas or tempeh.

“I use fermented tempeh patties diced up into chunks,” he says. “And I’ll use that as a substitute for lamb or chicken.”

Recipe: Vegetarian Moroccan Endurance Tagine

Ingredients

Serves: 4 people

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 Tbsp. of tomato paste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 cup (240 mL) vegetable broth
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
• 1 can (500g) crushed tomatoes
• 95g dried dates, chopped
• 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves and stems, chopped (about 10 – 15 grams)
• 300g of couscous, cooked

Spice Mix

• 1 Tbsp. ras el hanout
• 1 Tbsp. harissa
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Âœ tsp. ground cumin
• Âœ tsp. ground turmeric
• Âœ tsp. ground ginger
• A pinch of saffron

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ÂșF/175ÂșC. Arrange an oven rack to fit a tagine (or dutch oven, if you don’t have access to a tagine).
2. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the tagine over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes, adding a splash of water as needed to deglaze the pan and prevent the onions from burning.
3. Meanwhile, stir together the spices for the Spice Mix. After the onions are cooked, add the garlic and spice mix. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add splashes of water to deglaze the tagine and avoid drying out the onions.
4. Add the tomato sauce and incorporate with the onions for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and add the red bell pepper, carrot, zucchini, sweet potato, tempeh, and chickpeas to the tagine followed by the vegetable broth (or water in a pinch). Do not overfill the tagine, otherwise it will overflow when the lid is put on. Top with salt and a glug of olive oil.
5. Transfer to the oven. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes, zucchini, and carrot are tender.
6. When the sweet potatoes are tender, remove the tagine from the oven. Mix in the chopped dates, parsley or cilantro, lemon zest, and leave lemon rinds on top of the tagine. Cover and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the couscous following package instructions.
8. Serve in bowls topped with extra chopped parsley or cilantro, chopped dates, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

The post This North African Stew Is Straight Endurance Fuel appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days, being used in the strangest of places, like TV news stations, the music industry, little league baseball, and beehives. So why ·ÉŽÇłÜ±ô»ćČÔ’t we utilize AI for the running world? 

I decided to test out AI in the department running I struggle with most, and that’s fueling. Because, as most everyone knows, life can get busy, we forget to eat or don’t eat enough, and our runs suffer as a result. 

One evening, I (politely) asked what’s considered to be the most sophisticated AI chatbot available today, to help me with the following:

“Hello. I run about 50 miles a week. Please write me a week meal plan that fuels me for those runs, separating meals into breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and dessert. Include the macros for every meal. The budget for this should be $35 for the week. Please make a shopping list as well including price per item.”

ChatGPT responded in two seconds flat:

“Designing a meal plan that fuels your 50 miles a week running routine on a $35 budget requires careful selection of nutritious and budget-friendly ingredients. Below is a sample weeklong meal plan along with a shopping list. Keep in mind that prices can vary depending on your location, so it’s essential to adjust the plan according to the available options.

Normally, I ·ÉŽÇłÜ±ô»ćČÔ’t recommend trusting a robot with nutrition advice, but I ran the meal plan past in Nashville, Tennessee, and received  the green light to try it out for a week. Here’s what ChatGPT delivered:

Day 1

Breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal with 1 sliced banana and 1 Tbsp. peanut butter. | 54g carbs, 7g protein, 9g fat

Lunch: Turkey avocado wrap with 2 slices whole wheat bread with 4 oz. sliced turkey, half an avocado, lettuce, and tomato. | 40g carbs, 30g protein, 14g fat

Snack: 1 medium apple and handful of almonds. | 25g carbs, 6g protein, 15g fat

Dinner: 1 cup cooked brown rice with 4 oz. grilled chicken breast with 1 cup mixed vegetables. | 36g carbs, 54g protein, 6g fat

Dessert: 1 small serving plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. | 10g carbs, 10g protein, 2g fat

My thoughts: This is going to be easy! Starting the day off with what I usually eat for breakfast–oats with a banana and peanut butter–helped start the day on the right foot. Lunch and dinner were fine, but the snack was a little lackluster.

