Ultimate Guide to Fruit and Vegetable Varieties for Athletic Performance
If you consider fruits and vegetables as the foundation for your diet, you’re on the right track for health and performance. However, if you’re eating the same bananas and broccoli every day, you’re missing out on the benefits of diversifying your colors.
You’ve probably been told to “eat the rainbow” when choosing fruits and veggies, and that’s good advice. However, if you’d like a different spin on variety, check out how getting enough of each type of farmer’s market fare can improve your health with the stacked nutrients in each group.
Within each group of fruits/vegetables, most contain the usual suspects in nutrients: Fiber for good gut health, vitamin C for immunity, and potassium for heart health. What you’ll find is that each group has high amounts of these specific nutrients, and others that are responsible for their health benefits.
8 Essential Produce Groups for Peak Performance
You’re an athlete. You know the foods you eat directly impact your performance. While many focus on macronutrients like protein and carbohydrates, the real secret weapon for peak performance lies in your produce choices.
Let’s explore the eight essential produce groups that can transform your athletic performance. From inflammation-fighting cruciferous vegetables to recovery-boosting tropical fruits, each group offers unique compounds that support your training goals.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables have sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates. Glucosinolates can help reduce inflammation. These are what give cruciferous veggies their bitter taste when eaten raw. So, lean into the bitter and gain all of the health benefits from this group of veggies.
Extensively researched for health benefits, most experts agree that you should be eating at least a serving of these each day.
Cruciferous vegetables include:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Bok Choy
Cabbage
Brussels Sprouts
Radishes
Arugula
Collards
2. Berries
This fruit category is one you should explore, as each berry has been studied as a group and singularly for its health benefits.
Berries contain a large amount of antioxidants called anthocyanins. These compounds give berries their rich, deep jewel tones. Anthocyanins can help reduce inflammation, are considered anticarcinogenic, and may improve cognitive function. Raspberries and blackberries have the most fiber of any berry, with one cup providing ¼ of your fiber for the day.
Berries you should explore include:
Raspberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Elderberries
Cranberries
Lingonberries
3. Leafy Greens
If there’s one group of vegetables you may be falling short on, it’s this one — an important group.
Leafy greens hold a ton of nutrition in their delicate and lightweight leaves. In most greens, you’ll find high levels of folate, a B vitamin, which is important for a healthy metabolism and heart health. Greens have vitamin K for blood clotting, iron, and vitamin C. Greens also have high levels of beta-carotene, which is typically associated with orange fruits and veggies. Beta-carotene can help tame inflammation too, to help you recover faster.
Leafy greens include:
Spinach
Kale
Lettuces
Collard Green
Swiss Chard
Mustard Greens
Microgreens
4. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are one of the easiest, most affordable, and most accessible fruits.
They are known for their high vitamin C content and that’s definitely something to be proud of (for the citrus variety). Vitamin C doesn’t get a lot of love, but it is a strong antioxidant in the body, which means that it can help protect your cells from damage. It’s great for your skin and enhances collagen formation, which is essential when your tendons or ligaments are recovering from an injury or stress.
Citrus fruits include:
Oranges (all types)
Grapefruit
Lemons
Limes
Kumquats
5. Root Vegetables
Root vegetables don’t get a lot of love, but they are an integral part of the diet. Can you imagine a world with the potato? They get a bad rap in the diet world for being high in carbohydrates, but when you’re eating for performance, they are an excellent source of nutrient-dense energy.
Root vegetables vary in their nutrient content. Potatoes, for example, are high in vitamin C and potassium, while carrots and sweet potatoes have a good amount of beta-carotene. Beets are high in nitrates, which are converted to nitric oxide in the body—this helps open the blood vessels to decrease blood pressure, but also allows more oxygen and nutrients to get to the muscles.
Root vegetables inlcude:
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Beets
Parsnips
6. Alliums
Much like the cruciferous vegetable group, alliums have sulfur compounds that give them their strong smell. The stronger the smell, the higher the antioxidant content.
Two major antioxidants in the allium group are allicin in garlic and quercetin in onions. Red onions also have anthocyanins—yes, the same nutritious compounds in berries. All are protective against chronic inflammation and are great for your gut microbiome.
Alliums include:
Onions (all types)
Garlic
Leeks
Scallions
Chives
Shallots
7. Cucurbits
Cucurbits, or gourds, are a great source of antioxidants. The best part? You’ll typically find a melon or squash always in season, sometimes in abundance. If your melon or squash is orange, it most certainly contains beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant and precursor to Vitamin A.
Watermelon has the highest amount of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene is similar to beta-carotene in that it helps to reduce some of the oxidative stress in the body that leads to obesity, inflammation and heart disease. Other squash, like zucchini and summer squash are high in vitamin C. So all around, if you’re eating something from the Cucurbitaceae family, you’re getting top-notch nutrients to keep your immune system strong and recover like a champ.
Cucurbits include:
Watermelon
Honeydew
Cantaloupe
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Acorn squash
Summer squash
Pumpkin
8. Tropical Fruits
Tropical fruits are varied in their nutrients that are beneficial for health and performance.
Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that can reduce muscle soreness after a workout. Other tropical fruits like bananas are high in potassium, which is an essential electrolyte. Mango, acai, papaya, and dragon fruit are all brightly colored, which scream antioxidants! These fruits also tend to be sweet—and that natural sugar helps to fuel your workouts. Carbs are energy.
Tropica fruits include:
Pineapple
Bananas
Passion fruit
Papaya
Dragon fruit
Mango
Acai
Avocado
How to Include More Variety in Your Diet
The above list is not all-inclusive, but aiming for variety in your fruits and vegetables ensures you get the maximum type of nutrients possible. They provide essential nutrients for energy production, immune system support, cognitive focus, hydration, and they support recovery by providing muscles with nutrients and reducing inflammation. Keep your plate colorful and remember that white vegetables are packed with nutrition too. Try branching out from your usual produce department picks and grab something new next time—your body will thank you.
Want to level up your nutrition game?
Join the Nutrition Group in the Team RWB app to connect with service members from all branches and eras. They share recipes, tips, and information. They also provide support as you work to achieve your fitness goals.
Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian with a specialization in human performance. She is an Air Force vet, a military spouse, and a health promotion professor at American University in Washington D.C. She spends her free time cooking, writing, and watching her 3 kids compete in sports.
