12 must have foods to increase our stamina
Keywords: increase stamina, foods, strength, energy, antioxidants
Introduction: Have you ever felt bizarre after your daily routine work? Or do you feel being too lazy and demotivated to start any work? Or does planning new activities for your kids seem too burdensome? Or you feel like being too tired to wake up to your alarm. Or have you ever thought, where all these leading stars including Christiano Ronaldo, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Lionel Messi, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Sania Mirza, and many more get their stamina from?
You will get your answers right here…!
Keeping your professional and personal lives balanced can be a bit hard if your body endurance isn’t enough. Working tirelessly throughout your day require an intake of supple diet. A diet combination which fulfils all your nutritional demands and at the same time keep you fit and healthy. These can be achieved if you incorporate an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, fats, amino acids, hydrates, antioxidants, vitamin and minerals and dietary supplements in your diet.
This diet is helpful not only to meet your physical needs but it also helps to keep you mentally active and sharp.
However, it has been found that to keep up with your stamina in your daily life, your brain needs optimum diet to keep functioning normally. About 20- 25% of the energy is consumed by brain daily, although it comprises only 2% of the body weight.
According to Harrington, this large consumption of glucose by brain is because of the fact that the chemical signals transmitted across the neurones consume energy to fire the signals and is called as synapses.
The fact that the brain requires more energy than body is because of its continuous synapses even during sleep.
Energy consumption in children of ages 6–7 years is 3 times more than the adult.
12 Foods to Enhance Stamina
Following are the top 12 foods that one must make them a part of their daily diet:
1. Blueberries:
Blueberries possess immense importance in terms of anti-oxidant activity and as immunity- modulatory agent. It contains polyphenols i.e. anthocyanins that causes anti-fatigue in athletes. Anthocyanins makes brain to function properly in terms of motor activity, memory and prevents from dementia.
Research suggests that the New Zealand blueberry aids in inflammation and oxidative stress after intense exercise.
2. Strawberries:
Strawberries are named for its use as Mediterranean diet and contains a pack of polyphenolic compounds together with Vitamin C and folate. These compounds and vitamins strengthen the muscle fibres and fights against oxidative stress.
3. Dark chocolate:
Dark chocolate is eaten all around the world and is known for its bitter taste that gives aromatic indulgence in food. It is also used in many spas as main ingredient for aromatherapy.
To speak for its constituents, the flavonoids found in it protect from heart diseases, blood clotting in blood vessels and oxidative stress. It also alleviates brain issues and improves cognitive function. It is popularly consumed for its mood elevating properties.
4. Walnuts:
Nuts are also consumed as Mediterranean diet and has beneficial effects on physical fitness. Its consumption produces a considerable amount of energy and has high nutritional value.
It is high in PUFA (poly unsaturated fatty acids) and fibres that fulfils the state of being hungry and at the same keeps you fit and active.
5. Turmeric:
Turmeric is widely used as a food additive in Asian countries. It possesses medicinal properties and is used as cold and flu relief. In terms of endurance and elevating stamina, it reduces muscle soreness and damage caused by intense exercise. It improves the activity of immune system and aids in oxidative stress.
It is widely used in Asian countries together with warm milk to relieve cold and flu symptoms.
6. Broccoli:
Broccoli is often called a miniature tree and is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and antioxidants.
It contains glucoraphanin which after conversion into active form acts as an antioxidant.
It contain kaempherol that acts as anti inflammatory agent.
It is a rich source of vitamin C.
It promotes strong bones and joints health, as it is a good source of Vitamin K and calcium. Besides these two main ingredients, it also contain phosphorus, zinc and Vitamin A which are essentially important for bone health.
7. Green tea:
Green tea is consumed all around the world because it possesses many health benefits such as in inflammation, oxidation and lowering cholesterol.
The polyphenols such as flavonoids have been proposed to possess anti-stress agent.
Recent research suggests that it increases endurance capacities in swimmers. It oxidises fat during exercise and at rest.
8. Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are a powerhouse of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
These are eaten all over world in salads and curry. It is widely used in juices and squashes as a diet drink.
Naringenin, a flavonoid, has been found to reduce inflammation.
Chlorogenic acid lowers blood pressure.
Phylloquinone, a vitamin K-1, helps reducing blood clotting and bone health.
And folates maintain cells and tissues and health.
9. Garlic:
Garlic are used as a spice and flavour-enhancing agents in several curries and recipes all over the world.
It possesses antioxidant property, dilates vessels and reduces inflammation. Consequently blood flow is improved which causes the muscles to recover speedily, endurance ability is improved and muscle damage is reduced.
Research suggests that it increases resistance to weight gain due to its thermogenic effect.
10. Mulberries:
Mulberries are majorly consumed as fresh fruits, jams and jelly.
It is widely popular as antioxidant agent. Besides it also reduces weight gain and lowers cholesterol.
It is also found to protect brain cells from oxygen deprivation and enhances blood flow to the neural tissues and cells.
11. Pomegranates:
Pomegranates are considered to be the “king of fruits,” as they are widely used in beverages, salads and a variety of desserts.
The pigment present in it gives a rich appearance to dishes.
The polyphenols present such as anthocyanins, flavonols and punicalagin are considered potent antioxidant, 3x to that of green tea.
Research suggests that it enhances endurance performance in athletes and and maintain blood pressure.
It increases oxygen uptake and faster recovery of muscles.
It also contributes to the recovery of post- exercise muscular damage.
12. Beans:
The black beans most popularly used in salads. These are majorly consumed due to their high protein and fibre content.
It is packed with nutritional profile containing zinc, calcium, magnesium , phosphorus, iron, copper and manganese all of which contribute to maintaining bone health.
The iron and zinc present maintain the elasticity of bones.
The fibre, folate and vitamin B-6 maintains heart health.
Selenium, a mineral which is present in rare vegetables, is found in black beans and helps in inflammation and protects against tumor cells.
The fibres present acts as bulking agent and aids in weight loss.
Bottom line:
With our daily lives dependent on ready-made or canned food, negligence to our duty towards maintaining health and daily life objectives has become our primary concern. Consuming raw food in its natural state gives immense benefit to our body. These foods that are rich in nutritional profile, not only helps in enduring performances but also helps in enhancing body stamina and these can be accomplished if we put these natural and easy to go food to our table and make it a part of our daily lives.
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