Day 2

Breakfast: Smoothie made with 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup of almond milk, and 1 scoop protein powder. | 25g carbs, 20g protein, 6g fat

Lunch: Quinoa salad with 1 cup cooked quinoa, diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a lemon-tahini dressing.  | 52g carbs, 18g protein, 15g fat

Snack: 1 medium-sized orange and a cup of cottage cheese. | 16g carbs, 13g protein, 2g fat

Dinner: 1 baked sweet potato topped with 3 oz. of baked salmon and 1 cup steamed broccoli.  | 40g carbs, 32g protein, 12g fat

Dessert: 1 small serving of mixed nuts. | 5g carbs, 6g protein, 14g fat

My thoughts: I am a creature of habit and eat practically the same thing everyday. So a meal plan that has variety was a little jarring for me, but exciting. The quinoa salad was good, though ChatGPT’s instructions to use a “lemon-tahini dressing” wasn’t specific, so I had to guess at what that meant. I purchased , which wasn’t included in the grocery list or the budget. 

Day 3

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with 1 cup spinach and 2 slices of whole wheat toast. | 40g carbs, 18g protein, 2g fat

Lunch: Lentil soup made of 1 cup cooked lentils with carrots, celery, onions, and vegetable broth. | 40g carbs, 18g protein, 2g fat

Snack: 1 small banana and a small serving of hummus and baby carrots. | 31g carbs, 6g protein, 8g fat

Dinner: Spaghetti squash with tomato sauce, lean ground turkey (4 oz.) and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. | 30g carbs, 32g protein, 10g fat

Dessert: 1 small serving dark chocolate. | 10g carbs, 1g protein, 8g fat

My thoughts: Today I had a big issue with lunch. ChatGPT told me to make lentil soup, but provided no instructions on how. This was a conundrum when it came to the experiment; should I look up a recipe online or would that be ‘cheating?’ Should I ask ChatGPT for help? Should I just wing it? I chose the latter. In a large pot, I sautĂ©ed a cup of chopped carrots and a cup of chopped celery in a drizzle of olive oil. When the vegetables were soft, I poured in three cups of vegetable broth and canned cooked lentils. I brought it to a simmer, put the lid on top, and cooked the soup for 30 minutes. It was pretty bland, though the spaghetti squash dinner (a meal I actually know how to make) redeemed a lackluster day of eating.

Day 4

Breakfast: 1 cup Greek yogurt  with 1 cup of mixed berries and 1 Tbsp. chia seeds. | 30g carbs, 20g protein, 10g fat 

Lunch: Hummus and vegetable wrap made of hummus on whole wheat tortilla with sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, and lettuce. | 40g carbs, 8g protein, 16g fat

Snack: 1 cup baby carrots with hummus. | 22g carbs, 6g protein, 14g fat

Dinner: 1 cup cooked quinoa with 6 oz. grilled chicken breast and a side of asparagus.  | 32g carbs, 54g protein, 6g fat

Dessert: 1 small serving of fresh berries. | 30g carbs, 5g protein, 3g fat

My thoughts: This day I was so tempted to swerve off the meal plan, but I powered through. The measly snack of baby carrots and hummus wasn’t optimal, though, especially when I had to squeeze in a midday 3 miles on my lunch break. 

Day 5

Breakfast: Smoothie made with 1 cup frozen mango, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup of coconut water, and 1 scoop of protein powder. | 35g carbs, 20g protein, 2g fat

Lunch: Veggie wrap made with hummus on whole wheat tortilla with sliced avocado, lettuce, and shredded carrots. | 30g carbs, 6g protein, 12g fat

Snack: 1 cup sliced bell peppers and a small serving of hummus. | 10g carbs, 4g protein, 8g fat

Dinner: Stir-fried tofu (6 oz.) with mixed vegetables and 1 cup cooked brown rice. | 50g carbs, 20g protein, 8g fat

Dessert: 1 small serving of mixed nuts. | 5g carbs, 6g protein, 14g fat

My thoughts: I never want hummus again. PLEASE. NO MORE HUMMUS. There is, however, no easy way to iterate, no way to offer feedback on the prescribed meal plan. So I continue to choke down hummus. Dinner was delicious, though the vague ‘stir-fried tofu’ didn’t offer much explanation as to how I was supposed to prepare it. I sauteed tofu cubes and a bag of quick-cooked mixed vegetables with soy sauce, ginger, and chives before folding them into brown rice. Dessert was disappointing: a small serving of cashews, almonds, and peanuts was not what I had in mind as an end-of-the-day treat.

