Here’s What A Top Nutritionist Had To Say About Our Grocery Lists

As we announced earlier this week, we're delighted to be partnering with The Marie Keating Foundation for this year's VHI Women's Mini Marathon.  Our very own Cathy and Liz will be taking part in the event on behalf of the charity, and over the next few weeks we'll be keeping you up to date on their preparations for the race. This week we asked Aveen Bannon, leading nutritionist with the Dublin Nutrition Centre, to take a look at the girls' pre-marathon weekly grocery shops. Take a look at her feedback below. Aveen's feedback: "Cathy's pantry looks full of healthy foods but it could do with a few additions. I’d like to see more iron rich foods like beans and pulses or some lean red meat to boost her iron intake. A low intake of iron leads to fatigue and a drop in performance for runners. Her only source of calcium appears to be from the milk so including some yoghurt or cheese in her diet would help increase her calcium intake for muscle-building after a run. Another addition I would like to see would be more omega-3 fatty acids either through oily fish like salmon, mackerel, trout of fresh tuna or seeds like linseed or chia seeds. White fish is another great lean source of protein." Here's what Aveen said: "This looks like a very healthy pantry with lots of colourful fruits and vegetables. But, similar to Cathy, I would like to see more iron rich foods like lean red meat, dark green vegetables and maybe beans and pulses. I would also like to see more wholesome carbohydrate-rich foods as the muscles need fuel, and glucose is the preferred source of fuel. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose by the body once we eat them. So more potatoes, rice, quinoa. buckwheat and maybe oatcakes, wholegrain bread and perhaps noodles. More good fats in terms of nuts, seeds, avocado and olive or rapeseed oil would also be beneficial. All runners need some fat in their diet - what's important is to get the right kind." Glenisk are offering Her readers a free coupon for a Glenisk Fat Free Natural Big Pot. Simply email your postal address to: [email protected] and you'll receive your voucher in the post.  If you're interested in running the Women's Mini Marathon with Team Marie Keating, click here. And to register for the event head on over here.