Nutrition is one of the key aspects that is detrimental to success and well-being of any athlete. *I bet you didn’t know about it! Haha!* As someone who doesn’t have any nutritional background, every single time I walk into a grocery store I face a big dilemma. I always try to choose the healthiest, most nutrient-filled food from thousands of choices. Not that I can’t pick anything *Thankfully, I don’t suffer from indecisiveness! Fewhhh!*, but I always question whether all fruits and vegetables that I buy can indeed provide me with all vitamins and minerals that I need in order to properly fuel my body.
Normally, I would complement my diet with vitamin pills; however, as of recently, various (usually contradicting) health reports made me question their effectiveness as well as their safety and potential harmful side effects on my health. I’m kind of worried since most of them are synthetically made.
Since I’m still looking into this issue, I figured I can as well educate myself a little bit more about nutritional benefits of various fruits and vegetables. *I mean, one doesn’t hurt another, right?!*
I found this image.
And this one.
Despite the great benefits of the above mentioned products, we neglect to realize that very often we get only a fraction of them. Why? Because depending on the method of preparation (or incorrect cooking), the nutritional value is drastically decreased, if not wiped out completely. So how can we preserve vital nutrients in food?
- Choose whole vegetables & fruits over pre-cut ones
- Try to stick to seasonal & local food
- Consider canning or freezing some food for winter
- Cook gently: reduce cooking time, temperature & amount of water added
- Cut fresh produce right before consumption
- Avoid reheating at all cost
- Give preference to a quick rinse as opposed to soaking whenever possible
What are your thoughts on vitamin supplements and pills? How do you preserve the nutritional value of your food?
xoxo
Olena
candies & crunches 