Build your stamina with effective food choices.
Many individuals are eager to add some pep to their steps and improve their ability to complete physically demanding tasks for longer periods of time. While sleep and exercise are the best ways to improve stamina in the long run, there are some ways to give yourself a quick burst of stamina enhancement. By making minor modifications to your diet, you can ensure that the foods you eat contribute to, not zap, your ability to go the distance.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are harder for your body to digest and, as such, do not burn off as quickly and leave you feeling hungry as fast as more easily digested foods, reports The Saturday Evening Post. By trading bleached flour for the whole grain variety, or selecting whole grain bread instead of the standard white, you can make your meal stick with you longer and increase your stamina. Many endurance athletes depend heavily upon the power of complex carbohydrates, like those provided by whole grains and down meals of pasta and other carb-rich foods prior to stamina-requiring sports.
Beetroot Juice
While not a juice aisle favorite, the U.K. newspaper The Times reports that beetroot juice is highly effective in increasing stamina. This juice contains beneficial nitrates that not only give you a stamina boost, but also have cancer prevention benefits. Because this food is sipable, those on the run can easily down it without skipping a beat.
Apples
As reported on 21Food.com, an apple a day is a useful way to build your stamina. According to this source, apples were found in a University of North Carolina study to contain quercetin, a chemical that has been linked to improved stamina. This hearty fruit provides an array of health benefits to eaters, including, but not limited to, stamina enhancement. Along with this staying-power boost, apples can also help prevent osteoporosis, reports The Times, and are a useful tool in weight loss efforts.
Lean Proteins
Lean proteins provide eaters with the nutrients necessary to build muscle without leaving the diner feeling weighed down and sluggish. Protein options such as chicken, lean pork or even lean cuts of beef can help those seeking stamina and provide a low-fat way to get the protein necessary for proper body function, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, as reported by the National Cattleman's Beef Association.
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