Sports enthusiasts love to eat these delicacies

Many people in our lives love sports and fitness, but most people don’t know much about the diet related to sports. So what foods are suitable for people who exercise?

Beet juice improves endurance

Recent studies have shown that beets are more effective at boosting energy than caffeine and much better than food supplements. In the UK study, researchers asked male athletes to drink either 450ml of organic beet juice or a placebo. The results showed that those who drank the beet juice cycled 16% farther than those who drank the placebo. Scientists say beet juice has a far greater impact than any other known training method. To improve your performance, you can invest in a juicer and try some fresh beets, which are available year-round. Or buy bottled beet juice and drink it plain or blend it into a smoothie.

Pomegranate helps restore muscle strength

The antioxidants present in pomegranates can enhance memory and brain activity. Now, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin report that pomegranate juice may help improve muscle recovery. The researchers randomly divided the volunteers into two groups. One group drank 110 ml of pomegranate juice while maintaining a normal diet, while the other group drank 110 ml of placebo twice a day. Both groups performed resistance training, and those who drank pomegranate juice experienced significantly less muscle soreness and weakness for up to seven days. Pomegranates are a fall fruit that can be purchased frozen and dried year-round. Simply thaw and add them to oatmeal or salads. Drinking a small amount of 100% pure pomegranate juice is also a good choice.

Pea protein delays muscle fatigue

The benefits of pea protein powder are all the rage in the sports nutrition community. The reason is: studies have shown that the branched-chain amino acid compounds rich in pea protein can delay exercise-induced fatigue. The arginine in pea protein powder (made from yellow peas) can enhance immunity, while the lysine can increase calcium absorption, reduce calcium loss, and help the body maintain strong bones. One scoop of pea protein powder contains a whopping 25 grams of lean protein, and you can add it to a smoothie with almond milk or a little almond butter, cinnamon, and frozen cherries or berries.

Blueberries Reduce Inflammation

To test the anti-inflammatory and recovery benefits of blueberries, researchers at Appalachian State University recruited trained athletes and gave them 250 grams of blueberries per day for six weeks, and asked them to eat another 370 grams within an hour before a 2.5-hour long run. The results were impressive: In addition to reduced inflammation, blueberry eaters experienced an increase in natural killer cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in the body's immune function. If you can't buy fresh blueberries, you can choose to buy dried blueberries or freeze-dried blueberries and put them in your gym bag.

Salmon Builds Muscle

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, may protect against heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Animal studies show that fatty fish is also a powerful muscle booster. Compared with cattle fed a diet consisting of cottonseed oil and olive oil, cattle fed the fish oil diet showed improved muscle development: their bodies used twice as many amino acids as other cattle and built more new protein tissue, particularly skeletal muscle. You can enjoy wild salmon a few times a week or carry salmon jerky with you as a portable snack. If you can't eat seafood, or don't eat seafood, you can choose algae, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Watermelon can relieve muscle soreness

Recently, Spanish sports medicine scientists discovered that watermelon juice can help relieve muscle soreness, and this effect can be achieved by drinking 450ml of watermelon juice one hour before exercise. That's probably because watermelon is high in citrulline, a natural substance that can improve artery function and lower blood pressure (it's even been called "nature's Viagra"). When eating fresh watermelon, be sure to bite into the white skin, which is where the highest concentration of citrulline is found.