an about-turn, eschewing starches and relying instead on vegetables, fruits and lean meats as fuel.Consider what follows as a challenge to the ideas about nutrition you've been exposed to for years. Follow the advice and you'll stay lean and strong

, coffee reduces absorption of iron and immunity-boosting zinc, according to a study at the University of Lyon, France....your heartUpper: Coffee drinkers with little self-control can take heart: Harvard researchers tracked 128,000 people for 20 years

Ruth is a leading sports dietician and a member of the British Dietetic Association and Health Professional Council. She is also an advisor to Sportscotland's Institute of Sport, specialising in helping athletes of all levels prepare nutritionally

There’s no hotter issue in sports nutrition right now than the carbs versus carbs-plus-protein controversy. The battle pits scientist against scientist, small companies against behemoths, and new research against long-held beliefs. At one crucial

, you might think, but not so, according to the many nutritionists who have turned the concept of healthy eating on its head.In recent years carbohydrates have taken a battering because they have been linked to the increasing incidence of obesity. A

If broccoli and spinach are the rock stars of the vegetable world, then celery and lettuce are the stage-hands, working hard out of the limelight. For years we've dismissed these pale staples as nutritionally barren, focusing our attention

on hydration in the UK, agrees with Valtin. “You hear this advice from magazines, but where is it actually coming from? Not the Department of Health.” Tim Lawson, director of Science In Sport, a sports nutrition company, believes that the eight glasses rule

chemical process takes place when you eat that cannot be replicated by popping a pill.Good nutrition is a tool for the triathlete but how you take in the micronutrients you need to keep you in shape and race ready is up to you.Vital vitamin statistics

) Researchers have been extolling the virtues of this B-vitamin for years, and for good reason – women who don’t get enough folate before and during pregnancy increase their risk of having babies with birth defects, while men who skimp on the nutrient are more

the immune system – perfect to protect yourself when your resistance dips post-workout or to stave off coughs and colds before a big race.Peas and beans will also give you stacks of energy for your sessions – they’re packed with folic acid and Niacin (Vitamin