15 Best Foods to Add
to Your Grocery List
By Liz Applegate, Ph.D.
Most supermarkets stock more than 30,000
items, yet every time we race up and down the aisles
of the grocery store, we toss into our carts the same
10 to 15 foods. Which isn't such a bad thing, as long
as you're taking home the right foods ones that will
keep you healthy, fuel peak performance, and easily
cook up into lots of delicious meals. So before your
next trip to the grocery store, add the following 15
foods to your must-buy list. Then, when you get home,
use the tips and recipes to easily get them into your
diet and onto your menu.
Add to your cart: Almonds
Runners should eat a small handful of
almonds at least three to five times per week. Nuts,
especially almonds, are an excellent source of vitamin
E, an antioxidant that many runners fall short on because
there are so few good food sources of it. Studies have
shown that eating nuts several times per week lowers
circulating cholesterol levels, particularly the artery-clogging
LDL type, decreasing your risk for heart disease. And
the form of vitamin E found in nuts, called gamma-tocopherol
(a form not typically found in supplements), may also
help protect against cancer.
Add to your diet: Add
almonds and other nuts to salads or pasta dishes, use
as a topping for casseroles, or throw them into your
bowl of hot cereal for extra crunch. Combine with chopped
dried fruit, soy nuts, and chocolate bits for a healthy
and tasty trail mix. Almond butter is perfect spread
over whole-grain toast or on a whole-wheat tortilla,
topped with raisins, and rolled up. Store all nuts in
jars or zipper bags in a cool dry place away from sunlight
and they'll keep for about two to four months. Storing
them in the freezer will allow them to keep an extra
month or two.
Add to your cart: Eggs
One egg fulfills about 10 percent of your
daily protein needs. Egg protein is the most complete
food protein short of human breast milk, which means
the protein in eggs contains all the crucial amino acids
your hard-working muscles need to promote recovery.
Eat just one of these nutritional powerhouses and you'll
also get about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for
vitamin K, which is vital for healthy bones. And eggs
contain choline, a brain nutrient that aids memory,
and leutin, a pigment needed for healthy eyes. Choose
omega-3 enhanced eggs and you can also increase your
intake of healthy fats. Don't worry too much about the
cholesterol: Studies have shown that egg eaters have
a lower risk for heart disease than those who avoid
eggs.
Add to your diet: Whether
boiled, scrambled, poached, or fried (in a nonstick
skillet to cut down on the need for additional fats),
eggs are great anytime. Use them as the base for skillet
meals such as frittatas. Or include them in sandwiches,
burritos, or wraps as you would meat fillers. You can
also add them to casseroles and soups by cracking one
or two in during the last minute of cooking.
Add to your cart: Sweet potatoes
This Thanksgiving Day standard should
be on the plates of runners year-round. Just a single
100-calorie sweet potato supplies over 250 percent of
the DV for vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, the
powerful antioxidant. Sweet potatoes are also a good
source of vitamin C, potassium, iron, and the two trace
minerals manganese and copper. Many runners fail to
meet their manganese and copper needs, which can have
an impact on performance since these minerals are crucial
for healthy muscle function. There are even new sweet-potato
varieties that have purple skin and flesh and contain
anthocyanidins, the same potent antioxidant found in
berries.
Add to your diet: Sweet
potatoes can be baked, boiled, or microwaved. You can
fill them with bean chili, low-fat cheese, and your
favorite toppings, or you can incorporate them into
stews and soups. Baked as wedges or disks, sweet potatoes
make delicious oven fries. Don't store sweet potatoes
in the fridge because they will lose their flavor. Instead,
stash them in a cool, dark place, and they should keep
for about two weeks.
