The Importance of Variety: Nutritional Benefits for Athletes Created by Carly Lauraine & Ashley Raasch, Keene State College Dietetic Interns 2012-2013 Dairy products provide protein, vitamin D, and calcium for bone health and muscle function. Fruits provide simple carbohydrates for energy that can be stored in the muscles as glycogen. With a variety of colorful fruits, you can ensure adequate intake of vitamins A & C, minerals like potassium, and water & fiber to aid in digestion. Grains provide complex carbohydrates for energy, iron, soluble and insoluble fiber for heart health, B vitamins that aid the nervous system and help your cells burn energy, and sodium that helps maintain blood volume. WATER Vegetables provide some complex carbohydrates for energy, water, and high amounts of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium for your bones and iron for circulation of oxygen in the blood. Protein-rich foods help repair body tissues and produce hormones by providing essential amino acids, and supply iron to replace blood cells. Keep in mind that excess dietary protein is stored as fat, and protein can only be used for fuel after all stored carbohydrates have been used. FAT Resources: Colorado State University Extension, MedlinePlus- NIH, ChooseMyPlate.gov

Sensible Snacks Kelly’s ABC Muffins Thirst Quenchers: Munchy: Sweet: Sweets are a weakness that most human share. There are ways to substitute fruits and vegetables for the ingredients that make sweet treats our guilty pleasures. Thirst Quenchers: Fat Free Milk Unsweetened Juices Low sodium tomato or mixed vegetable juice WATER Munchy: Unsalted Sunflower seeds Whole-grain breads or toast Cheery or grape tomatoes Low-fat or fat-free yogurt Unsalted nuts Ingredients 3/4 cup oat flour ( ground 3/4 cup rolled oats) 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup ground flax seeds 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 cup grated carrots 4-5 small apples, peeled and chopped 2 eggs 1/4 cup skim milk 2 T butter, melted and cooled 1/4 cup mashed bananas 1 tsp vanilla Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Mix oat and whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Beat egg, buttermilk, and canola oil in a separate bowl. Pour liquid ingredients into bran mixture; gently stir in apple, carrot, and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing muffins to finish cooling on a wire rack. Sweet: Unsweetened canned Fruit Thin slice of angel food cake Baked Apple Dried Fruit gelatin Gems Frozen Bananas Frozen grapes Fresh Fruit Unsweetened, low-fat/fat-free yogurt Crunchy: Apples and breadsticks Carrot and Celery sticks Green Pepper sticks Zucchini circles Radishes Broccoli Spears Cauliflower Unsalted Rice Cakes Images via Flickr user Akane86 and nutrilover