We are finally starting to question the deep impact that processed food is having on our health. The food we choose each day will determine our long-term health and wellness.

Many of the snacks and beverages that claim to enhance our athletic performance may pose a long-term risk to our health in exchange for short-term benefits.

What are we eating?

Never mind checking the label for calories and fat; the essential information is deeper than that. It's always important to ask yourself a few key questions: What are the main ingredients? What is that long word that I can't pronounce? How is this food or supplement going to benefit my health? Then start to eliminate all of the processed garbage! Are the foods that you buy free of refined sugars, dyes, chemicals, and aspartame? If not, then consider taking your diet to the next level and start choosing the most natural food to fuel your workouts.

Fueling for your workouts can be confusing with all the constant information and advertising for sports nutrition products. We all know that it's key to maximize our glycogen stores before a run, and to try and maintain a steady blood sugar level during a run, and finally to recover right after. This is where the conveniently packaged sports nutrition products come into play, but the many gel packs, jelly beans, and bars available to runners are no substitute for whole foods.

Since hydration and maximum energy is always a concern for long-distance runners, drinking plenty of water until a few hours before a run is important. What about during the run? Water will usually be all the hydration one needs for any run less than an hour; however, carbohydrates are sometimes necessary during long-distance runs. This is where the sports nutrition companies cash in! They claim that drinking their beverage is essential to maximizing your athletic abilities. The truth is that there are other ways to replenish your electrolytes without using commercial drinks and gels. You can make your own sports drink by diluting freshly squeezed juice with filtered water and a pinch of sea salt. You can add vitamin and mineral powders as well as amino acids that will give you added energy during longer events without all the unnecessary chemicals and sugar. Avoiding the refined sugar found in most commercial sport drinks will save your immune system and prevent your body from using up stored vitamins and minerals in order to process it.

As with all sports nutrition beverages and snacks, you have to learn through trial and error during training to determine what foods you can handle while running. Not only can you make your own sports drinks but you can use any of several recipes available for homemade gels using puréed fruit, organic jelly, a natural sugar, and sea salt. Bars are also easy to make at home using dried fruits, oats, honey or molasses, and protein powder. So instead of buying into all the hype of commercial products, get creative and start using high-quality food to make convenient snacks for your runs.

Packaged Food

If you are hooked on the packaged stuff, it is important to choose these products wisely. You can make better choices by sticking with products that use natural sweeteners such as brown rice syrup or cane sugar. There are some new and improved sports nutrition products available at health food stores that have no dyes, white sugar, or chemicals. Check out your local health food store for running snacks. They have a wide variety of electrolyte candies, bars, and even gels with healthy ingredients.

The Best Natural Choices

These all use natural sugars and organic ingredients:
- Clif bars and shot blocks
- Sharkies organic energy fruit chews
- Lara or Elevate Me bars

Convenience is always an issue for fueling up during your run, but there is no reason why you can't eat high-quality whole foods before and after your run. Try choosing more of the actual grains. Some examples include brown rice, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, and millet. Organic fruits and vegetables are a great way to replenish all that is lost through sweat. If you prefer bread or pasta, then choose a sprouted grain bread or wrap and brown rice pasta. These choices are less refined and will provide you with more vitamins, minerals, and fibre, and with fewer preservatives and less sugar. If you have to rely on a supplement, remember to pick a good quality one!

Don't replace the huge amount of calories you burn with refined processed food. Consider what's going on inside your body; don't assume that you are healthy just because you are lean and exercise regularly. You should be staying hydrated while consuming quality calories before, during, and after your run. Eating a clean whole foods diet will improve your sport performance and add healthy years to your life.

Energy gel

3 tsps             jelly (preferably organic)
1/2 cup             cane sugar or fructose (some prefer to use maltodextrin)
1 tsp             natural vanilla extract
1/8 tsp             salt (270mg sodium)
1 tsp             water or juice (you can adjust according to desired consistency)
Optional: 1 serving    electrolyte mix. Instead of adding the sea salt you can get a broad range of electrolytes in powdered form (you can find at a health food store)

Heat the jelly to melt it. Stir in the liquid. Stir in salt and maltodextrin. Stir in vanilla. Makes enough to fill a 4.5-ounce gel flask. Play around with the recipe to create new flavours and find a consistency that works for you.

