The Consumer’s Guide

By Helena Pozniak

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT A rundown of the foods that provide the key to a longer and healthier life

“Energy in, energy out” is a useful mantra when exercising, says the Fitness Industry Association. In other words, don’t shovel down the calories just because you’ve worked out. It’s a myth for most people doing moderate levels of exercise that you need a specific diet, extra protein or high energy foods. Don’t neglect your fruit and vegetables, say dieticians, which remain as important as ever. Aim to make long term adjustments to what you eat to complement the effects of a more active life.

PORRIDGE

You can’t say a bad word against oats. Britain’s medal-winning Olympian sailors ate them regularly for breakfast. They lower cholesterol, and because they are absorbed slowly, a bowl of breakfast porridge can stave off hunger pangs all morning. “I recommend them to anyone and particularly people doing endurance sports,” says registered sports dietician Karen Reid of performancefood.co.uk. She prefers hers the traditional Scottish way – made only with water – but add milk or yogurt for more protein and calcium. Build up your carbohydrate intake by adding dried fruit or banana, or top up your porridge with berries or kiwis for a vitamin boost.

PURPLE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

It was the paradox in the French diet – lots of red wine and less heart disease – that initially led researchers to understand the benefit of anthocyanins. They are the potent natural antioxidants that are found in fruit and vegetables containing deep purple and blue pigments – in the skin of red grapes for instance. These are particularly helpful in mopping up harmful free radicals within our bodies that can result from pollution, stress and strenuous exercise. Pop diva Mariah Carey says she eats “purple meals” three days a week to harvest the anti-ageing properties researchers attribute to anthocyanins.

They are beloved too by British Olympic athletes and cyclists who ate berries and cherries in preparation for Beijing. Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, plums and some cherries are a rich source, or if you want to go cheaper, beetroot and red cabbage are just as good. Latest research suggests they may protect against heart disease, strokes, cancer, MRSA and Alzheimer’s disease.

OILY FISH

Neglect oily fish at your peril, says Reid. “People can end up eating a lot of tuna and chicken for protein but you need a good balance over a week.” The likes of mackerel, salmon, sardines, kippers, tuna (fresh not tinned) pilchards are some of the best unadulterated sources of the “good fat” omega 3 – an essential fatty acid that many people simply don’t get enough of. The Food Standards Authority recommends eating oily fish twice a week. “Omega 3 helps thin the blood and protect against strokes and it has anti- inflammatory properties,” says Reid, who recommends canned fish as a perfect snack after hard exercise to help prevent soreness. Our bodies need Omega 3 for a wide number of biological processes including building cells, vision as well as maintaining major organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys.

GREENS

Not just any old greens but those from the brassica family – broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower, kale and spinach. “These are the good guys, they tick so many boxes,” says Reid. Each different vegetable has a slightly different cocktail of phytonutrients, so mix them up, she advises. Sweetheart cabbages (the pointy kind) are currently in season and good in stir fries. All green vegetables are a good source of iron and anti-oxidants, the natural cell detoxifiers. “There’s a whole host of evidence these can protect against a range of cancers,” says Reid. They also help feed and stimulate growth of good bacteria in the gut, an important component of our immune system – and they’re good for digestive health.

PRO-BIOTIC YOGURTS

Pro-biotic dairy products are a rich source of good bacteria for our gut. They’re particularly important if the natural gut flora have been reduced – by a course of antibiotics, say. “Various things can suppress our immune system,” says Reid. “Hard training and strenuous exercise and stress can all make you more susceptible to illness.”

Pro-biotic drinks and live yogurt can ensure that the good gut bacteria outnumber the bad in our bodies and play a part in fighting off disease-carrying bacteria. They’re a good source of protein and calcium too, which helps bone strength.

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