1. The Importance of Variety: Nutritional Benefits for Athletes
Created by Carly Lauraine & Ashley Raasch, Keene State College Dietetic Interns
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

2. 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