Day 6

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal with 1 cup mixed berries and 1 tbsp. almond butter. | 54 carbs, 7g protein, 9g fat

Lunch: Turkey and avocado wrap with 2 slices of whole wheat bread with 4 oz. of sliced turkey, half an avocado, lettuce, and tomato. | 40g carbs, 30g protein, 14g fat

Snack: 1 small apple and a handful of almonds. | 25g carbs, 6g protein, 15g fat

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast (6 oz.) with 1 cup cooked brown rice and 1 cup steamed broccoli. | 36g carbs, 54g protein, 6g fat

Dessert: 1 cup Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. | 8g carbs, 10g protein

My thoughts: Turkey and avocado wraps are becoming my favorite lunch in this meal plan. However, I’m not sure what ChatGPT is thinking by calling this a wrap when it requires two pieces of whole wheat bread. 

Day 7

Breakfast: 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup of almond milk, and 1 scoop of protein powder. | 25g carbs, 20g protein, 6g fat

Lunch: Chickpea salad made with 1 cup cooked chickpeas with diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and lemon-tahini dressing. | 52g carbs, 18g protein, 15g fat

Snack: 1 medium orange and a small serving of cottage cheese. | 16g carbs, 13g protein, 2g fat

Dinner: 1 baked sweet potato topped with 4 oz. grilled chicken breast and a side of green beans. | 40g carbs, 32g protein, 12g fat

Dessert: 1 small serving of mixed nuts. | 5g carbs, 6g protein, 14g fat

My thoughts: Nothing to complain about today, except maybe that lunch was a little light for me. I loved dinner–sweet potatoes are my favorite–but dessert proved to be another disappointing handful of nuts. What a way to end the week with a bang. 

Food For Final Thoughts

By the end of the week, I came to the following conclusion: this meal plan wasn’t the worst to follow. If anything, it was a little too simple with its vague instructions. Someone who enjoys cooking and exploring big flavors in the kitchen ·ÉŽÇłÜ±ô»ćČÔ’t like this, though, as there’s little to no spice instructions. 

Nutritionist and running coach, Sarah Cuff, read over the meal plan and was both surprised and skeptical. 

“It’s a solid plan in that it does hit target numbers and uses ‘good’ foods,” Cuff says. “However, there’s no personalization. My clients work with me because they want to tell me about their goals as well as challenges they are working to overcome, like health issues or dietary restrictions or gut problems.”

To ChatGPT’s credit, I could have requested a meal plan following certain dietary restrictions. To confirm this, I went back to my keyboard and requested the same meal plan but without nuts, pretending I had an allergy. It spat out the same weekly schedule, minus the mixed nuts for dessert. Instead, however, it offered mixed seeds instead. °ÂłóŽÇŽÇ±è±đ±đ


The only thing my AI meal plan seems to be  missing is a human touch. I’ve worked with nutritionists before, and I’d like to think they would never tell me to eat seeds for dessert; most likely they’d offer more creative suggestions.. For example,would they have a good hummus recommendation? Because I was utterly lost standing in the grocery store aisle, scanning the many chickpea concoctions. 

“I find my clients not only want to know what to eat, but they also want to know that someone is looking out for them,” Cuff says. “I am here to not just offer up information, but genuinely care about them and their results.” 

In any case, I applaud AI for its progression in the meal planning field. It’s well-organized, provides accurate information, and is free. However, because food is so personal, I prefer to speak to a person when following a new nutrition plan.

“AI will never be able to provide a human connection,” Cuff says. “I’m not the least bit concerned that it might push me out of a job.”

For now, I’ll be sticking to human-sourced nutrition recommendations, while still dabbling into ChatGPT for some basic guidance. And yes, thanks to these hummus-loving AI chatbots, I’ll never think of chickpeas or seeds-for-dessert the same again. 

Note about the shopping list: ChatGPT cannot make accurate estimates about price, so although I requested the week stay under $35, the total cost of this grocery list was $112.34. So. Life lesson? Don’t ask ChatGBT for financial planning advice. 

