Super Foods
(and 15 unexpected nutritional villains)
MANY BENEFICIAL FOODS ARE NOT EXOTIC AND UNPRONOUNCEABLE FRUITS, OR THE CLOSELY GUARDED FERMENTATION SECRETS OF ELUSIVE NOMADIC TRIBES. IN FACT, THERE ARE MANY UNSUNG SUPERFOODS HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT. HERE’S HOW
SAUSAGES, POPCORN AND 25 OTHER UNLIKELY NUTRITIONAL HEROES CAN POWER YOUR RUNNING
AND YOUR HEALTH
01 FRUIT JELLY
‘Gelatin is a rich source of collagen, which is essential for skin elasticity and healthy joints,’ says Goggins. What’s more, a study at Jikei University in Tokyo found that glycine, another component of fruit jelly, reduces the time it takes you to fall asleep when eaten a few hours before bed.
02 BLACK PUDDING
Black pudding
– also known as blood sausage, a far less appealing name – is ‘rich in minerals such as iron, zinc and selenium, all vital for your immunity’, says Hodges. ‘It’s a misconception that it’s high in saturated fat, too, with only 2g per portion.’
But beware: supermarket varieties are often stuffed with starch and flour, so go organic.
03 CANDIED PEEL
Citrus peels contain more than double the vitamin C found in the fruit’s flesh and are a source of salvestrol and limonene, compounds that studies suggest can fight cancer. A little sugar will ease the bitterness, so hunt out the last of your Christmas cake.
04 STEAMED DUMPLINGS
They feel like a treat but the healthiest, trendiest form of Eastern cuisine – Japanese mushi gyoza and Chinese dim sum – are typically stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, a single portion of which is enough to lower levels of disease-causing inflammation.
05_ STICHELTON
Studies show the polyamine compounds found in native blue cheeses such as stilton and stichelton could protect against high blood pressure and heart disease. ‘They’re also high in butyric acid,’ says Shah,
which has been linked to fat loss and healthier triglyceride levels. Stichelton is made with unpasteurised milk, which tends
to be more easily digestible.
06 GOAT SHOULDER
‘Goat is lean, has more protein per gram than beef or pork and is richer in iron, which helps to circulate oxygen around your body,’ says Tilt. Slowroast a shoulder for a week’s worth of postrun meals.
07 PORTER
This dark beer is rich in hearthealthy nutrients. ‘The University of Wisconsin-Madison found flavonoids in dark beers could prevent blood clots,’ says Goggins. Try Five Points Railway Porter, which comes in at 4.8% ABV.
08 PISTACHIO BUTTER
Studies show that pistachios contain more antioxidants than other nutty alternatives, with an impressive profile of BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), which have been linked to muscle repair. Make it yourself by blending a bag of salted pistachios until creamy.
09 IODISED SALT
Many people in the UK are deficient in iodine, a nutrient that keeps your thyroid and metabolism healthy. This will redress the balance. Plus, research at McMaster University in Canada recently found that a low-salt diet can increase the risk of heart disease in men with healthy blood pressure.
10 NATTO
These fermented soybeans are a traditional breakfast dish in Japan. They are an acquired taste, with a sticky texture and punchy scent. But it’s one worth acquiring, says Goggins: a 200kcal serving contains half your daily iron needs and a third of your RDA of fat-burning copper, as well as a hefty hit of gutboosting probiotics.
11 BABA GANOUSH
This tasty, smoky spread offers two superfoods in one: aubergine, rich in nasunin, which relaxes blood vessels, and cholesterolbusting tahini.
12 NDUJA SAUSAGE
This spicy ‘peasant’ sausage is made with pig offal such as tripe, lungs and liver. These so-called waste cuts are rich in mood- and energysupporting vitamin B12 and iron, says Hodges, plus choline for brain health. The pigs’ diet of acorns and nuts makes their meat rich in healthy fats, too. It’s then cut with chilli and spice and sold in a spreadable form.
13 VIOLETTE POTATO
Low-carb advocates may chip away at the reputation of the spud, but we runners know they are a fine part of your fuelling plan. Along with the carb load, all types are rich in potassium and vitamin C, but purple ones ‘have a rich anthocyanin content, like berries. Plus, they’re great for colon health,’ says Goggins.
