Potato Power! Potatoes USA Debuts New Recipes to Fuel Athletic Performance

Four experts in nutrition and athletic performance have partnered with Potatoes USA to create 13 new recipes designed to encourage active consumers to power their performance with potatoes.

The expert partners are:

• Carissa Bealert, RD, certified personal trainer, marathon runner and race announcer for RunDisney
• Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, nutrition consultant for the Kansas City Chiefs, Carnegie Mellon University athletics, the Pittsburg Ballet Theatre and the WNBA
• Chef Glenn Lyman, owner of “GCooks,” a personal chef and meal planning service for professional and Olympic athletes
• Allen Tran, MS, RD, CSSD, high performance dietitian and chef for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association

The new recipes were developed using the most recent compilation of nutrition recommendations for athletes published jointly by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and Dietitians of Canada, along with a “Carbohydrates for Training and Performance” review published in The Journal of Sports Sciences.^1,2 

The research compilation published jointly by ASCM and AND states that “some research suggests that consuming carbohydrate along with protein post exercise may aid in recovery.” According to the review written by Louise Burke and colleagues and published in The Journal of Sports Sciences, “your body’s stores of carbohydrates are limited and may be depleted even in a single session. It’s important to replenish them.”

The performance recipes are categorized based on their nutrient composition into the three key eating occasions for athletes including:

• Before exercise: Hash Brown and Egg Nests, Potato Pancakes with Apple Butter, Portable Potato & Egg Mini Frittatas, Potato Poppers with Turmeric and Hash Brown Waffles with Tart Cherry Syrup

• During exercise: Portable Potato Cakes, On-The-Go Potatoes, and Zesty Mashed Potato Snackers

• After exercise: Power Baked Potato, Potato and Black Bean Soup, Potassium Potato Smoothie, and Roasted Smashed Petite Potatoes (recipe variations include Lemon, Rosemary and Parmesan or Buffalo Blue Cheese)

Loaded with carbohydrates, fat-free and a good source of potassium, potatoes provide a mix of nutrients for athletes who want to perform at their best. With 620 milligrams of potassium in a 5.2 ounce skin-on potato, potatoes win on potassium when compared to a medium sweet potato or to a medium-sized banana. And, potatoes contain as much if not more of several essential vitamins and minerals than spaghetti, brown rice or whole wheat bread (compared on a per-serving basis).

Potassium Potato Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 4 small purple potatoes
• 1 small banana, frozen
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp. unflavored or vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 handful of ice cubes

Preparation:

1. Place potatoes (whole, with skin-on) on microwave safe plate and pierce with a fork 2-3 times. Microwave on high until soft, 4-6 minutes. Remove from microwave and cool until next step.
2. Blend all ingredients, including potatoes, in a blender until smooth. Add more honey or banana to sweeten as desired. Add more ice to thicken.

Time-Saving Tips:

• Microwave or boil the potatoes ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.
• Try placing the potatoes and the banana in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for even faster post-exercise prep.

Customizations:

• Feel free to vary the types of fruit or fruit juices that you add to the smoothie. Try frozen berries or tart cheery juice for a new flavor option.
• If you like a thicker smoothie, try adding Greek yogurt.

Nutrition (16 ounce smoothie): Calories 551, Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 41 mg, Sodium: 706 mg, Carbohydrates: 119 g, Fiber: 8 g, Potassium: 1889 mg, Protein: 19 g, Vitamin C: 29 mg

References

1. Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SH, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S17-27.
2. Thomas DT, Erdman KA and Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016 Mar;116(3):501-528.