Add to your cart: Whole-Grain
Cereal with Protein
Look for whole-grain cereals that offer
at least five grams of fiber and at least eight grams
of protein. For example, one cup of Kashi GoLean cereal,
which is made from seven different whole grains, including
triticale, rye, and buckwheat, fills you up with a hefty
10 grams of fiber (that's 40 percent of the DV) and
is loaded with heart-healthy phytonutrients. It also
contains soy grits, supplying 13 grams of protein per
serving. If you pour on a cup of milk or soymilk, you'll
get 30 to 40 percent of your protein needs as a runner
in one bowl. Other high-protein/high-fiber cereals include
Nature's Path Optimum Rebound and Back to Nature Flax
& Fiber Crunch.
Add to your diet: Of
course whole-grain cereal is excellent for breakfast
a meal you don't want to skip since research indicates
that those who eat breakfast are healthier, trimmer,
and can manage their weight better than nonbreakfast
eaters. Cereal also makes a great postrun recovery meal
with its mix of carbohydrates and protein. Or you can
sprinkle whole-grain cereal on top of your yogurt, use
it to add crunch to casseroles, or tote it along in
a zip bag.
Add to your cart: Oranges
Eat enough oranges and you may experience
less muscle soreness after hard workouts such as downhill
running. Why? Oranges supply over 100 percent of the
DV for the antioxidant vitamin C, and a recent study
from the University of North Carolina Greensboro showed
that taking vitamin C supplements for two weeks prior
to challenging arm exercises helped alleviate muscle
soreness. This fruit's antioxidant powers also come
from the compound herperidin found in the thin orange-colored
layer of the fruit's skin (the zest). Herperidin has
been shown to help lower cholesterol levels and high
blood pressure as well.
Add to your diet: Add
orange sections to fruit and green salads, or use the
orange juice and pulp for sauces to top chicken, pork,
or fish. And to benefit from the antioxidant herperidin,
use the orange zest in baking and cooking, as with my
Grilled Herbed Salmon recipe (above). Select firm, heavy
oranges, and store them in the fridge for up to three
weeks. Orange zest can be stored dried in a glass jar
for about a week if kept in a cool place.
Add to your cart: Canned Black
Beans
One cup of these beauties provides 30
percent of the DV for protein, almost 60 percent of
the DV for fiber (much of it as the cholesterol-lowering
soluble type), and 60 percent of the DV for folate,
a B vitamin that plays a key role in heart health and
circulation. Black beans also contain antioxidants,
and researchers theorize that this fiber-folate-antioxidant
trio is why a daily serving of beans appears to lower
cholesterol levels and heart-disease risk. In addition,
black beans and other legumes are low glycemic index
(GI) foods, meaning the carbohydrate in them is released
slowly into the body. Low GI foods can help control
blood sugar levels and may enhance performance because
of their steady release of energy.
Add to your diet: For
a quick, hearty soup, open a can of black beans and
pour into chicken or vegetable stock along with frozen
mixed veggies and your favorite seasonings. Mash beans
with salsa for an instant dip for cut veggies, or spread
onto a whole-wheat tortilla for a great recovery meal.
Add beans to cooked pasta or rice for extra fiber and
protein.
Add to your cart: Mixed Salad
Greens
Rather than selecting one type of lettuce
for your salad, choose mixed greens, which typically
offer five or more colorful delicate greens such as
radicchio, butter leaf, curly endive, and mache. Each
variety offers a unique blend of phytonutrients that
research suggests may fend off age-related diseases,
such as Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
These phytonutrients also act as antioxidants, warding
off muscle damage brought on by tough workouts. You
can usually buy mixed greens in bulk or prewashed in
bags.
Add to your diet: Toss
a mixed greens salad with tomato, cucumber, scallions,
and an olive oil-based dressing (the fat from the oil
helps your body absorb the phytonutrients). You can
also stuff mixed greens in your sandwiches, wraps, and
tacos. Or place them in a heated skillet, toss lightly
until wilted, and use as a bed for grilled salmon, chicken,
or lean meat. Greens store best in a salad spinner or
the crisper drawer in your fridge for up to six days.
