Raisins Boost Athletic Performance

For all those athletes participating in the Olympics 2012, here is a sweet tip for you. Studies conducted to find out the best food items that boost the performance of an athlete have observed that raisins are the best option for instant energy. You can now replace the dose of the sports chew with a handful of raisins, which are cheaper and healthy.

Athletes need an ample amount of energy in their body to perform better in the games and prevent excessive exhaustion. They depend on glucose drinks or sports chews, which also tend to contain some chemicals and constituents that harm their health in longer run. Researchers from the University of California-Davis conducted a simple test to observe and compare the potential of sports chews, raisins and water. In their study on a set of runners, they found out that in a race of five kilometers, those runners who consumed raisins and water or sports chew ran one minute faster than those who consumed only water.  But in a similar study conducted by the California Raisin Marketing Board, researchers found that raisins don't just promote better performance and energy to athletes, but also prevent DNA damage due to Oxidative damage prior to strenuous activities, which the sports chew failed to do. Prolonged Oxidative damage is linked with several types of cancer and heart disease.

Raisins, as being sweet have higher amount of carbohydrates and sugar content in them than fats. Several studies show that raisins are the best option where there is a need of quick energy. They contain 70% of fructose that breaks down easily when digested. Other than providing energy to the body, raisins also provide several essential minerals like Potassium, Iron, Calcium, Manganese, Zinc, Copper and Sodium. They are also rich in dietary fibers, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-complex, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. These micronutrients are very important for an athlete's body to recover from wounds and injuries incurred during their sports activities.

Source: Medindia