FIVE THINGS ELITE ATHLETES JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF

BEETS

* And concentrated beetroot juice Considered a high- octane energy booster. Contains antioxidants and nitric oxide, which improves stamina. “Every country was looking at beets at the London Olympics because of their natural nitric oxide and enhanced oxygen utilization,” says dietitian Jennifer Gibson. “Everyone knew it — the Canadians, the Americans, the British — and that’s why there were no beets available in London ( they sold out).”

OMEGA 3’ S

Apart from playing a role in cardiovascular health, omega 3s are also good for joint lubrication and countering infl ammation, says Gibson. “We usually advocate for somewhere in the range of 1,000 to 2,000 mg per day and we use a food- fi rst approach so that means fish sources ( salmon or trout), omega 3- enriched products like eggs, flax seed and walnuts.”

VITAMIN D3

“All my athletes are doing indoor sports so they aren’t getting sun exposure to get their D levels up. Secondly, in the winter months, people living in states like Colorado and north up throughout Canada will have lower levels of D. We know D is critically involved in bone metabolism as well as calcium. And because our athletes stress their skeletal frames so much, we screen at least yearly and may advocate for some sun exposure or supplementation in winter months. If athletes are low, we use supplements containing between 5,000 to 7,000 IU per day for three to four weeks to try to get levels back up to normal,” says Gibson. Blood levels above 40 mg/ ml are considered desirable.

BETA ALANINE

An amino acid that fuels muscles. Says Gibson: “There’s growing research to support use in sport performance. It helps to buff er internal muscle acidity. When we work muscles hard, acidity occurs and so ingesting this supplement has been shown to attenuate that or allow the body to produce a little less acidity or process it faster. So it’s become a popular supplement for athletes involved in sports in which there is high intensity, intermittent bursts of energy.”

YOGURT AND CHOCOLATE MILK

* For post- training/ exercise recovery “I would say yes to low- fat, Greek yogurt because it’s got higher protein content, and chocolate or soy milk. They’re pretty easy and accessible for most athletes, all over the world. We’re looking for at least 10 to 15 grams of highquality protein but also something easy to digest,” says Gibson.