Just don't drench them in water or they won't keep as
long.
Add to you cart: Salmon
Nutrition-wise, salmon is the king of
fish. Besides being an excellent source of high-quality
protein (you get about 30 grams in a four-ounce serving),
salmon is one of the best food sources of omega-3 fats.
These essential fats help balance the body's inflammation
response, a bodily function that when disturbed appears
to be linked to many diseases including asthma. A recent
study showed that people with exercise-induced asthma
saw an improvement in symptoms after three weeks of
eating more fish oil. If you've been limiting seafood
due to possible mercury or PCB contamination, simply
aim for a variety of farm-raised and wild salmon for
maximum health benefits.
Add to your diet: Bake,
grill, or poach salmon with fresh herbs and citrus zest.
Gauge cooking time by allotting 10 minutes for every
inch of fish (steaks or fillets). Salmon should flake
when done. Precooked (leftover) or canned salmon is
great in salads, tossed into pasta, stirred into soups,
or on top of pizza. Fresh fish keeps one to two days
in the fridge, or you can freeze it in a tightly sealed
container for about four to five months.
Add to your cart: Whole-Grain
Bread
Runners need at least three to six one-ounce
servings of whole grains per day, and eating 100 percent
whole-grain bread (as opposed to just whole-grain bread,
which may contain some refined grains and flours) is
an easy way to meet this requirement since one slice
equals one serving. Whole-grain bread may also help
weight-conscious runners. One study showed that women
who eat whole-grain bread weigh less than those who
eat refined white bread and other grains. Whole-grain
eaters also have a 38 percent lower risk of suffering
from metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by belly
fat, low levels of the good cholesterol, and high blood
sugar levels. All this raises the risk for heart disease
and cancer.
Add to your diet: Bread
is versatile, portable, and ready to eat right out of
the wrapper. Spread with peanut butter or stuff with
your favorite sandwich fillings and plenty of sliced
veggies for a one-handed recovery meal. Coat with a
beaten egg for French toast, or use as layers or crumbled
in a casserole. Just be sure the label says 100 percent
whole grain (all the grains and flours included in the
ingredients should be listed as whole, not milled or
refined). And don't just stick with the popular 100
percent whole-wheat breads. Try different varieties
of whole grains such as barley, buckwheat, bulgur, rye,
or oat.
Add to your cart: Frozen Stir-fry
Vegetables
Research shows that eating a combination
of antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C,
may lessen muscle soreness after hard interval workouts
by reducing the inflammation caused by free-radical
damage. Most ready-to-use stir-fry veggie combos offer
a potent mix of antioxidants by including red and yellow
peppers, onions, bok choy, and soy beans. And frozen
vegetable mixes save lots of prepping time but still
provide the same nutrition as their fresh counterparts.
Add to your diet: Dump
the frozen vegetables right into a hot wok or skillet,
add tofu, seafood, or meat, your favorite stir-fry sauce,
and serve over brown rice. Or throw them into pasta
water during the last few minutes of cooking, drain,
and toss with a touch of olive oil. You can also mix
the frozen veggies right into soups or stews at the
end of cooking, or thaw them and add to casseroles.
Vegetables store well in the freezer for about four
months, so make sure to date your bags.
Add to your cart: Whole-grain
Pasta
Pasta has long been a runner's best friend
because it contains easily digestible carbs that help
you restock spent glycogen (energy) stores. Whole-grain
versions are a must over refined pastas because they
contain more fiber to fill you up, additional B vitamins
that are crucial to energy metabolism, and disease-fighting
compounds such as lignans. And even better, pastas such
as Barilla Plus offer whole-grain goodness along with
heart-healthy omega-3 fats from ground flaxseed and
added protein from a special formula of ground lentils,
multigrains, and egg whites to help with muscle repair
and recovery.
Add to your diet: Pasta
makes a complete one-pot meal perfect for busy runners
when tossed with veggies, lean meat, seafood, or tofu.
