Orange Power

Pumpkins, cantaloupes, peaches and apricots – they’ve got more in common than just the colour orange, juicy flesh and a pleasantly sweet taste. They share a nutrient that health professionals don’t list as essential, but it’s especially important for runners, because it fights inf lammation and aids post-workout recovery: beta-carotene.

A colourful plate is a healthy one, since bright colours signal the presence of health-enhancing phytonutrients in foods. The lycopene in tomatoes turns them red; the betanin in beets makes them purple. Many foods have a mix of different pigments in them, so you can’t always judge a fruit or vegetable by its peel. The best beta-carotene foods include some that are orange in colour – like carrots – and some that aren’t, such as chili peppers, spinach, kale, chard, collards and sweet potatoes. Chard, for example, is one the best sources of beta-carotene, but its colour is dictated by the other antioxidants it contains.

The big reason to pursue beta-carotene is that your body chops the molecule in half to transform it into vitamin A. Health authorities call vitamin A an essential nutrient, since you’ll go blind if you don’t get enough. You can also get vitamin A from animal sources, which is why plant-based beta-carotene isn’t truly essential. There are still plenty of other reasons to get lots of betacarotene. It’s an antioxidant that helps power your immune system, and a designated big hitter in the battles against various cancers and heart disease.

– Bobbi Barbarich