1. Low-Sugar Sports Drinks

Whether you are planning to do a beginner workout or training for the Olympics, every athlete needs to stay hydrated. Drinking plain old water is a great way to keep your body hydrated, but drinking sports drinks (especially those with electrolytes) can help the body even more.

However, you need to be careful when picking out new sports drinks. Many of them are full of sugar, which will only go to work against your body, and do much less to hydrate your body than a sugar-free drink would. Make sure to read the nutrition label before buying sports drinks. Sugar-free drinks are the best, but if you can't find them, low-sugar drinks still work well. Remember to check if it is a sports drink or an energy drink, as these are very different, with sports drinks usually being much more sugary. 

2. Glutamine-Rich Foods

Glutamine, while sounding like an artificial chemical, is actually a naturally-occurring amino acid that all people need to have in their bodies. The body uses amino acids to build protein, which helps to make muscles. It also helps muscles to recover faster after a workout and reduce muscle soreness.

The human body cannot naturally make glutamine, and instead needs to get it from food sources. Glutamine is found in high amounts in poultry and seafood. If you are a vegetarian, you can also find it in dairy products and dark leafy greens. To get the health benefits from glutamine, all you need to do is include these foods in your diet. You can also look for protein shakes that contain glutamine. Read nutrition labels to find out if something has added glutamine or not. Glutamine will not likely appear as an ingredient if it is naturally occurring in a food.

3. Beet Juice

Beets are rich in natural sugars, vitamins, nitrates, and antioxidants. All of these things combined help to make this root vegetable a veritable superfood. Drinking at least 16 ounces of beet juice before exercising can help to improve blood flow during a workout. This makes it easier to work out for long amounts of time. An athlete's stamina may also improve, which means that, while working out longer, he or she can also work out harder.

4. Turmeric

Turmeric is a little orange root spice that is usually used in Indian dishes. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, which help to prevent and ease joint and muscle pain. If an athlete hurts themselves while exercising, taking turmeric can reduce swelling. 

This helpful spice also contains curcumins. These help the body to better use antioxidants. This continues to help with inflammation, but also improves a person's immune system and helps to naturally produce more protein. This makes it easier for the body to make muscles stronger and keeps the body healthy. Both of these things are key to making sure that the body is in fighting shape!

There are a couple of ways to use turmeric to improve an athlete's health. The most basic way to use it is to add this spice to meals. Drinking turmeric tea or taking turmeric supplements is also effective.

As it is clear to see, incorporating the right foods and drinks into your diet is key to being able to exercise often and well. Trying out the foods and drinks on this list is a great start. After trying these, go on to try other foods and drinks that are rich in vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, and curcumins. After all, it is what these foods are made of, rather than what the specific food is, that helps to improve the body's function. 

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