3 Reasons Why Apples are the Perfect Snack for Athletes
An apple a day keeps the doctor away—and can help athletes excel in demanding athletic events like the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
Apples provide a sports performance nutrition trifecta: they’re rich in water for hydration (apples are 85% water!), packed with natural carbohydrates (the main fuel source for physical activity), and their brightly colored peels are full of potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents aiding in recovery.
Grab a boost of red to energize your athletic performance and conquer your fitness goals. Fuel, hydrate, and recover!
Why Michigan Apples are the Perfect Food for Athletes
1. FUEL with Michigan Apples
Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for our bodies. Much like gas powers a car, with the right type and amount of carbohydrates, we can lift more, run faster, and perform better. Our bodies store these carbohydrates as glycogen, which fuels both our muscles and our brains throughout the day. Ensuring we have carbohydrates before, during, and after activity helps keep these glycogen stores full. In fact, studies show having adequate carbohydrates on board can improve performance between 2-3%.
So, how can apples help us reach out carbohydrate needs for activity? Apples are a natural source of carbohydrates, providing 25-30 grams each—the perfect amount to consume before a workout. If you’re an early morning riser, or you haven’t eaten in over two hours, consuming an apple, a cup of apple juice, or apple sauce can provide quick acting simple carbohydrate to fuel your activity. Repeatedly going into a workout without the right fuel on board, can lower performance, increase muscle breakdown and disrupt hormone balance overtime. So, be sure to get those carbs! For workouts extending beyond 60 minutes (like the marathon) consider another serving of an apple-based snack for an energizing boost.
2. HYDRATE with Michigan Apples
Starting a run or workout well-hydrated is essential to maximize performance. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps, heat illness, light headedness and even gastrointestinal issues (that’s right! If you’re feeling nausea or getting that side-stitch, that could be related to dehydration). Consuming apple juice or apple sauce before and during exercise ensures you start off well-hydrated and fueled with natural carbohydrates. It’s a win-win for hydration and energy!
Don’t forget to hydrate post-run for quick recovery. With their 85% water content, apples are an excellent hydration option for recovery. In fact, consuming a whole apple can rehydrate your more effectively than drinking water alone, as the natural fluids packaged in whole fruit are more readily absorbed and utilized by the body.
3. RECOVER with Michigan Apples
Recovery is as crucial as the exercise itself. In fact, most benefits from exercise come from the recovery process. This is the stage where our muscles, bone, and heart repair, refuel and strengthen. Without proper recovery we can’t restock our glycogen stores, muscle and bone start to breakdown, the risk of fatigue and injury increase, and impaired immunity starts to kick in.
When we think of our recovery nutrition, think of this recovery equation: carbohydrates + color + fiber + protein. Carbohydrate to refuel our glycogen stores, protein to rebuild our muscles and color from fruits and veggies give our bodies the fiber, vitamins and minerals to allow our body cells to recover.
Recipes for Pre and Post-Workout
Apples contain carbohydrates to refuel our glycogen stores, fluid for hydration, and the fiber and deep colored peels provide potent anti-inflammatory agents that help muscles heal and decrease that soreness you feel post-workout. Be sure to pair apples with a protein source to complete the full recovery equation. For example, our Fall Harvest Smoothie is a great post-workout recovery smoothie that contains protein, carbs, and healing nutrients from apples. In addition, check out this protein apple pie muffin using applesauce as the natural sweater!
Protein Apple Pie Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 ¼ cup Michigan Apple variety of your choice, cored, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- ¾ Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 Tbsp Brown sugar
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin.
- Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center
Find More Michigan Apple Recipe Inspiration and Meal Ideas:
Looking for more healthy recipe inspiration to aide your workouts? Check out Michigan Apple Healthy Living Recipes!
