HEALTH: COLD-FIGHTING FOODS

The Big C
Vitamin C has gained celebrity status for fending off colds but research is equivocal on whether dosing up banishes the sneezes any faster than the RDA of around 90mg. Where it’s of more use is keeping capillary walls and blood vessels firm for better blood flow – useful when riding at high intensity. It also improves iron absorption, which has clear cycling benefits as iron helps oxygen bind to blood that’s then delivered to working muscles. There’s an argument that you shouldn’t take vitamin C straight after training as research shows it could blunt the adaptation process but this is equivocal. Just half a red pepper or one big orange will cover your daily allowance so no need for supplements.

Carbs are King
Glycogen-depleted sessions are popular in the professional peloton with the aim of increasing fat-burning and riding while fatigued – to replicate multi-stage race conditions – proving hard to resist. However, be warned: insufficient carbohydrate intake has been shown to raise levels of stress hormones, like cortisol, which suppresses the immune system and can result in illness. Depending on the amount of training you do, your carbohydrate intake should be between 6-9g per kilogram of bodyweight. Just ensure those carbs aren’t processed; instead, choose natural grains and seeds like oats, rice, quinoa (below) and barley. Also in the good category are fresh and dried fruit

The A-Team
Beta-carotene has been shown to improve your body’s defenses; it’s down to the body converting beta-carotene into vitamin A. We need vitamin A for boosting the immune system, as well as healthy skin and mucus membranes. It’s also good for improving eye health and vision. So it’s no surprise that a rich source of beta-carotene is carrots as well as other orange foods like squash, pumpkin and egg yolks.

Supplement the sun
Studies show that vitamin D battles seasonal colds and influenza by boosting your immune system’s response to viruses and infections. The problem is that you derive very little of your recommended dose of vitamin D from food; instead, human skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, especially when the sun’s high in the sky. The lack of winter sunshine could explain why incidence of colds rise in the winter – a reported 80% increase in the UK alone. That’s why consuming a daily vitamin D supplement of 25-100mg is a good choice this winter. While you’re on top of what goodness you’re putting in your body, make sure you’re on top of other winter essentials – visit our sister site and ‘Beat the winter, ride more and win!’