Tu Bashvet is a great opportunity to pay respect to dried fruits as part of the daily menu and training routine. In honor of the holiday, I chose to give the eight most important tips for athletes on the subject of dried fruits:
1. Source of energy for activity – Carbohydrates are the high-quality fuel for muscle activity during sports. The type of carbohydrates recommended during sports are the simple carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed from the digestive system into the bloodstream and quickly reach the muscles, and the dried fruits provide this in a great way. That’s why the body can use them, relatively quickly, to produce energy in the muscles during training (you eat and within 20-30 minutes they turn into energy in the muscles).
For more articles on nutrition:
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A bowl of dried fruit Photo: Gilabrand, Wikimedia
2. Best before training– Even before training you can combine dry fruits as an available source of energy, especially before morning training when it is difficult to eat heavy food.
3. Good support for double training – If you have a double workout, a combination of dried fruits can give an extra boost of energy to create a high-intensity training sequence. They do not burden the stomach and are therefore great for a training sequence.
4. Minerals are important for long training sessions – Dried fruits contain a high amount of essential minerals. During long and strenuous physical activity we lose many minerals (salts) in sweat. Incorporating the dried fruits during a long ride, for example, can help the body get back the minerals it lost. Hence, the dry fruits have a great contribution to prevent the formation of muscle contractions, during long trainings, and especially when the trainings are carried out in a hot environment that causes a lot of sweating.
5. Examples of food sources for essential minerals for activity
Potassium – dates, prunes, figs, dried bananas and more.
Calcium – the most in figs
Magnesium – dried bananas, dates, figs and more.
Iron – there is even a little iron (1-2 g) in some dried fruits.
dates Rich in magnesium Photo: Enotovyj, Pixabay
6. Sweet is also healthy in the daily menu – The dried fruits can replace less healthy sweets even when looking for a healthy snack during the day. Instead of cookies, chocolate and other sweets rich in fats and less healthy substances, the dried fruits can be very satisfying and even provide healthy nutritional values for the body.
7. Prefer no added sugar – Due to the high sugar load in dried fruits, it is recommended to prefer those dried in a natural way without added sugar. The addition of sugar may cause carbohydrate overload in the digestive system.
8. Digestive system – The simple carbohydrates found in dried fruits are mainly fructose and sorbitol. Eating a lot of dried fruits may cause an increased penetration of liquids into the digestive system, soften the food content and speed up bowel movements. Hence, the dried fruits are considered a very effective natural treatment against constipation, but sensitive people may suffer from diarrhea when eating excessive amounts of dried fruits. Therefore, those who suffer from sensitive activity of the digestive system, are advised to avoid eating a lot of fruit and perhaps it is better to use other carbohydrate sources during long training sessions. Examples of dried fruits that especially encourage the activity of the digestive system and soft stools – plums, figs, dates, raisins.
Happy 15th birthday to everyone!
The writer: Yael Drorclinical and physiological dietitian M.Sc, nutrition team bMedix Medical Center
