5 Canned Foods to Fuel an Active Lifestyle
By Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, LMHC, FAND, aka The Running Nutritionist®
Author: Legally Lean: Sports Nutrition Strategies for Optimal Health & Performance
Chief Nutritionist-cTHRUNutrition Global Mobile App
When looking for foods to fuel a healthy, active lifestyle, don’t neglect the canned food aisle. Canned foods provide economical, portable, healthy, fast food options. Whether you are going for a walk, gardening outdoors, or working out at a local gym, canned foods supply essential nutrients to feed your body. Requiring no refrigeration, they are ideal for eating on-the-go, too! Consider these five canned ingredients to fuel your fun!
Canned fruits, such as pineapples or pears packed in 100% juice, provide a Vitamin C and potassium rich natural sweet treat, ideal for replenishing muscle carbohydrates called glycogen after workouts. Blend in a smoothie or add to yogurt. They are also a delicious, nutritious addition to your favorite whole grain muffin recipe.
Canned beets, rich in folate, phosphorus, iron and potassium, also provide naturally occurring nitrates that may aid in improving performance during prolonged physical activity. Juice for a pre-workout nitrate blast or top your green salad with their brilliant phytonutrient color.
Canned tomatoes are a great example of a canned food that only becomes more nutritious with canning! Canned tomatoes have more available lycopene than fresh tomatoes and research has suggested lycopene may help to prevent breast and prostate cancers. Diced, crushed or whole, canned tomatoes make a great base for soups, sauces, and salsas.
Canned beans, like great northern, kidney, garbanzo, and adzuki, offer a low fat, cholesterol-free, high protein option also rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron — all essential for optimal fitness and overall health. They are great folded into an easy-to-make burrito and topped with salsa, added to soups, or blended as a dip or hummus.
Canned tuna or salmon are not only great sources of protein, but boost essential omega 3 fats to enhance muscle recovery and repair. Since they do not require refrigeration, you can keep a can conveniently located in your desk drawer or gym bag as a quick nutritious snack. You can also fold into a wrap, salad or soup for an extra protein boost!
Whatever your activity of choice – walking, running, yoga, gardening, weight-training, or anything else – be sure to stock your pantry with these nutrient powerhouses to help fuel your active lifestyle.
Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, LMHC, FAND
As The Running Nutritionist® & CEO of Food Fitness International, Inc., Lisa is leader to industry, Academia, the public & press, Lisa consults to Olympian, Professional, Collegiate & Junior athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, USTA, & UST&F & was the US Sailing Olympic and Paralympics Team Nutritionist for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. A Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, Board Certified Professional Counselor, Certified Reiki Practitioner & Fellow of The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Lisa is the author of 8 books, including her latest, Legally Lean: Sports Nutrition Strategies for Optimal Health & Performance. Lisa has appeared on 20/20, Dateline, Good Morning America Health, FOX News, CNN, MSNBC and ESPN and has been featured in numerous publications including: USA Today, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Men’s Fitness, Outside & Runners World magazines. In 2014, Lisa & Miami restaurateurs launched Miami’s first organic, locally sourced Farm to Table Meal Delivery Service. She is also co-founder of the award winning global mobile app called cTHRUNutrition to help consumers find and select optimal foods at groceries and restaurants worldwide. Lisa is a competitive runner and triathlete who has competed in more than 34 marathons (PR 2:52:32), Ironman and hundreds of running and multisport races. In 2004, she competed for the United States on Team USA at the World Long Distance Duathlon Championships. You can follow Lisa Twitter: @Foodfitness, Instagram @LegallyLean and her website www.FoodFitness.com.