Grapes--A Triathlete's Friend or Foe?

Grapes are available year round now thanks to international shipping (grapes from Chile, anyone? They are no longer some kind of exotic delicacy!) But recently in CA, they've finally become affordable. And by affordable, we're talking 99 cents a pound. Rich in antioxidants, crunchy and delicious, grapes seem to be the perfect snacking food for healthy people. Like carrots, only sweet and jucy and you get to pluck them off of a vine.

They are fun to eat and oh so yummy. Grape juice is touted as an excellent recovery food--it's high in carbs. So how could this little fruity orb of perfection ever be bad for you? Here is how the magnificent grape can be your friend and you foe at any given moment. Kind of like sibling.

Grapes=Friend:

• Grapes contain flavinoids, which are phytonutrients that give grapes their pretty purple color--the darker the color, the more flavinoids there are (i.e. for most benefit, skip the green and go for the purple grapes!!!) Flavinoids have compounds that reduce the risk of heart disease! (Hence the "A glass of red wine a day keeps the doctor away" theory.)

• grapes and stuff made from grapes (grape juice, wine...) help reduce the occurrence of blood clots

• grapes increase plasma antioxidant activity

• grapes can lower your cholesterol

• grapes can improve blood flow to the brain (feeling a bit daft lately? Have some grapes!)

• grapes can help with hypertension

• grapes just help your whole cardiovascular system--the one you've been putting to the test daily--a ton. Eat your grapes!

For more on how grapes are your friends, click here.

Grapes = Foe

• grapes have a laxative effect. They are high in fiber, and because of their handy neat natural little packaging, it's easy to eat an entire bag or two before you know it! And if you're one of those people for whom the adage "Running makes you Regular" holds true, you might be running to every available toilet for the next few days after your grape attack.

• grapes can make you bloated. They are very high in water, and eating a bunch of them can make you feel all roly poly and not to mention gassy. Not a good feeling before a workout. Depending on how much you love grapes, this feeling can hang over until tomorrow. So if you've got a long run on Saturday, get your grape fix on Thursday or before or you'll be sorry!

So there you have it. Grapes are awesome. They're crunchy, delicious, nutritious, and fun. Just don't eat too many before a workout (even a few days before), or you'll be cursing the existence of places like Napa Valley while you're desperately trying to find a tree nobody will see your bum behind on your next run.

Happy snacking!

Review: PowerBar Pria--Chocolate Mint Crisp

There are a million bars out there claiming all kinds of health benefits and purposes. Candy bars, meal-replacement bars, energy bars...they all claim to be the solution to your quick meal on the go. While it's true that real food, meaning stuff that is sold in its naturally occurring state (or close to it) is best, there's something so magnetic about the bars. This is especially true of the Pria Chocolate Mint Crisp bar (also available in a 110 calorie version...they sell the big bar cut in half for the same price and call it "diet" food. Hah.)

Taste test: The Pria Chocolate Mint Crisp is delicious. It makes a fabulous dessert. It tastes like a giant Girl Scout's thin mint cookie. What could be better? And now you can savor that yummy taste all year long! Just be careful. It may be hard to limit yourself to one bar, but one bar carries 18% of your daily recommended saturated fat intake (based on a 2000 calorie diet).

Texture: If you like crispety crunchety goodness, then this is for you. With soy crisps filling the inside and a chocolatey outer coating, this is a great alternative to a Crunch Bar for lovers of chocolate with a crunch!

With only 170 calories, they might not pack enough punch for a long workout (most PowerBars carry about 250), but make a perfect, easy dessert or snack. (And with 20% of your recommended daily fiber intake and 20% of your recommended daily protein intake, they'll keep you satisfied!)

Nutritional Rundown:

Calories: 170

Calories from fat: 50

Total Fat: 6g

Sat Fat: 3.5g

No Cholesterol

Sodium: 170mg

Total Carb: 22g

Fiber: 5g

Sugars: 7g

Sugar alcohol: 8g

Protein: 11g

Vitamins

Vitamin A- 15%

Vitamin C-60%

Calcium- 40%

Iron- 20%

Vitamin E- 60%

Vitamin K- 15%

Thiamin - 30%

Riboflavin- 30%

Niacin- 30%

Vitamin B6- 30%

Folate- 60%

Vitamin B12- 60%

Biotin - 30%

Pantothenic Acid - 60%

Phosphorus- 15%

Iodine- 15%

Magnesium- 15%

Zinc- 15%

Selenium- 15%

Copper- 15%

Manganese-15%

Chromium- 15%

Molybdenum- 15% (whatever that is!)

And no, nobody payed TriDiva for this review. It's just a friendly way of telling people they don't have to wait for the Girl Scouts to come knocking to get a Thin Mint fix!

Why Every Athlete Should Drink Hot Chocolate

It is January. It is cold.

You rode outside anyway,

Now you can't feel your toes.

The best reward on such a winter's day?

A cup of Hot Chocolatey goodness. Hip Hip Horray!

Seriously, hot chocolate is a food of the gods. So you deserve it! As your third grade teacher probably told you, Aztec leader Moctezuma served this sacred drink in a golden goblet. We're sure that tastes just dandy, but if you must use a paper cup, that's fine, too.

"But I can't eat chocolate, I'm training!"

Ok, silly person. Hot chocolate can be served in many ways. And if you're afraid your 8 oz paper cup full of seratonin-releasing pleasure will go straight to your thighs, there's diet and sugar-free types out there, too. (You wuss.)

So grab your favorite hot chocolate (Ghirardelli individual packets highly recommended), and enjoy. Here's why:

• it's cold outside. Hot chocolate is hot. Cold outside + hot chocolate inside = 1 warm you.


• if you mix the mix with skim milk, you get a nice helping of protein and calcium for the day. Calcium + serotonin release = 1 happy you.


• it's hard to get up when it's cold and dark. But it's much easier if you get a reward afterward! Early morning wake up call + hot chocolate incentive = 1 intense, quality workout.


• and, of course, it tastes delicious. Hot chocolate + taste buds = a very happy you and your tummy -> a very productive you at work -> more money to buy triathlon gear.

So there you have it. A cup of hot chocolate can make you happier, healthier, fitter, and richer. So what are you waiting for?