02/01/2026
RunStrong Rebels. A reminder that you can't outrun nutrition....how you fuel matters.
Training hard creates oxidative stress and free radicals. Even short, intense efforts can cause measurable damage in the body. Over time, high intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol can add extra strain to an athlete’s heart so what we take on board to fuel and recover is key to performance and longevity.
🌱 Whole plant foods change the game.
They’re naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that support recovery, heart health, and long-term performance.
One key takeaway:
✅Plant foods contain ~64x more antioxidants than most animal products.
This isn’t about being perfect or following labels or cutting anything out completely if you don't want to or aren't ready.
It’s about simply eating more real, whole plants to stay strong, recover faster, and keep running well as we age.
If this resonates, read the original post and dive deeper into the research. Then ask yourself:
👉 “How can I add more plants to my plate this week?”
Stay Strong | Happy Running. 🌿🏃♂️💪
Athletes are at significant risk for atherosclerosis and heart damage. Since athletes need to eat more food, the damage may stem from overstressing their hearts with saturated fat and cholesterol.
Plant-based diets, which are low in cholesterol and saturated fat, may contribute to improved performance, quicker recovery, and long-term health by lowering risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease.
Exercise increases the production of free radicals as we burn through energy. If left unchecked, these free radicals can cause DNA damage. Eating antioxidant-rich plant foods helps protect our bodies from these free radicals.
Researchers have observed DNA damage following ultra-marathon races, as well as after just five minutes of moderate or intense cycling. So, regardless of our athletic level, we can all benefit from eating more plants.
Those eating more plant-based diets may naturally be better able to counter exercise-induced oxidative stress due to the higher intake of antioxidant-rich foods.
Plant foods average 64 times more antioxidants than animal products like meat (including fish), eggs, and dairy. Additionally, animal protein can have a pro-oxidant effect. It’s not just about what we’re eating less of—saturated fat and cholesterol—but what we’re eating more of: the phytonutrients, which are found only in plants.
Long term, a plant-based diet can be beneficial for both endurance performance and health.
For more on how specific foods can enhance athletic performance and health, check out the our athletes topic page at nutritionfacts.org/topics/athletes
PMID: 30634559, 16336008, 15059637, 20839226, 20845212, 20096093