Shopping List

• Eggs (1 dozen)
• Canned tuna (two 5 oz. cans)
• Grilled chicken breast (20 oz.)
• Baked salmon (12 oz.)
• Tofu (8 oz.)
• Hummus (16 oz.)
• Protein powder (1 container)
• Oatmeal (1 container)
• Whole wheat bread (1 loaf)
• Brown rice (1 box)
• Quinoa (1 box)
• Whole wheat pasta (1 lb.)
• Bananas (1 bunch)
• Apples (7 medium sized)
• Oranges (7 medium sized)
• Mixed berries (2 cups)
• Lemons (2)
• Spinach (1 bag)
• Lettuce (1 bag)
• Cucumbers (4 medium sized)
• Cherry tomatoes (1 container)
  Carrots (1 bag)
• Celery (1 bag)
• Broccoli (1 head)
• Asparagus (1 bunch) 
• Mushrooms (1 container) 
• Green beans (1 pound)
• Greek yogurt (1 small container)
• Almond milk (1 container)
• Peanut butter (1 jar)
• Sliced almonds (1 small bag)
• Granola (1 small bag)
• Mixed nuts (1 small bag)

The post AI Gave Me a Budget-Friendly Running Meal Plan. Here’s What It Looks Like. appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m kind of lazy. I may head out for plenty of big mountain runs, hard swims, and tough workouts of all sorts, but when I’m done, I’m not even making a simple sandwich to refuel. But if I don’t refuel, and rehydrate, I feel like crap.

Case in point: A friend and I recently met up for a jaunt in the Indian Peaks Wilderness where we scrambled over rocks on our way to a 12,541-foot pass, slid down slushy snow fields, glissading in our running shoes like we were skiing, jumped in a frigid (refreshing!) alpine lake, and ran back to the car for a truly heavenly outing. On the drive home, we snacked on pretzels she had in her car and I ate a mini peanut butter protein bar from my pack.

When I got home, I plopped on the couch, lazily watching a Premier League soccer game on TV—the makings of a perfect Saturday. But my legs started to hurt. My head ached a little.

So I got off the couch, grabbed a little plastic scooper full of protein powder, dumped it into a shaker bottle with some ice, water, and oat milk—which is my preferred combination—shook it vigorously, then drank the whole thing. Voila, I felt better with very little effort.

Why You Should Consider Using Protein Powder

Protein is known to help build muscle, and help those muscles to recover. According to the , ingesting healthy proteins can also ward off everything from heart disease to premature death. And since I’m enjoying life and  mostly vegetarian, I’m trying to be better about my protein intake.

The says that active adults should ingest somewhere between 1.1-1.7 grams of protein for every kilogram of bodyweight daily. For me, that’s between 62-96 grams of protein a day, something I struggle with. I especially need help after a big run or workout, since ingesting protein and other important nutrients within 60 minutes of activity helps our bodies absorb what’s needed to maintain strength and repair the muscles that we’ve worked. Plus, drinking protein after a workout instead of eating it has the added benefit of rehydrating you at the same time.

I’ve been using a few different brands and flavors of protein powders over the past few years, and they all help me stay topped-up on my protein. Drinking any one of these daily—and especially within an hour of a workout—helps keep me able to do what I love: Adventuring hard and then lying on the couch watching sports while I recover.

3 Recovery Protein Powders We Love

Tailwind Chocolate Recovery Mix ($40 for 15 servings)

When I drive to a mountain trailhead, I bring a 32-ounce bag of Tailwind Chocolate Recovery Mix and an insulated bottle full of cold water. After the run, I add a scoop of powder to the cold water and shake. I find the chocolate powder tastes pretty good without milk of any sort (the powder does include some coconut milk). It’s also vegan, soy- and dairy-free. This powder may have only 11 grams of protein per serving, but that’s twice as much as chocolate milk. Plus, it has a great mix of carbohydrates, sodium, and other electrolytes—the whole combo helps me feel noticeably better after a run, both the day-of and the next one.

