This means you can get back to training faster, and harder than ever! Get more oxygen for less effort. When you train your body, you make it easier for your muscles to get oxygen. Stronger lungs make for bigger breaths. A stronger heart increases oxygen-rich blood flow.

Stronger red blood cell development means the cells can carry more oxygen. Bigger muscles can take in more oxygen. However, the effort it takes to get energy from that oxygen remains the same.

Beets have dietary nitrates in them that become nitric oxide when you eat them. Nitric oxide helps your body draw more oxygen into your muscles without working any harder. When you eat beets, you exert less energy.

At the end of the race, the beet group was running faster, but without heart rates. They reported less exertion. They make it easier. This is exactly why we made MamaSezz Strong Heart Beets!

See faster muscle recovery with beets. Beets are packed with betacyanins which gives the veggie its bright color. But they are far more powerful than pigment. Betacyanins contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce muscle soreness.

In practical terms, this may help return vegan athletes to a peak performance state more quickly. Eat beets to reduce inflammation: Beets may be particularly helpful for athletes coping with chronic inflammation. With chronic inflammation, white blood cells attack healthy tissue. This can impact performance, and lead to serious chronic health problems like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and more.

But you can reduce chronic inflammation by adding anti-inflammatory foods to your plant-based diet. And, yes, beets are one of the best foods for your whole food plant-based diet, thanks to their anti-inflammatory betalains and polyphenols.

Nutritional yeast is packed with B vitamins linked with lower stroke risk and boosted brain health , selenium great for h ealthy hair and skin , zinc boosts immunity and libido , folate, and plant-based protein.

Get more information on vegans and B supplementation here! This flavor booster may also help prevent cancer and improve heart health thanks to its beta glucan fiber content.

This particular type of soluble fiber is also linked with boosting immunity, particularly in athletes! New to this ingredient? Here's how to use nutritional yeast at home. Let us count the ways the humble chia seed powers your plant-based life, shall we? Some new research suggests that eating chia seeds might also help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglycerides.

Chia seeds are typically grown organically see ya, pesticides! They are non-GMO and naturally gluten-free. This is why they make for a fantastic food for plant-based athletes - or athletes simply trying to incorporate MORE plants into their diets!

Chia seeds absorb thirty times their weight in water, so soaking them and then drinking them is a great way to stay hydrated. In fact, here's a quick fun histroy fact: Mayan and Aztec warriors used them to sustain their endurance as early as 3, BC.

The Tarahumara Indians introduced the use of chia seeds for long distance running, which is a practice that has spread to all corners of the world. Like basic variety white potatoes, sweet potatoes are loaded with potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber. But sweet potatoes are ALSO a great source of manganese, vitamin A, copper, and phosphorus.

Beta-carotene has been strongly associated with the prevention and reversal of some major debilitating diseases such as cancer , the promotion of eye health, and anti-aging… and you guessed it: sweet potatoes are absolutely loaded with it!

The longest living population of women in the world resides in Okinawa, Japan and eats a diet heavy in sweet potatoes. Because of their high vitamin and mineral content including potassium which is great way to reduce muscle cramping , these nutrient loaded roots are definitely a must for any vegan athlete meal plan.

Hemp seeds, also referred to as hemp hearts, are actually not seeds at all. They are nuts Well, these little nuts are high in protein and contain important fatty acids like Omega-3s.

Hemp seeds also contain a great deal of of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. These minerals help to prevent cramping, aid in oxygen distribution, and boost immunity, all of which are important benefits for an athlete of any level.

This sweet, tangy juice is not only delicious, but has been proven to reduce muscle soreness and recovery times thanks to their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Beans are a true superfood. They're loaded with iron, antioxidants, protein, and fiber.

These important nutrients help increase your regularity, slow the aging process, rebuild muscle, keep nerve function working properly, and help with oxygen distribution. That said, supplements may not be necessary if the diet is rigorously tracked — but make sure you speak with your physician before making big changes to your eating regimen.

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Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid-rich fish oil improves exercise economy and reduces perceived exertion during submaximal steady-state exercise in normal healthy untrained men.