In the past few decades, some clever marketeers decided to call some types of foods ‘super-foods’. It appeals to that part of us, which thinks we can make ourself wonderfully healthy and faster cyclists, simply by eating some Peruvian waterbeans grown in moss-covered peat. Of course, it’s not as simply as that, but a good diet can definitely help.
A plate of superfoods for lunch.
A cynic might suggest to be a super food requires some or all of the following characteristics.
- Primarily bought from health food stops.
- To be twice as expensive as normal foods.
- To have an exotic name and label, preferably grown in a suitably exotic location of the world.
- To be endorsed by some celebrity chef or nutritional expert.
- To taste ‘healthy’ i.e. not particularly great, so the best way to get people to eat it is to call it a super food.
Despite a healthy ‘skepticism’ about superfoods, I’m still intrigued by the idea, and am an enthusiast (or mug) for buying expensive super-foods. If nothing else it is food for the mind. You get a certain mental satisfaction out of chewing your way through some raw wheat grass. I mean if it tastes of grass, it must be good for you right?
In this regard, Marks & Spencers has created a niche as being the leading purveyor of expensively packaged cous-cous and raw carrot super-food mixtures in the world. BTW: Who would have thought it that at Britain’s motorway service stations, you can now buy a meal of wild blue green algae with Spirulina? Whatever happened to that ritual of clot-inducing fry ups and a mug of warm tea? Marks & Spencers on the motorway service station is the silent revolution of British cuisine. It’s easy to mock, but when I go to the US in a few days time, I will miss this assortment of healthy foods, as I relentlessly chug my way through another glucose-syrup laden, white flour carbohydrate meal. Anyway I digress, here is the ultimate list of super-foods.
Some Real Super Foods
- Honey – moderate GI index. A natural source of sugar. Apparantely, native Russian beekeepers who aet a diet of honey regularly live past 100!
- Apples – An apple a day keeps the doctor a way. Great low GI energy source, and packed with naturally occurring Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Cheaper than more exotic fruits often labelled ‘superfoods’ but just as effective.
- Brazil Nuts.
- Bananas. Where would cyclists be without bananas? Not just great for nutrition, but also good for sticking down your back jersey pocket, and then seeing how far you can throw the banana skin into nearby field.
- Yogurt. Good for the gut.
- Tea / Green Tea
- Wheat grass
- Bulgar Wheat
- Green vegetables – broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, rocket, lettuce, Swiss Chard.
- Salmon – or Omega 3 supplements
- Wholegrain seeded bread. Switching from a processed white loaf (high GI) to wholegrain seeded bread, is easiest ways to improve diet.
- Seaweed – high in calcium. The chemical composition of seaweed is very close to human blood plasma and helps regulate blood.
- Blueberries – high in antioxidants.
- Marmalade sandwiches – the pre-race snack of Graeme Obree before his world hour record.
- Dark chocolate with over 70% cocoa content. Not all super-foods have to be boring.
A Nutritionalists Comment
I have a friend who works as a nutritionalist and asked him for a few super-foods to recommend for a budding cyclist. Like a good trained nutritionist, he said there were no short-cuts. It wasn’t a matter of eating a one or two ‘superfoods’. The best advice he good give is to eat the widest range of possible food groups. Instead of the five portions of fruit and veg a day – try make it nine portions. Keep out processed sugars and high fat.
Another comment was when you are really hungry after a long ride, try to feel what your body craves. If you can listen to what your body really wants, it will help you discover foods which are doing you good and which aren’t.
Personal Favourites
- Lentils.
- Apples
- Honey
- Broccoli.
What’s your favourite super-food?
Related
- Cycle Foods
- Cycle nutrition tips