Important foods for athletes

What should athletes actually pay attention to in their diet? Is it even necessary to have a special diet if you exercise a lot? Which foods are particularly important and which should sporty people avoid?

Fitness nutrition made easy

One thing is certain: if you provide your body with the right nutrients, you will support your fitness and muscle building. But of course only if you also exercise regularly. There are foods that give us more energy and supply us in everyday life. But there are also foods that should not or only rarely be on the menu because they tend to provide “empty calories” and therefore do not promote sporting and health goals. Therefore, it makes sense if you put together your diet well thought out.

Of course, that doesn't mean you should never eat a piece of chocolate, a piece of cake, or some chips. But keeping an eye on what you eat always makes sense — even for people who don't exercise. You are what you eat! At the end of the day, what we eat is like fueling our cars – it keeps things running smoothly, ideally. That's exactly what we at Löwenportion have made it our mission to offer you, with our organic dishes, protein-rich nutrition with everything you need to achieve your fitness goals. 

What are the best foods athletes should eat?

If you put together your diet cleverly, you can increase your fitness on the one hand and support muscle building on the other. In addition, your body awareness will improve with the right diet. It is therefore worth taking a closer look when choosing the foods that you consume daily or regularly. 

linseed and hemp seed

Both flaxseed and hemp seed have an optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are so important for the human body. They help slow down the digestion of protein, which benefits muscle building.

So you should consume flaxseed or hemp seeds daily. - for example in muesli - or switch to linseed oil or hemp oil instead. We have also integrated hemp seeds into our chickpea curry from Löwenshare.

legumes

Legumes, such as lentils, peas and beans, are excellent sources of protein for athletes and provide the body with important amino acids that are needed to build muscle. In addition, legumes have a high fiber content. Fiber is not only good for digestion, but also provides your body with energy for a long time and makes you feel full. We have also taken advantage of this in our dishes from Löwenanteil. Our chickpea curry, the lentil dishes and our chillies will keep you full for a long time and provide you with energy without getting into the well-known midday slump after eating.

vegetables

In general, of course, every type of vegetable is important and healthy, because it strengthens your immune system due to the nutrients it contains. In addition to zucchini, carrots, pumpkin and broccoli, red peppers in particular contain a lot of vitamin C, significantly more than comparatively oranges and lemons, which are often mentioned as vitamin C suppliers.

Ginger

Ginger is considered a true miracle bulb. The tuber is considered anti-inflammatory, which is why it is often used to prevent or treat diseases. For athletes, it has the advantage that ginger has a positive effect on muscles irritated by sport. In addition, the tuber promotes fat burning because it stimulates the metabolism in the body.

Löwenanteil:

In order to easily integrate these superfoods for athletes into your everyday life, we at Löwenshare have developed ready meals that perfectly complement your healthy diet. Because we like doing sports just as much as you do, we have made sure that our dishes are tailored to the needs of amateur and professional athletes. They contain a lot of nutrients and provide you with protein and energy. In addition, the Löwenanteil dishes taste great, thanks to our collaboration with a fantastic organic top chef. The best? The dishes are already prepared for you. This leaves enough time for the gym, the swimming pool or the run!

yoghurt, low-fat quark and buttermilk

Yoghurt contains muscle-friendly protein as well as probiotics, which are important for the gut. It is best if you switch to low-sugar or sugar-free yogurt and ideally eat it with fruit and nuts. By the way, buttermilk not only has few calories, but also a lot of protein.

Low-fat quark is easy to use and the protein it contains consists mainly of casein, which is only slowly broken down by the body and thus provides a lot of energy.

nuts

Nuts are food for the nerves and also perfect for athletes. They also contain important fatty acids, but also proteins that the body can quickly convert into muscles. As an athlete, you can certainly consume a handful of nuts in between. Also try the different nut butters like almond butter, cashew butter or peanut butter. Not only can you use them as a topping for bread, you can also cook with them, put them in shakes or smoothies or, like us, process them into snack balls. These Snack Balls from Löwenanteil are a great way to make snacking healthier. Try our coffee-walnut or raspberry-coconut varieties, which contain walnuts and almonds.

cocoa

In fact, cocoa is a real superfood. But not with the cocoa, which is made with milk and sugar, but with the cocoa powder. It contains a lot of proteins and can also help to form happiness hormones. It is best to use high-quality cocoa powder and avoid too much sugar when preparing it. This is exactly what we do with the composition of our Snack Balls and therefore do not use any additional sugar. With our Snack Balls cocoa, you benefit immediately from the positive properties of this superfood.

bananas

Bananas are the sports food par excellence. But they are also just too practical: packed in the bowl you can take them with you everywhere, they are sweet, taste good and give you quick energy due to the many carbohydrates. A banana is just the thing after a workout.

dried fruit

Dried fruits, such as dates, are a popular snack among athletes because their sweetness makes them a good substitute for sweets. In addition, they quickly provide energy and minerals that are important for muscle building. They contain iron, vitamins and fiber. Dates are good to eat pure, but should not be eaten in large quantities, otherwise they contain too many calories. In small amounts, they can be wonderfully incorporated into bars or snack balls.

Want more about snacking without regrets?

wheat germ

There is a surprising amount of nutrients and vitamins in wheat germ. With this you can give your metabolism a boost. Wheat germ is also real food for the nerves. You can either mix them in shakes or smoothies or simply add them to muesli in the morning.

Goji berries

They have long been considered a real superfood, the small, bright red and slightly sour berries. They promote your fitness because they are rich in antioxidants and thus protect the cells. They also help with regeneration after exercise and are a real nutrient bomb due to the vitamins and nutrients they contain. Not only do they promote muscle growth, but they are also good for the brain and nervous system.

whole wheat pasta

Unfortunately, most people eat normal wheat noodles made from light flour. In comparison, whole grain pasta performs much better. They still contain all the components of the whole grain, which are particularly valuable. Eating a plateful of whole wheat pasta will provide you with plenty of energy for your workout, as well as long-lasting fibre, minerals, zinc, iron and magnesium. So you should definitely switch to the whole grain version more and more often, even if it takes some getting used to at first.

What foods to avoid before exercise?

As an athlete, you should avoid a lot of meat, sausages, thick and greasy sauces and creamy foods, especially before training, but raw food is also heavy on the stomach and should therefore not be eaten directly before training, but rather only afterwards.

What to eat during and after exercise?

After exercise, on the other hand, it is important to consume high-quality carbohydrates, for example from whole-grain pasta, whole-grain rice, legumes and vegetables. Protein is also important because it helps build muscle.

During training, on the other hand, a banana, dried fruit or special fruit bars are perfect.

 

FAQ

How do athletes eat properly?

It is best to eat fresh and wholesome food according to the "5 a day" principle. 5 fists full of fruit and vegetables, plus lots of whole grains and legumes.

Which vegetables are good for athletes?

In general, all vegetables are good and healthy, including cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, carrots and pumpkin.

What should athletes eat in the evening?

In the evening, high-protein food is welcome on the table: salmon, turkey, chicken, tuna, minced meat, vegetables, legumes and tofu, for example. With a protein-rich meal in the evening, the body draws the energy it needs for digestion from the fat reserves. Since the body otherwise hardly needs any energy in the evening or at night, a meal with many carbohydrates is not necessary and stands in the way of fat burning. If the protein requirement is not sufficiently covered, the body also draws the necessary proteins from the muscles. This can lead to unwanted muscle breakdown.