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Taken from USA swimming.
What are the first three
foods that come to mind when we say “carbohydrate?”
1. Pasta
2. Rice
3. Bread
Each if these is excellent. But what do they have in common?
They’re all white!
 One of the most overlooked sources of carbohydrate is
fruit. Yes, FRUIT. Fresh, canned, frozen, dried or juiced. No
matter how you look at it, fruit is an excellent source of
carbohydrate. Not only does fruit provide carbohydrate in the form
of natural sugars (versus refined sugar), the bright colors of
fruits indicate that they are also excellent sources of vitamins
and minerals, including a sub-group called
anti-oxidants.
You might recall that exercise is the stimulus that leads to
training adaptations. And that adaptations to training occur ONLY
is you give the body the right kinds of fuels during periods of
rest.
Well, one of the side effects of exercise is the generation of
“free radicals.” Free radicals are molecules
that can actually cause damage to muscle tissue above and beyond
the damage caused by exercise. The damage caused by exercise is
normal. It serves as part of the stimulus for training adaptation
to take place. But damage caused by free radicals is NOT a desired
part of the training process. Damage caused by free radicals (aka
“scavengers”) circulating in the bloodstream after
workout can continue well into the recovery period. This is when
the body is supposed to be adapting!
Anti-oxidants “absorb” free radicals, neutralizing
their effect in the body before their damage to muscle tissue can
amount to much. A diet consistently rich in fruits (and other
colorful foods, such as VEGETABLES) is apt to keep the body
consistently supplied with anti-oxidants, which will assist the
body in keeping free radical formation to a minimum. This a good
reason to eat lots of colorful foods during the recovery time
between workouts.
Colorful foods include, but are not limited t
Apples, Strawberries, Blueberries, Bananas, Oranges, Kiwi,
Watermelon, Raspberries, Grapes, Mango, Papaya, Apricots, Red
peppers, Broccoli, Corn, Squash, Carrots, Peas, Green beans,
Tomatoes
Colorful foods DO NOT include: Skittles, Jelly Beans, M&Ms,
Mike&Ikes, Fruit Loops, etc.
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