Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

I’ve written plenty about the sports drinks now lining grocery shelves. Runners in particular seem drawn to the drinks—especially in the summer heat and humidity that are so trashing my runs in Chicago this month. But I’m still turned off by those pricey, neon-colored drinks. Fortunately, Runner’s World has suggested some natural alternatives.

1)   Iced green tea (unsweetened)

It’s not my cup of tea (so to speak), but RW says it’s chock-full of catechins—antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. Research indicates that catechins also can reduce muscle damage caused by exercise and speed recovery. Try it pre- or post-run or as an alternative to water on easy, short runs,

2)   Coconut water

Fat-free coconut water has a tangy, light almond flavor (and also comes flavored with mango, orange peel or passion fruit). Eleven ounces contain 14 grams of sugar and 670 milligrams of potassium—significantly more than sports drinks. Potassium helps maintain water balance and trigger muscles to contract and relax optimally. Coconut water has enough carbohydrates for an hour-long run but not enough sodium for longer than that.

3)   Chocolate milk

I’m a major chocoholic, so this seems right up my alley. Yet, while I’ve written about its effectiveness as a nutritional recovery aid, I admit I haven’t tried it. RW cites studies supporting the notion that chocolate milk is superior to sports drinks when it comes to speeding recovery and increasing the time it takes to reach exhaustion during a subsequent exercise session. But does chocolate milk count as one of “nature’s” drinks? Just asking.

4)   Cherry juice

I’ve consumed cherry juice in mass volumes in a futile attempt to leverage its reputed anti-inflammatory powers. It didn’t work for me (perhaps because injury wasn’t really an inflammation issue), but I know it has helped a friend who suffers from gout. RW recommends the juice after a hard run to decrease inflammation, oxidative stress and muscle damage. But don’t overdo it—a single cup has about 30 grams of natural sugar and 130 calories.

5)   Vegetable juice

Downing 100-percent vegetable juice after a run is the equivalent of one or two servings of vegetables. RW says many brands have three to five times the amount of sodium and 13 to 17 times the amount of potassium in sports drinks, making vegetable juice ideal post-run along with some carbs and protein.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 at 5:42 am and is filed under General Fitness, News, Running. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.