Or combine pasta with a light sauce, a bit of your favorite
cheese, and turn it into a satisfying casserole.
Add to your cart: Chicken
Runners need about 50 to 75 percent more
protein than nonrunners to help rebuild muscles and
promote recovery after tough workouts. And just one
four-ounce serving of chicken can supply about half
a runner's daily protein needs. Along with protein,
chicken contains selenium, a trace element that helps
protect muscles from the free-radical damage that can
occur during exercise, and niacin, a B vitamin that
helps regulate fat burning during a run. New studies
also suggest that people who get ample niacin in their
diet have a 70 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease.
Add to your diet: Chicken's
versatility makes it perfect for runners with little
time to cook. You can bake, broil, grill, or poach chicken
in broth. Leftover chicken works well on top of salads,
mixed into pasta, or stuffed into sandwiches and burritos.
Fresh chicken stores safely for two days in the fridge,
but can be frozen for six months or more.
Add to your cart: Frozen Mixed
Berries
The colorful compounds that make blueberries
blue, blackberries deep purple, and raspberries a rich
shade of red are called anthocyanins a powerful group
of antioxidants that may help stave off Alzheimer's
disease and some cancers. Anthocyanins may also assist
with postrun recovery and muscle repair. Not bad for
a fruit group that contains a mere 60 calories or so
per cup. And remember: Frozen berries are just as nutritious
as fresh ones, but they keep far longer (up to nine
months in the freezer), making it easier to always have
them ready to eat.
Add to your diet: Frozen
berries make a great base for a smoothie and there's
no need to thaw them. Once thawed, eat them straight
up or add to some vanilla yogurt with chopped nuts.
Or liven up your hot or cold cereal with a big handful.
You can also bake berries with a nutty topping of oatmeal,
honey, and chopped almonds for a sweet treat after a
long weekend run.
Add to your cart: Dark Chocolate
As a runner you deserve at least one indulgence
especially one you can feel so good about. Chocolate
contains potent antioxidants called flavonols that can
boost heart health. In one study, a group of soccer
players had lower blood pressure and total cholesterol
levels, and less artery-clogging LDL cholesterol after
just two weeks of eating chocolate daily. Other research
suggests that the chocolate flavonols ease inflammation
and help prevent blood substances from becoming sticky,
which lowers the risk of potential blood clots. But
not just any chocolate will do. First off, dark chocolate
(the darker the better) generally contains more flavonols
than milk chocolate. Also, the way the cocoa beans are
processed can influence the potency of the flavonols.
Chocolate manufacturer Mars has developed a procedure
that apparently retains much of the antioxidant powers
of the flavonols, and their research shows just a little
over an ounce (200 calories worth) of Dove dark chocolate
per day has heart-healthy benefits.
Add to your diet: Besides
the obvious (just eat it!), you can add dark chocolate
to trail mix, dip it in peanut butter (my favorite),
or combine it with fruit for an even greater antioxidant
punch. Just keep track of the calories. Buy chocolate
wrapped in small pieces to help with portion control.
Add to your cart: Low-fat Yogurt
Besides being a good source of protein
and calcium (one cup provides 13 grams of protein and
40 percent of the DV for calcium), low-fat yogurt with
live cultures provides the healthy bacteria your digestive
tract needs to function optimally. This good bacteria
may also have anti-inflammatory powers that can offer
some relief to arthritis suffers. Just look for the
live-culture symbol on the yogurt carton.
Add to your diet: Low-fat
yogurt is great topped with fruit, granola, or nuts,
or used as a base for smoothies. Plain yogurt can be
mixed with diced cucumber and herbs like dill and spread
over grilled tofu, chicken, fish, and other meats. Yogurt
can also double as a salad dressing with vinegar and
herbs. Or mix it with fresh salsa to stand in as a dip
for veggies and baked chips.