14 MARMITE
Even if you loathe it you may be won over by the prospect of a healthier brain. According to studies by the University of York, Marmite can boost your levels of GABA, a chemical messenger associated with deeper sleep and reduced anxiety, making a slice of toast with Marmite a great addition to your bedtime ritual. The study authors credit its levels of moodbalancing vitamin B12 for the effect.
15 KEFIR
To upgrade any smoothie or latte, ferment your own milk. Kefir grains are, in fact, not grains but a ‘symbiotic community’ of yeast and bacteria that bestow your milk with probiotics. ‘This improves metabolic health by boosting the blood sugar-control hormone GLP-1,’
says Goggins.
16 WASABI PEANUTS
Wasabi paste ‘provides isothiocyanate nutrients, which bolster our stressresponse defences’, says Goggins. These nutrients have been associated with cancer prevention, inhibiting blood clots and even to have anti-asthma effects.
17 GOCHUJANG PASTE
You’ll find this sweet, fiery, umami paste in everything from Korean bibimbap to katsu curry. It’s made with chillies, sticky rice and fermented soy. Korea’s Chonbuk University found that mice fed on concentrated gochujang gained less weight on a high-fat diet and had better blood sugar levels, while the Korea Food Research Institute says it may have antiobesity effects.
18 PICKLED EGGS
The powers of eggs and cider vinegar are well established, but now it’s time for the humble chip shop staple to don a spandex suit and show itself as a nutritional superhero. ‘Eggs are a source of choline and vitamins D and A,’ says Hodges, while the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that boiling protects nutrients better than frying or scrambling.
19_ BUTTERED POPCORN
Low-calorie popcorn snack
bags might seem like the smart option, but many are coated with powdered sugar and artificial flavourings. However, there are ways to keep popcorn’s health credentials golden. A study by the University of Scranton, US, found that popcorn has
a greater concentration of health-boosting polyphenols than most fruit – and these
nutrients are also better absorbed when eaten with a dose of healthy fats. Drizzle
with organic butter.
20_ RAVIOLI
New research in the BMJ Open journal has linked regular pasta consumption to a lower body weight, giving it equal status to any bowl of quinoa. ‘Cook and cool your pasta,’ advises Tilt. ‘This turns its carbs into resistant starch that not only reduces appetite, but also increases your levels of shortchain fatty acids, which might protect against cancer.’ Which makes a packet of supermarket ravioli a three-minute-prep nutritional miracle.
21 MANGO
Higher in sugar than your usual bag of frozen berries, but its benefits are twofold. An Oklahoma State University study found eating mango restabilised blood glucose in overweight subjects and other research on hungover mice (yep) found liquid mango boosted recovery.
22 ELK JERKY
Gram for gram, elk is the leanest of all red meats, with roughly half the calories of your average cut of cow and a sweeter flavour. ‘It also has a better balance of monounsaturated fatty acids,’ says Hodges. Not planning a hunting trip to the Yukon? Simply grab a bag from jerky-house. com for 28g of protein on the go.
23 SPARKLING WINE
Memory and alcohol tend to have an inverse correlation. Not so in the case of champagne, a daily glass of which can protect your powers of recollection from age-related decline, found a study at Reading University. The researchers attribute this to the phenolic compounds in pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes.
24 CAFE MOCHA
Studies show that up to five cups of coffee a day can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and liver cancer, says Shah. And, a US study found that subjects who consumed cocoa and caffeine together before a test had better cognitive performance and focus, making a mocha the ideal pre-run pick-me-up.
25_ KETCHUP
Though closely associated with such delicacies as chicken nuggets and chips, a dollop of red sauce carries many benefits, says Goggins. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that lycopene, an anti-cancer nutrient, is 2.5 times more easily absorbed from tomato paste than fresh tomatoes.
And as lycopene is fat-soluble, pairing it with fats makes it more effective. But no, they didn’t actually say nuggets.
Or chips.
26 SWEETBREAD
Sweetbreads are glands (thymus or pancreas) from calves or lambs. They are rich in vitamin C, with your full RDA in a standard serving. Sweetbreads are less ‘offally’ than most offal, making them a good gateway meat for those not keen on kidneys. Soak them in brine to remove impurities, then sear in a hot pan.
27 PORK CRACKLING
In a study published in journal Plos One – which ranked the likelihood that a food would help you hit your daily nutritional targets when eaten in combination with other foods – pork fat fared better than cauliflower, spinach and carrots. It’s rich in oleic acid, the heart-healthy fat in olive oil, as well as containing B vitamins and minerals.