From the February 2010 issue of Runner’s World

This cheap pantry staple is a powerhouse for runners

By Liz Applegate

Dig out that can or bag of beans in the back of your pantry, and you'll find a wealth of runner-friendly nutrients. Most people use beans for casseroles or side dishes, but you can also add them to salads, pasta sauces and canned soups. Here are five ways legumes can help fuel your running.

1 Restock Glycogen Stores
One cup of cooked beans supplies 30 to 40 grams (10 per cent of your daily needs) of complex, slow-release carbs, ideal for rebuilding energy levels after long runs.

2 Maintain Muscles
A cup of beans has about as much protein as two cups of milk. Grains and beans are good complements – together they contain all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein). Make both a regular part of your diet to help repair and strengthen your muscles.

3 Stay, Um, Regular
Beans supply 10 to 17 grams of fibre per cup – half your daily needs. All that fibre along with other bean compounds keeps your intestinal tract healthy and moving regularly – but they also cause wind. Gradually add beans to your diet so your body can adjust. If you have a very sensitive GI system, avoid eating beans before a run.

4 Lower Heart-Disease Risk
Studies show that people who eat beans four times a week have a 22 per cent lower risk for heart disease than non-bean-eaters. Why? Because they're a good source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre and folate, a B vitamin that removes a damaging compound called homocysteine.

5 Ward off cancer
Bean skins are loaded with phytonutrients that help thwart cancer. In fact, studies show that eating beans four times a week lowers risk of colon cancer.

Like this article? Subscribe to Runner’s World and save up to A$35 on the retail price (delivered directly to your door) and receive a FREE pair of Brooks socks PLUS if you subscribe for two years you will also receive a FREE Runner’s World watch.

If you missed picking this issue up at newsstands you can purchase your Runner's World back issue here today!