Ascent Native Fuel Vanilla Bean Protein Whey ($45 for 29 servings)

When you shake this whey mix with ice and oat milk it’s pleasantly frothy. One scoop delivers 25 grams of protein, with 120 calories, and one gram of sugar (compared to Tailwind’s 240 calories and 39 grams of sugar), so it’s arguably a better choice for daily dietary supplement whether I’ve worked out or not. This one also contains sodium and electrolytes, though not as much as Tailwind. Whey can be more expensive than soy protein, but a 2021 study in the reported that the former is superior for muscle growth over the long-term (The study also concluded that mixed use of soy and whey proteins might be the best strategy for ingesting sufficient amounts of all beneficial amino acids).

Vega Protein and Greens, ($43 for 25 servings)

This one just makes me feel good on many levels, because it gives me 20 grams of protein but also includes kale, alfalfa, spinach and broccoli. It feels like the ultimate lazy athlete’s hack. If I don’t eat a salad or other vegetables—which is rare because I friggin’ love vegetables—I know I’m getting some of the nutrients I’m missing from this powder. And Vega even gets me with its marketing: the company is a certified B Corp and plants a tree with every online order. Vega products are vegan, non-genetically modified, and gluten-free. I like the vanilla flavor mixed with ice and oat milk, or in a smoothie where I can be bothered to throw in some frozen banana and mango. Check out the company’s Sport Premium Protein Powder if you want more protein (30 grams) and probiotics along with the greens.

The post 3 Recovery Protein Powders We Swear By appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

For me, salads have always been the culinary equivalent of a sad trombone. I’m active. I want something warm and hearty after a hard effort, not the stuff you give the class gerbil in elementary school. This, I know, is a wildly outdated characterization of salads, if not a surprising one coming from a vegetarian. 

But I live in Germany, where there are a lot of rules, and a lot of exceptions to those rules. My exception for salads is the Israeli salad, usually defined as a chopped salad with diced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers topped with a light, lemon-based vinaigrette. Simple, right? A recent trip to Israel coupled with a chat with none other than Olympian runner helped me change my perspective.

Israeli Salads, Twice a Day

Tiyouri is a wildly accomplished Israeli Olympic long-distance runner. Over the course of her career, she’s held the national record in the 5,000-meter run and is a three-time national champion. So it’s fair to wonder: what’s fueling these impressive performances?

Although she doesn’t credit one dish to her success, she’s quick to mention the Israeli salad. Tiyouri describes it as a staple of her diet; something she eats twice a day. But that wasn’t always the case. 

Tiyouri admits that she slacked off on the salads. Then her nutritionist, Tamar Ashlagi, told her in plain medical terms: “You’re Israeli! You have to eat salad every day. Where are your Israeli roots?” Ashlagi is the nutritionist for the Israeli Olympic windsurfing, sailing, and long-distance running teams. She encourages everyone to eat salads, which she says are an important component of the Israeli and Mediterranean diet.

RELATED: Eating These Foods May Help with Seasonal Allergies

“In Israel, there is a large, readily available variety of vegetables, and they are relatively cheap. There are a lot of possibilities for preparing a salad using seasonal vegetables,” she explained. “The salads can be simple and don’t require too much time to prepare, making them readily available even for tired or busy individuals.”

Of course, it’s not just about their simplicity. Salads are fundamentally good fuel for long-distance runners. “The high fiber content is beneficial for the gut microbiome and digestion,” she said. 

Introducing more salads into Tiyorui’s diet wasn’t just about honoring her Israeli roots. A veggie-rich, nutrient-dense salad full of fiber like the Israeli salad is a welcome addition to any runner’s diet.

“Israeli salads contain multiple types of vegetables and are usually seasoned lightly with olive oil, which is beneficial for the cardiovascular system,” Ashlagi explained. “It is common knowledge that every vegetable has different nutritional values. Therefore, the more colorful the salad is, the more nutritious it is.”

A colorful salad usually means more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are known to be anti-inflammatory. In other words, Israeli salads can play a nutritional role in an endurance athlete’s recovery and combating free radicals, not to mention the high fiber content helps regulate blood sugar.

That said, this doesn’t mean you should start stuffing your face with salads every chance you get. “Athletes should be aware that eating a salad close to training or competition is not a good idea because of the high fiber content that can cause gut discomfort due to slow digestion,” Ashlagi explains. 

