in the kitchen
in the kitchen
by BRANDI GIVENS
RD, CPT
HARVEST HIGH PERFORMANCE WITH FALL SUPERFOODS
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As the chilly air replaces our summer sunshine, visions of cozy comfort foods begin dinking around in our heads. Satisfying those cravings for hearty meals doesn’ t mean we need to backhand nutrition! In fact, autumn is stacked with superfoods that can dominate kitchen creations, keeping us energized and courtready all season long.
Here are some great examples of autumn fruits and vegetables that are filled with nutrients, and how they can help your game.
Sweet Potatoes for Eyes and Endurance
Even though these root vegetables share a name with white potatoes, they belong to different plant families. The bright colors inside sweet potatoes indicate their richness in phytochemicals, which benefit your health.
Notable Nutrients: Complex carbohydrates, vitamin A( beta-carotene), vitamin B6.
The Benefit: Complex carbs and B6 create steady energy for your body and brain. Vitamin A supports night vision as the days get shorter, so that you can track the ball under those mediocre court lights.
Fall Favorites: Consider using sweet potatoes in savory soups, roasted as a side dish with maple syrup and cinnamon, or combined with eggs in a breakfast hash.
Get a Boost with Beets
Beets or beetroots have among the highest natural sugar content of all vegetables, which is great for meeting pickleball energy needs. Notable Nutrients: Dietary nitrates, folate( vitamin B9). The Benefit: Nitrates are naturally found in many plant foods but are especially high in beets. The plant form of nitrates seems to be beneficial because it converts to nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels, improving blood flow. Vitamin B9 is needed to make healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the brain and the rest of the body.
Fall Favorites: Try beets in a vivid soup, roasted with garlic and olive oil, or as a juice at breakfast.
All Kale Strong Bones
Unlike many dark, leafy greens, kale can survive cold weather on the farm. In fact, the leaves are known to get sweeter with the frost.
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