41 Superfoods: How They Can Help Your Running

Kick start your morning with a white grapefruit for breakfast and get a healthy dose of Vitamin C, potassium, and folate. Potassium can help keep your muscles from cramping. After a hot summer run, cut some grapefruit and serve with mango sorbet in this dessert.

Sweet potatoes are tasty and loaded with Vitamin A, which is commonly known to improve eyesight. That makes these sweet potato muffins a great midmorning snack.

RELATED: Discover how you can power your run with The Runner's World Cookbook!

Looking for more iron in your diet? Leeks are a fine source of iron, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K. Pair them with salmon for this delicious meal.

Low in calories and high in antioxidants, blackberries have a decent amount of fiber and Vitamin C. These succulent berries also are quality sources of Vitamin K, which strengthens bones. Substitute blueberries for blackberries to make delectable breakfast bars.

Turnips are a low-carb option with nutrients like Vitamin C, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Plan ahead for cold fall or winter days and use turnips in this beef and Guinness soup.

Similar to turnips, rutabagas are a good source of minerals such as magnesium and manganese, which aid your body in absorbing calcium. Rutabagas can be cooked, baked, boiled, or thrown in to soup. Try mashing rutabagas up with other vegetables to have a dish more nutrient packed than mashed potatoes.

Red grapefruits have the same high volume of Vitamin C found in white grapefruits, along with Vitamin A and pantothenic acid. Your body uses pantothenic acid to transform proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into energy sources. Watch this video to see how to make a delicious dessert using them.

Few calories, Vitamin C, and a small dose of minerals like calcium, make limes a good option for meals. Pour this lime-sesame dressing on your salad to boost your immune system.

It’s common knowledge oranges are a great source of Vitamin C, but they don’t have to be eaten by themselves. Vitamin C can help runners alleviate muscle soreness. This farro-orange salad is a cool combination and sweet summer side dish.

Need to boost your immune system? Winter squash is packed with Vitamin A to help keep you running healthy. Search our many different squash recipes here.

In addition to having a nice dose of Vitamin C, radishes also have high water content and can help you hydrate. This springtime radish salad is also a good in the summer.

Put more strawberries on your plate and you’ll get more Vitamin C in your body. Runners take note: Strawberries contain anthocyanins, which can help repair muscles and fight inflammation. One of our favorite summertime recipes is this strawberry-rhubarb crisp from the Ravenous Runner.

Runners can get more iron, folate, and fiber in their diet without having to worry about calories by eating iceberg lettuce. This type of lettuce is also helpful to runners in the summer because of its high water content.

Like other citrus fruits, lemons are loaded with Vitamin C, but also has thiamin and folate. Thiamin is important to runners; it converts carbohydrates into energy. Don’t just add lemon juice to your dishes, put slices of lemon in meals like this lemon-herb steamed fish.

Tomatoes are strong sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Vitamin A. Runners can also reap the recovery benefits of potassium by eating tomatoes. Next time you fire up the grill, substitute ketchup for slow roasted tomatoes.

Eating carrots is one of the best ways to receive your daily value of Vitamin A and the orange vegetable also has Vitamin B6 and carotene to improve the health of your immune system. Cream of carrot soup is a low-fat, healthy option for a meal.

Cabbage is a leafy green that is in low in calories and has high concentrations of Vitamin K, C, and is a good source of folate. Runners can protect the health of red blood cells by increasing their intake of folate. If you’re a soup lover, this cabbage and beef soup is a great choice.

Cauliflower’s main nutrient is Vitamin C. Folate, Vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid are also found at high volumes in cauliflower. Eat it raw, cooked, steamed or you can make a delicious soup with cauliflower and shrimp.

Kohlrabi is high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and potassium. Consuming kohlrabi can also provide runners with copper, which helps your body use iron more effectively. Add this glaze to give it a sweet taste.

RELATED: Discover how you can power your run with The Runner's World Cookbook!

Scallions are loaded with Vitamin K and rich in Vitamin A, C, folate and manganese. Folate and manganese helps a runner’s digestive system break down carbohydrates. Cook them or eaten raw. If you like the flavor, brush this scallion butter recipe on fish, steak, or chicken.