Running has been a favoured form of exercise for millions of people around the world for centuries and it remains at the top of the list of outdoor activities that are enjoyed daily. Marathon runners train for months to run up to 30kms at a time and schools keep kids energised and in good form with daily running miles during PE. It is one of the only sports that can be both competitive or just for endurance and health. More and more people are taking to the sport and making it a part of their routines because there are many benefits to it. To make running easy, sports stores and suppliers have come up with light and convenient ways to make sure that runners are never out of food and water while they train or just go out into nature to enjoy the sport. Biltong is one of the food sources that are becoming a favourite partner for runners because it is easy to carry around without taking up space in their backpacks and it has a great shelf life so you don’t have to worry about it going off once you’ve opened the bag.
How does biltong benefit runners?
Running as a sport on its own improves cardiovascular health by keeping the percentage of visceral fat around your main organs low so that your arteries are not forced to work more than it needs to keep your body functioning. Vitamin B helps to burn off excess energy in the body by converting the existing carbs in your body to fuel for you to use while you work out. Zinc improves your immune system and lower fat means healthier arteries. Running does take a lot of mental energy because you need a lot of self-discipline and motivation to make it through however many miles you are trying to cover in a day so the last thing you need to be concerned about while you are training would need to be your source of food when you are training for long distances.
Running also helps to improve your lung function as you learn to pace your breathing and get all the good cholesterol pushed up and eating a low cholesterol snack like biltong will be your best bet to make sure that you get in what you need without ever compensating. To make it through a dedicated sport or hobby like running you will need to be prepared and heavy food is something you need to avoid. Biltong is great to partner with running because it is high in protein which helps with muscle building during and after sports activities without making you feel too full or lethargic. It’s high in nutritional value for anyone trying to maintain a steady diet while using running as a hobby or training to become an endurance runner. Southern African runners swear by this snack to keep them going while they are training for big competitions and it’s generally just a tasty treat to keep around in case you feel a bit sluggish. It’s great for sports and even better for snacking so make sure to add biltong to your list of snack foods when you exercise.
