Micronutrients are crucial to ensure optimal performance, health, and well-being.
Micronutrients comprise of vitamins and minerals and are commonly found in a range of foods such as fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts, legumes, meats, fish and grains.
Fruits and vegetables are particularly high in micronutrients, so it’s by no surprise that they are strongly recommended for a healthy diet. But it’s important to not only have a healthy diet but also a balanced diet rich in essential vitamins.
Essential vitamins include vitamin A, B complex, C, D, E and K.
Of all the essential vitamins, athletes are commonly deficient in vitamin B. There are eight B vitamins which all play a crucial role in energy metabolism as well as many other biological functions.
The most important vitamin B for performance, yet also the one that most athletes are deficient in, is vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 plays an integral role in the formation of red blood cells, energy metabolism, nerve cell activity and brain function and is exclusively found in animal products such as oysters, tuna, poultry, red meat, dairy and shrimp.
After high-intensity exercise, such as a soccer game, there is an increase in free radical production that causes damage or death to our cells. Antioxidants act to remove free radicals from the body and help an athlete’s recovery and Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants.
Berries, pomegranates, and citrus fruits are your go-to fruits for antioxidant content.
As a general rule of thumb:
- Think orange, think vitamin A and C: Mango, sweet potato, carrot and citrus fruits.
- Think green, think vitamin B (except B12): Spinach, kale, broccoli, watercress and asparagus.
- Think yellow, think vitamin D: Egg yolk, fish oil from salmon, cod and sunshine.
- Think white, think immunity: Garlic, ginger and onion.
- Think red/purple, think heart health: Red onion, red peppers and beets.
Paint the rainbow and you will be on the right path to athletic success.
I generally recommend to our players at the LA Galaxy to consume four vegetables and three fruits every day as a general target, personally I feel the government-recommended five per day is setting the bar low.
Common vegetables that we incorporate into our menus include broccoli, spinach, kale, carrots, sweet potato, squash, beets, asparagus and onion.
Feel free to tweet me at @alexsavva19 with #AskAlex with any of your questions.
Yours hydrated,
Alex Savva
