Disclosure: This post about beef benefits for runners is sponsored by the Beef Checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI). All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Who’s excited for some summer running?! Summer training is my favorite kind. I don’t mind the heat and love the sunlight shining down on me. The last three days, I just keep humming to myself…
Summer runnin’, had me a blast
Summer runnin’, happened so fast…
I know, I know – the song is really summer lovin’. We can just pretend the lyrics are summer running. And pretend that I’m actually fast, right?! 😉
{Side note: I was actually in a lip synch production Summer Loving in summer camp when I was about 10. I was Rizzo. But I digress…}
So why am I bouncing around singing obnoxiously happy incorrect lyrics? Because I’m pumped to be tackling the Falmouth Road Race next month with Team Beef! This is definitely a bucket list race for anyone in New England, and I’m lucky to be running on behalf of The Beef Checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative.
Since I’m training for the race with them, I thought I’d share some info about beef benefits for runners.
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you probably know that I often promote plant-based foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds for a healthy diet. They’re rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to promote good health.
But I realized I haven’t shared much about why I personally eat animal products – including red meat – and why I think beef can be nutritious for runners. It’s rich in many nutrients, and I’m highlighting three today…
3 Key Nutrients + Beef Benefits for Runners
1. Protein (for muscle recovery & maintaining lean mass)
Probably the most obvious of all the health benefits for runners is the fact that beef is extremely rich in protein. Protein is essential for the repair and recovery of muscles during training. After any long run or intense workout, you should aim to get at least 15-25 grams of protein (along with some healthy carbs) for recovery.
Protein is also key for any athlete who is training while simultaneously trying to lose weight. A 2017 study showed a high protein diet – which can come from beef or other protein sources – helped to maintain muscle mass while losing weight. The nice part about beef is that it’s easy to pack a lot of protein into a small portion. For example, 3 ounces of a trimmed tri-tip roast (about the size of the palm of your hand) packs in 22 grams of protein and contains just 188 calories.
One mistake some people make is overloading protein into their dinner meal. A much better strategy is to divide your protein intake more evenly throughout the day. You might include some cottage cheese in your breakfast meal, a salad topped with some lean beef at lunch time, and a hearty bean and lentil stew for dinner.
2. Iron (for healthy blood & oxygen transport to the muscles)
In order to keep pounding the pavement, your body has to transport oxygen from your lungs, through your blood, to the muscles. Iron is involved in helping to transport that oxygen through the blood. Not enough iron leads to poor running economy, fatigue, and eventually anemia.
Red meat is rich in iron, and it’s a type of iron that is absorbed very efficiently in the body. In an interesting older study from the ‘80s, researchers divided female runners into two groups: one on a modified vegetarian diet and one on a diet with red meat. The diets were practically equivalent for overall milligrams of iron intake each day – yet the red meat group had healthier blood iron levels due to the better absorption.
Interestingly, including small amounts of meat-based iron (called “heme iron”) can actually help the body absorb more plant-based iron too!
{Side note – vegetarian runners, don’t fret! You can still get enough iron each day if you make it a point to include adequate plant based sources. And eating something with Vitamin C along with those plant-based sources can help increase absorption!}
3. Beta Alanine (for forming carnosine and possible performance benefits)
Let’s get a little sciencey, shall we? 😉 Beta alanine is an amino acid that’s used in your body to create something called carnosine. Here’s why carnosine might be important for runners:
At a certain intensity of exercise, your body starts producing lactic acid at an increasing rate. The muscles find it tougher to contract when this acid is accumulating. Carnosine in the muscle cells act to try to buffer this acid. There may be other roles for carnosine in muscle activity as well. It’s thought that these are most influential for high intensity running, like sprint performance.
Why does this matter? The best dietary sources of beta alanine are going to be in animal protein products like red meat, pork, and fish. If you don’t include these in your diet regularly, you may have lower levels of carnosine in your muscles – possibly affecting your ability to perform your best high intensity runs (like speed work).
Of course, this research is still in its infancy (here’s a good meta-analysis from 2017 though). Right now, just about every study on beta alanine/carnosine is looking at supplementation. But if we know that foods have these sources, and there might be a positive effect, I see it as a good reason to incorporate them regularly!
[Tweet “DYK lean beef has protein, iron, and beta alanine – all good for runners?!”]So there you have it – 3 beef benefits for runners! If you want some new recipes to try out, here are a few options:
- Classic Beef Kabobs
- Chipotle Chili with Beef & Black Beans
- Hearty Steak and Bean Chili
- Beef, Mango & Barley Salad
- Hearty & Comforting Beef Stew
- Ground Beef & Avocado Quesadillas
- Korean Beef with Broccoli and Cauliflower Rice
And if you’re also running Falmouth, be sure to pop on by the beef booth to chat with me and say hi!
Share with me: What do you think about this info on beef benefits for runners? Do you include red meat in your diet? What’s your favorite recipe featuring beef?
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I’m totally team beef!! Protein for the win!
Woohoo! Go team beef! 🙂
I’m not training for anything in particular right now but I’m in the consideration stages of a fall half marathon. We’ll see!!
Very exciting! Up in the Northeast, fall is a great time for a half – so pretty with the changing leaves.
When I was deep in my marathon training, I craved red meat, likely for the iron. I definitely felt more lethargic if I didn’t eat it a few times a week. Great post, and loved the scientific explanations! 🙂
For sure! That iron can be so helpful in training.
The rest of my family loves their beef will check out some of your recipes
Awesome! I hope they enjoy them!
gimmie gimmie gimmie! I love beef and I love running haha
Haha, me and you both!
I eat healthy and also eat beef. My body really needs it and feels better with it in my diet!
That’s such a good point for all of us – listening to what feels best for our bodies!
I am a beef lover 🙂 And venison, too, we don’t shy away from red meats in our house. We live in Wyoming, which is grass fed beef country and also a great place to get big game, so it’s pretty healthy.
I forgot you were out in the midwest! Or is Wyoming the mountain states? I always forget which region it’s technically a part of 😉
I didn’t know about beta alanine in beef. Hmm… Now that you mentioned I just might incorporate beef gain in my diet. I actually love beef and I honestly don’t know why I stoped eating it. Thanks for this post Chrissy 🙂
No problem! You can find beta alanine in some other products too (esp animal proteins) but beef is one of the better sources.
Yum! I am all in for Team Beef 🙂 I love a good lean steak after a hard workout!!
Yesss! So delish.
I eat beef. And am drooling over that pic.
Haha, yay!
I had no idea that beef was so healthy for you, especially for runners and athletes. I like your point about how beef has lots of iron. I can see why having healthy levels of blood iron levels could help you with blood flow and muscle growth.
Yes – I think sometimes people are surprised that there are actually nutrition benefits!