For Tiyouri, Israeli salads come with a bonus benefit. It’s a taste of home for the 32-year-old, now based in Boulder, Colorado.

“When I miss home, I want to make it,” she says. Now it’s part of her morning routine. She’ll cut up some tomatoes, cucumbers, and top it with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. “I usually do that in the morning, after a workout and with dinner,” she says.

Tiyouri isn’t rigid with her Israeli salads. As long as it has tomatoes and cucumber, she welcomes some greens (spinach, arugula) and additional veggies (radishes, red bell pepper), even Israeli feta cheese if she can get her hands on some. It all depends on what she has available in her fridge, what’s in season, and frankly, what she needs to eat before it spoils. “Sometimes I just want to throw everything in there,” she says.

RELATED:

Recipe: Israeli Endurance Greens

This just might be the easiest dish to make . At minimum, all you need is a cucumber, some grape tomatoes, olive oil, lemon, salt, and a knife to make it all happen.

But we’re not about doing the bare minimum. For this recipe, we’re adding some color—chopped red bell pepper and a carrot along with some of Tiyouri’s favorite bonus regional ingredients, feta cheese and cilantro.

This recipe also adds chopped dates. Why dates? Because they come up time and time again when you ask Israeli athletes about some of their favorite endurance snacks. They grow well in Israel where the temperatures can crawl above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and can be eaten directly from the tree.

Nutritionally speaking, Ashlagi notes that dates are a good source of carbohydrates, glucose, and fructose—making them a quick and optimal source of quick energy for exercise.

“Dates can serve as a replacement for around two energy gels,” she explained. “It’s also a great snack if you desire something sweet, if consumed moderately.”

Within the Israeli salad, dates offer a sweetness to balance out the saltiness of the feta.

You can adjust the quantities in this recipe as you like. And like Tiyouri, feel free to add an extra veggie or swap some out for your favorite vegetables. Not only will she throw in a radish from time to time, she might cut up some avocado or toss in some corn. Put in whatever ingredients are going to make you excited about having this salad. Below is a recipe to get you started.

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Ingredients

Serves: 2 people

• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 150 grams grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, minced
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• Âœ red bell pepper, chopped
• 50g dried dates (about six dates), chopped
• 15 grams fresh cilantro, chopped
• 30ml or 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
• 85g (about 1/2 cup) Israeli feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1) Halve your cucumber and slice each half lengthwise into four slices. Hold the slices together like a bouquet and chop them into small pieces. Add them to a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2) Halve the tomatoes and add them to the bowl along with the red bell pepper, carrot, dried dates, and finely chopped cilantro.

3) Soak minced red onion in lemon juice and set aside.

4) Cube the feta cheese or crumble it directly into the bowl with your hands. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice with onions. Mix thoroughly until the salad is well coated and serve.

The post This Olympian Runner’s Go-To Endurance Salad Couldn’t Be Easier appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

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Everyone knows the  of endurance recovery: Rehydrate, refuel, repair, and rest. While each one is essential, we happen to be a little biased about our favorite “R”, because it involves tasty, nutritious food.

You should always seek out professional help for fine-tuning your nutrition to meet your individual needs, but there are certainly general recommendations experts give when it comes to what to eat for ideal recovery.

 show that good, fast recovery should include consuming a protein and carbohydrate mix within two hours after your endurance training. This not only replenishes glycogen reserves, but it will keep your energy levels up and your immune system working properly so it can repair broken muscle and tissue.

And as surprising as it sounds, a little dark chocolate after a workout may be just what your body needs. Not only does a serving contain 98 percent of your daily intake of manganese and 67 percent of your daily iron intake, dark chocolate is high in polyphenol, 

In the perfect balance of both of those recovery musts, this apple nachos recipe contains plenty of carbs, natural sugars, dark chocolate, and even a little protein from the nut butter. Plus, it’s totally customizable, so play around with the toppings for variety.

Nut Butter Apple Nachos

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Imagine this scenario: You’re running a race out of state and are two hours into your road trip when lunch time hits. You meant to pack a lunch box of snacks before you left this morning, but you were too busy running around getting your hydration gear, sunglasses, shoes, sweat-resistant socks, patella band, and everything else, so you forgot. The next exit off the highway advertises a gas station, so you reluctantly pull off and get ready to decide between a mushy banana or trail mix that’s 90% chocolate, 10% sugar-coated peanuts.

