Celebrate A World Of Flavors
In honor of this year’s National Nutrition Month theme, “Celebrate a World of Flavors,” this article highlights nutritious, delicious foods from a variety of global cuisines, focusing on their health and performance benefits for runners and active individuals.
Ethiopian
Some of the fastest runners in the world call Ethiopia and other east African countries home, so it’s no wonder that many of the foods eaten in this region offer performance benefits. Most notably, carbohydrates (the preferred fuel source for running, especially at higher intensities and longer durations) make up a significant portion of the traditional Ethiopian diet, with injera, a starchy sourdough flatbread, accompanying most meals. Made from a naturally gluten-free grain called teff, injera is used to scoop up the vegetables and meat commonly enjoyed in the form of stews, known as wots. Ethiopian cuisine tends to be spicy, and often features the spice mix berbere, made with ingredients associated with reducing pain and inflammation, such as chili peppers, garlic, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric.
Korean
With a focus on rice, vegetables, fish and seafood, the traditional Korean dietary pattern lends itself to health and performance benefits for runners. Rice is an excellent, easy-to-digest source of carbohydrates, perfect for fueling up before and replenishing energy stores after a long run. Vegetables are naturally packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to support immune health, regulate cholesterol and blood sugar, improve digestion and more. Fish and seafood provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which research links to exercise recovery and reducing heart-disease risk. Additionally, kimchi, a spicy fermented cabbage dish, offers probiotics, “good” gut bacteria that are increasingly associated with a host of health benefits from immunity to weight management.
Indian
For athletes interested in a more plant-forward approach to eating, Indian cuisine offers plenty of tasty options. From dal made from lentils to chana masala made from chickpeas, many traditional Indian dishes feature plant-based ingredients. As a result, this pattern of eating is high in dietary fiber and low in saturated fat, which helps decrease LDL-cholesterol and supports cardiovascular health. The tandoori style of cooking meat, poultry and fish offers additional heart-health benefits by creating a lot of flavor without the fat of other methods such as frying. Furthermore, naan and roti, the starchy flatbreads (leavened and unleavened respectively) that commonly accompany Indian meals provide ample carbs to fuel your runs.
Mediterranean
Based on the cuisine traditionally consumed in Italy and Greece, the Mediterranean diet focuses on nutrient and antioxidant-rich whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, heart-healthy fats from olive oil, nuts and fish, plus small amounts of lean animal proteins and dairy. A well-regarded dietary pattern due as much to extensive evidence-based cardiovascular health benefits as its inclusion of indulgences such as red wine and dark chocolate, this balanced and sustainable approach to eating provides sufficient macronutrients (carbs, protein and fats) and micr0nutrients (vitamin C and potassium for example) that runners need to optimize health, performance and recovery.
The Bottom Line
This article highlights just a handful of global cuisines that offer nutritious, delicious options for runners and athletes. From Indian roti and Ethiopian wots to Korean kimchi and Mediterranean inspired plant-based dishes, exploring traditional foods from other cultures is a great way to add variety, taste and nutrition to your diet!
