Spice Up Your Training - 5 Spices To Increase Your Performance.

Spice up your training - 5 spices to increase your performance.

Keeping your body in peak performance is paramount and always at the forefront of your training regime.

The energy we get from foods helps our body to reduce inflammation, fight disease which in turn allows us to continue to develop power and speed through our training with wonderful physical and mental benefits.

Here are 5 spices to add to your weekly meal preparation schedule that add not only more flavour but possibly add that secret ingredient to super boost your training.

1. Turmeric

Turmeric is renowned for it's healing properties to treat inflammation ailments like arthritis, painful joints and has even alleviated fatigue for some too (1). So with the average sports person in mind, turmeric added to your meals may give your body the immune system boost needed to help fight off some of the stresses associated with the demands of training and your work load.

Buying dried turmeric or grating fresh turmeric into your meals is your choice but just be certain to activate the antioxidant Curcumin with black pepper otherwise your efforts may not result in your desired outcome.

2. Ginger

The root (rhizome) of the ginger plant can be consumes fresh or dried into a powder, in oil form or as a juice.

Reported health benefits of ginger include relieving nausea, loss of appetite, motion sickness and pain.

Freshly grated ginger added to your meals may help reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) if taken daily at least 1 week before an event. Aim to use 1 ½ (2g) of freshly grated ginger daily (2).

3. Cayenne Pepper

Chili pepper, paprika, Tabasco are also known as cayenne, which is typically used as an additional spicy flavour enhancement for food.

Cayenne pepper can assist with pain relief either topically in oil or cream form or when chopped into your favourite dishes to add that bit of fiery spice (3).

4. Licorice

There are many positive attributes of licorice that add up to great gains for athletes as licorice is anti-inflammatory, a digestive aid and an antioxidant (4).

You can use licorice in the form of tea or the root that you can grate into a powder to add to dishes.