Gas stations can seem like an endless pit of overly salty, sugary processed snacks that probably aren’t part of your training nutrition plan. But there are actually plenty of options that won’t leave you feeling sluggish or with a stomach ache – if you know what to look for.

Calories: 15

Carbs: 2g

Sodium: 660mg

 suggests that pickles are good for endurance athletes for a surprising reason. In general, the high amount of sodium in pickles is frowned upon by nutritionists, but sometimes it’s exactly what runners need to restore all the electrolytes lost in a training session. Pickles are always wedged into gas station aisles. Oh Snap! Dilly Bites are perfect because they come in a portable bag, are sliced into easy bite-sized pieces, and have a good balance of sodium. You may think 660mg is a lot, but it’s not much compared to the popular brand of Van Holten’s (which contains 1,080mg).

Calories: 130

Carbs: 19g

Protein: 4g

Fat: 4.5g

Sodium: 210mg

If you’re a fan of Cheetos but can’t stand the orange powder staining your fingers (and the sluggish feeling you get after eating them) then Hippeas should be your gas station snack of choice. Because these crunchy puffs are made with chickpea flour, they’re gluten-free, peanut-free, and tree nut-free. Hippeas contain a decent amount of easily-digestible carbs and they’re not packed with dehydrating sodium.

Calories: 200

Fat: 15g

Carbs: 2g

Protein 13g

Sodium: 740mg

If you’re not a bar fan, it can be difficult to find a gas station snack with a good amount of protein. While meat sticks can be a little daunting, these Fatty Meat Sticks (don’t judge the name) are made with pork raised without antibiotics, grass-fed beef, cane sugar, and cultured celery juice powder.

ÌęČčČÔ»ćÌę

Pretzel Crisps

Calories: 110

Carbs: 24g

Protein: 2g

Sodium: 270mg

Boiled Eggs

Calories: 60

Protein: 6g

Fat: 4g

Sodium: 60mg

These two snacks are a match made in runner’s heaven. Pretzel Crisps – which are lower in calories, sodium, and fat compared to their regular counterparts – offer crunch and digestible carbs while pre-boiled eggs contain a balance of fat and protein. One study conducted by the  reports that eating protein and carbohydrates improves protein balance (the equilibrium between protein intake and anabolism) in endurance athletes. Thus, this combination is a two thumbs up.

While you might be hesitant to try gas station hard boiled eggs, you shouldn’t fear. Tip: Circle K hard boiled eggs are known to be the best of the best.

Pistachios and Sargento String Cheese 

Calories: 150

Carbs: 8g

Protein: 6g

Fat: 13g

Sodium: 135mg

Calories: 90

Carbs: 1g

Protein: 7g

Fat: 6g

Sodium: 190mg

This is another prime food combination that melds protein, fats, and carbs. Pistachios are one of the rare plant-based complete protein sources, touting all the essential amino acids to make them a powerhouse nut. They’re also high in fiber, which the Sargento String Cheese lacks. Speaking of, string cheese contains 20% of the recommended dietary allowance for calcium and 14% of selenium. Not to mention it has a balance of fat, protein, and carbs.

Regardless of what you pick, it’s always better to fuel rather than go hungry. Don’t stress too much when browsing the gas station aisles, and try to stick to flavors and foods that you’re familiar with so you won’t experience any unexpected gastrointestinal distress.

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Lithuania is not what comes to mind when trail runners think of ultra running. AukĆĄtojas Hill is the highest point in the country, coming in at a whopping elevation of 964 feet.

Nonetheless, one of the world’s strongest professional trail runners hails from this Baltic nation of 2.8 million—Gediminas Grinius.  former military officer who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan before finding the sport and becoming one of the best in the world, securing a third place finish at UTMB Thailand last December.

Grinius believes his strongest muscle is between his ears. In fact, he recently spoke in Japan, sharing some of his tricks to stay mentally tough, and he’ll return again this June to run the . But just as , Grinius points to  as key aspects of his diet throughout his life and career, like homemade dark rye bread, fermented cabbage, and cepelinai—a large potato dumpling served with sour cream.

