In a time when health-conscious individuals often stick to the monotony of chicken breasts and fish for their protein, Runner's World makes a pitch for chowing down on red meat.
"Meat provides nutrients runners need like iron to help maintain energy levels. It also supplies protein and amino acids that repair small muscle tears that occur during training," said a sports dietitian quoted by the magazine. A lean cut of beef such as sirloin or tenderloin can be a great source of zinc and iron. And B vitamins, which "help convert carbohydrates into the fuel needed to make it through a training run, are particularly plentiful in beef," said the article's author, Jessica Girdwain.
She suggests several alternatives to chicken breast, pointing out that 3.5 ounces of dark-meat chicken, lamb, pork, turkey pastrami or beef contains the health benefits without overdoing the fat and calories. Dark-meat chicken has plenty of iron and zinc. Lamb is a great source of omega-3s, which are great for heart health.
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