--- Who needs Gatorade? (or its High Fructose Corn Syrup)
Check out this article from the Boston Globe's "G" section. This is no joke. Give it a try and let me know how it went.
Check out this article from the Boston Globe's "G" section. This is no joke. Give it a try and let me know how it went.
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Pickle juice popsicles, anyone?
For some athletes, nothing says hot-weather workout savior like popsicles made from the briny, green liquid. The combination of water, salt, vinegar, and flavorings can replace essential electrolytes lost during exercise on hot, humid days. Freezing the juice takes away some of the ick-and-eww factor and adds some refreshing fun.
Most athletes will gamely pucker up for improved performances, and pickle juice in liquid form is gaining popularity as well.
The maker of Pickle Juice Sport, a dill-flavored sports drink promoted as a way to prevent muscle cramps, says it supplies several dozen teams and more than 100 pro athletes. Philadelphia Eagles head trainer Rick Burkholder credits natural pickle juice with a win over the Dallas Cowboys when on-field temperatures reached 109 degrees at Texas Stadium during the 2000 season opener.
“It’s been a hidden secret,’’ said Pickle Juice Sport president Brandon Brooks. “Teams didn’t want to divulge the secret because it’s an edge on the competition.’’
No longer a secret, pickle juice joins chocolate milk, Ensure, sweetened condensed milk, coffee, coconut water, sugar cubes, and gummy bears on a growing list of surprising foods and beverages athletes use before, during, and after games and lengthy workouts to improve performance and recovery.
Elite triathletes have long filled water bottles with baby food. Marathoners might carry mini candy bars for refueling on long training runs. Cyclists stuff cooked, salted potatoes down their jerseys for long rides.
Such high-sodium, high-carb, and often high-calorie foods are not meant for exercise enthusiasts heading off for an easy midday jog or making a quick after-work stop at the health club. But the body needs easily-digested carbohydrates, electrolytes, and fluids to counter the effects of relatively intense workouts lasting 90 minutes or longer. Nutritionists recommend that professional athletes and weekend warriors alike experiment and find what works for them.
For athletes who experience problems with dehydration and cramping, salt often alleviates those issues. Post-exercise recovery foods should include a carbohydrate-protein combination like chocolate milk has. The more variety the better, because endurance athletes often experience flavor fatigue.
Research shows that some natural food options can be more nutritionally effective than heavily-marketed sports drinks, energy bars, and gels. Many are more cost effective as well.
“There’s nothing magic about the engineered foods,’’ said sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, who has counseled members of the Red Sox and Celtics as well as Olympians and college athletes.
“There’s nothing you can’t get through real food. Inside the box, tends to be the engineered foods. I encourage my clients to think outside the box.’’
With the current economy, athletes may find an outside-the-box approach adds value, nutritionally and otherwise. Well-known sports drinks and foods can be an expensive proposition when compared with natural food alternatives. Gatorade’s chocolate nutrition shakes generally cost around $3 per 11-ounce can. Chocolate milk generally costs around $3 per 64-ounce ...
... continue reading at ...
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2009/06/22/athletes_resort_to_pickle_juice_and_other_odd_foods_to_boost_performance/
For some athletes, nothing says hot-weather workout savior like popsicles made from the briny, green liquid. The combination of water, salt, vinegar, and flavorings can replace essential electrolytes lost during exercise on hot, humid days. Freezing the juice takes away some of the ick-and-eww factor and adds some refreshing fun.
Most athletes will gamely pucker up for improved performances, and pickle juice in liquid form is gaining popularity as well.
The maker of Pickle Juice Sport, a dill-flavored sports drink promoted as a way to prevent muscle cramps, says it supplies several dozen teams and more than 100 pro athletes. Philadelphia Eagles head trainer Rick Burkholder credits natural pickle juice with a win over the Dallas Cowboys when on-field temperatures reached 109 degrees at Texas Stadium during the 2000 season opener.
“It’s been a hidden secret,’’ said Pickle Juice Sport president Brandon Brooks. “Teams didn’t want to divulge the secret because it’s an edge on the competition.’’
No longer a secret, pickle juice joins chocolate milk, Ensure, sweetened condensed milk, coffee, coconut water, sugar cubes, and gummy bears on a growing list of surprising foods and beverages athletes use before, during, and after games and lengthy workouts to improve performance and recovery.
Elite triathletes have long filled water bottles with baby food. Marathoners might carry mini candy bars for refueling on long training runs. Cyclists stuff cooked, salted potatoes down their jerseys for long rides.
Such high-sodium, high-carb, and often high-calorie foods are not meant for exercise enthusiasts heading off for an easy midday jog or making a quick after-work stop at the health club. But the body needs easily-digested carbohydrates, electrolytes, and fluids to counter the effects of relatively intense workouts lasting 90 minutes or longer. Nutritionists recommend that professional athletes and weekend warriors alike experiment and find what works for them.
For athletes who experience problems with dehydration and cramping, salt often alleviates those issues. Post-exercise recovery foods should include a carbohydrate-protein combination like chocolate milk has. The more variety the better, because endurance athletes often experience flavor fatigue.
Research shows that some natural food options can be more nutritionally effective than heavily-marketed sports drinks, energy bars, and gels. Many are more cost effective as well.
“There’s nothing magic about the engineered foods,’’ said sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, who has counseled members of the Red Sox and Celtics as well as Olympians and college athletes.
“There’s nothing you can’t get through real food. Inside the box, tends to be the engineered foods. I encourage my clients to think outside the box.’’
With the current economy, athletes may find an outside-the-box approach adds value, nutritionally and otherwise. Well-known sports drinks and foods can be an expensive proposition when compared with natural food alternatives. Gatorade’s chocolate nutrition shakes generally cost around $3 per 11-ounce can. Chocolate milk generally costs around $3 per 64-ounce ...
... continue reading at ...
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2009/06/22/athletes_resort_to_pickle_juice_and_other_odd_foods_to_boost_performance/
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