Race Potatoes Recipe + Why Runners & Cyclists Should Eat Potatoes! (2024)

FAQs

Race Potatoes Recipe + Why Runners & Cyclists Should Eat Potatoes!? ›

They help to stock your muscles with energy for your training and racing, they serve as a source of fuel during an event, and they help replenish that muscle glycogen afterwards. And of course, when it comes to using them during training and racing – it's such a plus that they're a savory option!

The baked potato can give runners the badly needed fuel that is burned after a longer run and replace glucose and glycogen quicker than other food sources with lower GI indexes. A runner needs a baked potato after every long run for quicker recovery and staleness prevention.

So remember to peel those pre-event potatoes. Potatoes are also a smart snack choice to boost your energy during a ride. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that consuming potato puree during endurance exercise maintains blood sugar and improves performance as well as energy gels do.

Potatoes are a decent source of fiber, which can help you feel full longer. Fiber also can help prevent heart disease by keeping your cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are also rich in antioxidants that prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly.

Sometimes I boil or roast some little potatoes, give them a good sprinkle of salt, and then pop them in a plastic bag to take on my run. Another option that is yummy is to put mashed potatoes (heavy on the salt and easy on the butter and cream please) in a snack-size Zip-loc and squeeze them out just like a gel!

Potatoes For Athletic Performance

Potatoes are a nutrient-dense vegetable that provide the energy, potassium, and vitamin C you need to perform your best. Potatoes are a real food with surprising performance-related benefits. Whether you lead an active lifestyle or compete with elite athletes, potatoes help fuel you.

Not only are potatoes a good source of easy to digest carbohydrates, but they are also an excellent source of potassium. 1 medium potato with the skin provides (7): 27 grams of carbohydrate and 500 mg potassium.

On average, a rider will consume two to three energy bars, three or four rolls or rice cakes, and about six 500ml bottles of isotonic mixes during a stage. Depending on the individual, an energy gel or two may be added to this, with caffeine-based gels generally favoured, especially during the closing stages of a race.

What is unhealthy about potatoes? ›

It's true that potatoes are high in starch or carbohydrates, the nutrients that cause spikes in blood sugar. But pairing them with foods high in protein, fiber and unsaturated fats can slow digestion and lead to a steadier release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Sweet potatoes are healthier than plain potatoes, but if you're going to choose the latter, seek out those with blue or purple flesh. The consumption of one boiled purple potato a day for six weeks was found to significantly decrease inflammation, something neither white nor yellow potatoes were able to accomplish.

Healthiest Ways to Cook Potatoes

There are a variety of ways to incorporate potatoes into your diet. Research shows that boiling, microwaving, and steaming are the best methods for preserving anthocyanins in different potato varieties. Frying leads to the greatest loss of these protective compounds.

Another randomized, crossover study of 12 endurance-trained cyclists found that, compared to a commercially available concentrated carbohydrate gel, eating russet potato purée during a single prolonged cycling event is as effective as carbohydrate gels for supporting exercise performance.

Beans, broccoli, and berries: remember those three B's as you don't want to eat them just before a run or a workout. The same goes for apples, lentils, anything whole grain, and other brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale). These are some of the top foods that runners should avoid.

The study found that glycogen recovery rates and performance during a 20-kilometer timed stationary bike trial were comparable to commercial sports supplements and did not differ between genders. This study suggests that eating potatoes before exercise may support an athlete's performance and help them stay fueled.

Long-distance runners should aim to get most of their calories from carbohydrates — the body's preferred fuel source. Choose complex carbohydrates, such as pasta, oatmeal and potatoes, for sustained energy. Before a long run, focus on simple carbohydrates that can be used immediately.

A new study that has revealed that a spoonful of mashed potato is as good at providing energy as fancy gels will come as no surprise to endurance athletes. In a long race, there comes a point when the body runs out of glycogen and needs something else for fuel.