Lemon-orange sports drink

2 cups            pure water
1             organic lemon tea bag (with or without caffeine)
2 tsps             cane sugar or honey
1/8 tsp             sea salt
4 tsps             fresh orange juice
Optional: you can add electrolyte powder instead of the sea salt.

Bring sixteen ounces of water to a boil. Steep lemon tea bag. Dissolve sugar and salt in the tea and let cool. Combine tea and orange juice and chill.

Nutritional info per eight-ounce serving: 60 calories; less than 1g protein; 15g carbohydrates; 130mg sodium; less than 1g fat.

Healthy treat cereal

4 cups             organic rolled oats
2 cups             mixed nuts and seeds, such as slivered almonds, walnuts, pumpkin, sesame, and                 sunflower seeds.
1 tsp             cinnamon
1/2 tsp             nutmeg (freshly grated is really nice)
1/2 cup             warm water
1/2 cup             pure maple syrup
1 cup             mixed raisins, chopped dried apricots, dates, dried cranberries, or dry blueberries

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a silicon baking mat, parchment paper, or lightly oiled large rimmed baking sheet. In large bowl mix together oats, nuts, seeds, and spices. In small bowl, mix together water and syrup, add to step 3, stir well to evenly coat. Spread out on pans, stirring every ten minutes to prevent burning, until granola is crumbly and golden, about thirty minutes. Remove from oven and immediately stir in fruit mixture. Let cool. Store in jars in fridge or freezer to maintain freshness.

Serve it with good quality plain yogurt and one or two tablespoons of hemp or flaxseeds.

Granola Bars

2 cups             rolled oats

1/8 cup             ground flax seed
1 cup             chopped walnuts or sesame seeds
1/2 cup             chopped pecans
1/4 tsp             cinnamon powder
1/2 cup             chopped almonds
1/2 cup             protein powder
1 1/4 cup         Nature's Path Organic Brown Rice Puffs
1/2 cup             shredded unsweetened dry coconut
1/2 cup             sunflower seeds
1/2 cup             pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup             raisins
1 cup             mixed dried fruit (chopped dates, apricots, cranberry, or blueberry)
1/2 cup and 3 Tbsps    coconut oil
1/2 cup             honey
1 Tbsp             molasses

Mix all ingredients except oil, honey, and molasses in large bowl. In a saucepan, bring the oil, honey, and molasses to a boil. Pour hot ingredients into dry ingredients; mix together well. Pour onto one rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press mixture with lightly oiled rolling pin until uniformly one-half-inch thick. Put small bit of oil on palms as well, and firmly press with hands. Bake in preheated 350-degree-Fahrenheit oven for fourteen minutes. Once cool, cut into squares. Wrap individually with plastic wrap. Freeze for a quick prepared snack to take on the go. Makes approximately forty bars.

Quinoa Salad

2 1/2 cups         water
1 1/2 cups         quinoa
1/2 tsp             sea salt

Thoroughly rinse quinoa before cooking. Bring water to a boil. Simmer grain until water is soaked up, approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Stir in salt. Let sit five minutes covered. Chill in fridge in bowl. Add to quinoa in a bowl:

1 cup             kale, chard or spinach, chopped
1/2 cup             chopped carrots
1/2 cup             chopped celery
1/2 cup             cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 Tbsps             kelp, finely chopped
1/2 cup             chopped red pepper
1/3 cup             pumpkin seeds

Dressing:

1/3 cup             hemp, flax, or olive oil
2 Tbsps             lemon juice
1 clove             garlic, minced
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Experiment with different spices such as ginger and fresh basil to taste. Mix dressing. Toss over salad. Allow to marinate, if time allows, for minimum thirty minutes in the refrigerator.

About the Author

Celina Black is a Calgary-based Registered Holistic Nutritionist at Endurance on 8th Health Centre and World Health Club. She has a Bachelor of Science in human nutrition as well as one year of study in holistic nutrition. Contact Celina at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.endurance8health.com.