Potato : Runner's Good Friend

For many runners, pasta is such a staple that meal-planning means choosing between penne and linguine. And for good reason: Pasta is high in carbs, it's easy to prepare, not to mention it's tasty. But runners who fuel up on only noodles may be overlooking a carb source that's just as good, if not better: the potato. Baked, mashed, or boiled, potatoes actually provide more energy-delivering complex carbohydrates than a cup of pasta. All varieties--russet, red, yellow, purple, and sweet--contain impressive quantities of vitamins and minerals. Plus, they're easy to digest and prepare. "People often assume that because potatoes are white, they're a nutritionally empty food," says Tara Gidus, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "But the opposite is true." Potatoes are actually the most popular vegetable in America, but sadly more than 50 percent of those are fried--turning them into a nutritional disaster, which helps account for their bad rap. It doesn't have to be this way. "A large baked potato is just as effective as pasta at getting runners ready for a hard or long workout," says Gidus. "Runners can't go wrong with potatoes."