LONGUEUIL, QC, Sept. 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Professional and recreational athletes alike often have to make complex decisions on what to eat to optimize their workouts. To assist them in their search for nutrition solutions that fit their lifestyle, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers is launching a brand-new program, Fueled by Nature, presenting how maple can maximize athletic performance.
This innovative program shows how athletes can take advantage of maple syrup's benefits in the different stages of their workout. It will be officially presented to the fitness industry at FitBloggin'12. This annual conference, to be held in Baltimore (USA) from September 20-23, is a prime meeting place for thought leaders, journalists and bloggers on all things sports-related.
"Maple syrup is a product that is firmly rooted in Quebec culture, but its health benefits were largely unknown until just recently. The results of a number of studies on maple carried out over the last several years, including one by Dr. Abe on promoting improved liver health1, have identified a huge array of bioactive compounds and physiological benefits associated with the consumption of maple products," emphasizes Serge Beaulieu, president of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers. "Looking at the exhaustive study of its phytochemical compounds and nutrient composition, the link between maple syrup and physical activity became clear. That was what inspired Fueled by Nature," continues Geneviève Béland, director of promotion and market development at the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.
To promote the program in Canada, the Federation has turned to Mélanie Olivier, president of VIVAΪ Experts in Nutrition and a sports nutritionist with three Olympic Games supporting the Canadian Olympic Team under her belt.
"Maple syrup is a source of natural energy in the form of simple sugars that metabolize quickly into glucose and act as fuel when you exercise. Not only does it help increase your performance for long workout sessions, it is also an excellent source of manganese and zinc, two minerals that are important for muscle recovery. It contains potassium, an electrolyte that helps balance the amount of fluid in the body and supports muscle contraction, as well as 54 antioxidant compounds, which help reduce oxidative stress," explains Mélanie Olivier. "Clearly, maple syrup is an asset for athletes. When taken before a workout, it provides the energy boost you need to meet your goal. During a long workout session, it will maintain your energy level. And when consumed after the workout, maple syrup helps the body recover by replenishing glycogen reserves," concludes the nutritionist.
To help athletes build menus that maximize their performance, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers presents recipes developed in partnership with a nutritionist working with professional athletes in the United States and adapted for the Canadian market by Mélanie Olivier. These recipes fulfill your nutritional needs at the different stages of your workout. Here is one of Mélanie Olivier's favourite recipes:
Natural Maple Energy Drink
850 ml (3 ½ cups) cold water
60 ml (¼ cup) orange juice
60 ml (¼ cup) pure maple syrup
30 ml (2 tablespoons) lime juice
1 ml (⅕ teaspoon) salt
- Mix together all the ingredients.
- Makes 1 litre (4 cups).
To find out more or for other recipe ideas, visit www.ilovemaple.ca or "like" the Facebook page www.facebook.com/lesfillesdelerable.
About the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers
The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers was founded in 1966 with the mission of defending and promoting the economic, social and moral interests of 7,400 family-run maple grove operations. These men and women work together to collectively develop quality standards, to build knowledge and skills and to market their products. Quebec produces 93% of Canada's maple syrup and nearly 80% of the present volume of maple syrup worldwide. As a result, the Federation is proud to coordinate scientific research activities on behalf of the entire Canadian maple syrup industry. Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia account for 7% of Canada's total production.
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1 Abe, K. et al., (2011). Liver protecting effect of maple syrup - Ingested maple syrup evokes a possible liver protecting effect physiologic and genomic Investigations with rats. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochems, 75, 2408-2410.
SOURCE: FEDERATION OF QUEBEC MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCERS
For more information or for an interview with Mélanie Olivier, president of VIVAΪ Experts in Nutrition and sports nutritionist, or a representative from the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, please contact:
Bridget Ann Peterson
Massy Forget Langlois Public Relations
514 842-2455, ext. 26
[email protected]
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