To run at your best, you need to fuel at your best. And in Italy, a training group of dozens of world-class distance runners has nailed down their nutritional routine built for optimal performance, and our recent story on their science-backed diet has recently caught the attention of our readers like you.
Among the eight food staples athletes from the Tuscany Camp prioritize in their daily meals include some runner favorites, like pasta and vegetables. But some other foods they eat regularly may surprise you.
One of the most unique parts of their diet is a fruit that perhaps some people have never even eaten before (I know I haven’t). The athletes load up on persimmons—like, a lot of persimmons.
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As detailed in our article on the nutrition plan for Tuscany Camp athletes, the elite runners will often eat two or three pieces of the sweet, orange-colored fruit after dinner. That’s because persimmons contain crucial antioxidants that can reduce oxidative stress brought on by exercise, along with key micronutrients that support your immune system and other muscle functions important for recovery. Packed with tannins, carotenoids, and vitamin C, among many other micronutrients, persimmons can help boost the recovery process while providing plenty of flavor.
It’s all part of a traditional Tuscan nutritional approach, and it’s a diet that supports the energy demands of the camp’s athletes, who often run up to 120 miles a week. As explained by the camp’s dietician, Caterina Vigni, in our story, the meals the runners eat should, in the long run, keep their bodies primed for performance. That includes foods like persimmons known to provide upsides in the recovery department. “(The diet’s) benefits come less from ‘superfoods’ and more from how its components work together to support long-duration energy production, recovery, and metabolic efficiency,” she explained to Runner’s World.
And persimmons are just one food you can make a part of your diet if you’re looking to boost your post-run recovery. From tart cherries for delaying muscle soreness, to broccoli for promoting strong bones, you can eat a wide range of foods to keep your body feeling healthy as you navigate your training. For more on how to keep your muscles primed to support your miles, visit our stories on the best foods for recovery and the nutrients you need to focus on in your diet for strong running.
But optimizing your diet is just one component of a holistic, well-rounded running routine. Dive into our training plans and programs to learn how you can lock in a routine and hit your goals, and you can access all of our resources as a Runner’s World+ member.
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Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.
