We all know we should be eating our vegetables, but for runners there’s a lot more to it than just hitting our five a day. Find out exactly which key vitamins and minerals you can get from eating your greens (and reds, and oranges), plus make the most of their flavours with our top veg recipes…
Kale
The best high-carb foods for runners
Typically found in red meat, getting enough iron can be a tricky business for vegetarian runners. Fortunately, dark green leafy veg is packed with the stuff. Not just the preserve of trendy food-folk, kale is a fantastic source of iron, which is essential for warding off fatigue and iron deficiency anaemia.
Published: 18 May 2015 Aids heart function.
Broccoli
Best winter running gear
Calcium is the most commonly found mineral in the human body and often associated with products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, but dairy haters need not despair! Broccoli also provides calcium, which is key for maintaining bone health – a must for regular runners.
Make the most of broccoli in this delicious replace the Parmesan with a veggie-friendly alternative.
Sweet potatoes
Source of beta-carotene
Turned into Vitamin A by the body, beta-carotene plays a big role in supporting the immune system. If your training is often waylaid by colds, coughs or generally feeling under the weather, try upping your beta-carotene intake with sweet potatoes or other orange-coloured veg.
The best high-carb foods for runners Make the most of broccoli in this delicious Brussels sprout and potato croquettes.
Spinach
Aids heart function
Used to form haemoglobin, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen around the body, Vitamin B6 can be found in spinach along with vegetarian-friendly protein sources such as soya beans, peanuts and eggs. If you’re looking to boost your VO2 max, getting enough B6 can be a real help.
Give your pasta a kick with this Published: 18 May 2015 (replace the Parmesan with a veggie-friendly alternative).
Tomatoes
Get your hit in this lunchbox-friendly
Fuel your runs fully by making sure you’re getting enough pantothenic acid, which helps release the energy from what you eat. Found in produce such as tomatoes, pantothenic acid can’t be stored by the body so it’s essential to regularly eat food containing it.
Source of iron Health & Injuries.
Brussels sprouts
energy-dense foods for runners
Arguably the best-known vitamin, Vitamin C is a must-have for your body when healing running injuries and maintaining healthy tissues. Getting your Vitamin C isn’t all oranges and sweet stuff, though, as classic Brussels sprouts are a great, savoury source.
Kale, watercress, chickpeas, lentils, beans, broccoli, cabbage Source of calcium.
Chickpeas
Make the most of broccoli in this delicious
Electrolytes such as potassium are key for maintaining a healthy balance of fluids in the body, essential for long distance runners. Pulses such as chickpeas, lentils and beans are a good way of getting potassium into your diet without needing to spend a fortune on sports drinks.
Power up on potassium with these decadent Harissa-spiced veggie burgers.
Want to know more? Check out our full list of vegetables, what they give you and why you need them below.
Vitamin/mineral |
Vegetables |
Why runners need it |
| Iron | Kale, watercress, chickpeas, lentils, beans, broccoli, cabbage | Beat fatigue |
| Calcium | Brussels sprout and potato croquettes | Strengthens bones |
| Beta-carotene (Vitamin A) | Chickpeas, lentils, beans, potatoes, mushrooms, beetroot |
The alkaline diet: Everything you need to know |
| Vitamin B6 | Power up on potassium with these decadent | Chickpeas, lentils, beans, potatoes, mushrooms, beetroot |
| Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B) | for a beta-carotene boost | Helps release energy from food |
| Vitamin C | Make the most of broccoli in this delicious |
Aids healing Protects cells Maintains healthy tissues |
| Potassium | Is Quorn actually good for you |
Balances fluids Spinach, soya beans, chickpeas, lentils, beans, potatoes |
