7 Weird Energizing Foods Runners Swear By

By Laurel House, Planet Green

Sure, there are tons of energy drinks out there promising to boost your endurance, quicken your pace, and keep you on point for anything — test taking or race. But really… do you want to soup up your body with chemicals and questionable ingredients that you can’t pronounce, have zero idea what they are, and may have actually read about on the “do not consume” list? I didn’t think so.

Thankfully there are tons of Bites with Benefits foods that really do benefit your body… naturally. But when it comes to athletes, there are certain expectations around what’s beneficial and what’s not. Your mind automatically goes to protein shakes, egg whites, sports drinks. But here are some out of the ordinary alternatives that runners swear by:

BEET JUICE
Beet Juice! No, not Beetle Juice. Beet juice is what one marathon runner swore got him through a 24-hour event. Two studies found that bicyclists who drank the purple potion before an event rode 20 percent more than those just given a placebo. Basically this beneficial beverage lets your muscles take it easy. The nitric acid makes it so your muscles don’t need to exert as much energy while working, which greatly increases stamina.

COCONUT WATER
This next one isn’t only for Iron Man marathons in Hawaii. I’m talking about Coconut Water. This foggy refresher embodies the perfect balance of muscle-supporting potassium and sodium that commercial sports beverages aim for, but without that sugary, highly processed taste.

SALTED POTATOES and RICE BALLS
One sports dietitian advocates baking fingerling potatoes, salting them, and wrapping them up to stuff in your pockets. This way they are easily accessible every 30 minutes or so when your energy depletes. This same carb/sodium combination can be found in small rice balls. Cook sticky rice, add soy sauce, and form small balls to also pocket for a workout.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Fred H.

6:10AM PDT on Apr 2, 2013

Thank you Samantha, for Sharing this!

April 2
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Kathy M.

5:41AM PDT on Mar 30, 2013

I love beets and eat them raw on salads so i will have to try the juice.

March 30
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Jennifer L.

10:36AM PST on Feb 22, 2013

not sure I could handle the pickle juice! maybe just eating some pickles...

February 22
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Lydia W.

7:46AM PST on Feb 7, 2013

I've always read that vigorous exercise diverted blood from your digestive system and sent it to your muscles. They used to recommend only ingesting liquids during marathons and races. Wouldn't potatoes and rice give you stomach cramps? Wouldn't you be better off just eating really good the day before?