I caught up with Grinius in Thailand, fresh off his win at the Amazean Jungle Thailand’s Betong 100, to learn more about how traditional Lithuanian cuisine has helped fuel his record-breaking performances, like his run at the .

Potatoes and Carbs

Grinius is always thinking about carbs when it comes to fueling his body for training and races. For him, that means potatoes.

“Potatoes are a good source of carbs,” he said. “And I’m a huge fan of potatoes.”

In fact, he fondly recalls walking two miles back-and-forth to school as a kid. It wasn’t necessarily the walk that brought a smile to his face, but rather the promise of fried potatoes from his grandmother to help load him up for the long walk every day.

“Now that I’m training, I’m doing pretty much the same thing,” he said. Indeed, he ate cepelinai during a carb load the day before his Baltic Cup 100 run in 2013. “Variety comes just from the dishes, but basically, the nutrition is the same.”

Head to the Halle Market in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital tucked in the southeastern corner, near the Belarusian border, and here you’ll find cepelinai stuffed with ground meat and topped with bits of bacon. But Grinius, a vegetarian, opts instead for the cottage cheese filling (also an excellent source of protein, with roughly 28 grams per serving).

“You need the carbs during a hard training session,” he said. “That’s why I’m [eating] it a lot.”

That said, it’s the sour cream and onions on top that bring the dish together. Grinius doesn’t see these adding much significant nutritional value, for a trail runner, but as he puts it, “It gives a great taste.”

Building a Strong Stomach

For Grinius, perhaps even more essential for his diet are pickles and how they benefit his gut microbiome. Matthew Kadey is a registered dietician and food writer who often writes about the intersection of nutrition and performance. He recently did a deep dive on ÌęŽÚŽÇ°ùÌę°Ő°ùŸ±ČčłÙłó±ô±đłÙ±đ.

“As scientists discover more about the microorganisms in your body, they’re uncovering important information about how influential it could be to athletes,” he wrote. “As it turns out, the balance of bacteria inside of you can have just as much impact on health and performance—if not more—than your genetics.”

Grinius couldn’t agree more.

“Ultras are won by the guys with the strongest stomachs,” Grinius told me. That means incorporating fermented foods into his diet, like pickled cucumbers, fermented cabbage, and kefir—a fermented milk that resembles thin yogurt. “We have a lot of cabbage in Lithuania,” said Grinius. “It’s such a great source of nutrition during the wintertime.”

When he was a kid, Grinius would help his parents collect fresh cabbage and chop them up. They’d then stuff the cabbage into a jar and press it with their fist to help release the water in the cabbage until it was completely covered, so the cabbage could begin fermenting.

Grinius didn’t necessarily turn to fermented foods to improve his performance, and he doesn’t make a point of eating pickles for a specific meal or during a certain point of his training. They’ve just always been part of his life, since those early days growing up in Lithuania. It’s just what he naturally craves. He compares it to sugar. The more sugar you eat, the more your brain sends signals that you crave sugar. And for him, that’s pickles. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he knows that they’re good for him and potentially keeps his stomach settled during those long runs in the jungle.

“Running is more or less about continuity,” he said. “To be able to do it continuously, you need to stay healthy. This is why these foods are so important in my daily life and daily routine. They provide the necessary health benefits so I can do what I love to do and run each and every day.”

Timing is Everything

It’s been a while since Grinius made cepelinai on his own. These days, he relies on his wife and mother-in-law, who he calls a “specialist,” when it comes to making cepelinai. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how it’s done.

“The timing is super important,” he said. “If [the cepelinai] is boiled too long, it becomes very soft and loses its shape.”

He also advises paying attention to the proportion between boiled potatoes and raw potatoes used when making cepelinai (I found about a third of your potatoes should be boiled). Finding the right balance gives the dish a silkier texture.

Before he shares his wife’s recipe (the same used by his mother), Grinius offers one last tip:

“In Lithuania, you usually find home-grown potatoes that make the best cepelinas. You need to buy your potatoes in Lithuania.”

Recipe: Lithuanian Cepelinai

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