by Daily News

Foods to go for: Sauerkraut, yoghurt and miso. Other foods containing probiotics include tomatoes, onions, garlic and bananas for the oligosaccharides, or simple sugars.

n MAGNESIUM acts as a glucose carrier, transporting it to the cells where it is absorbed ready for conversion to pyruvic acid and on to the Krebs Cycle. Foods to go for: Oat bran, brown rice, quinoa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, whole grains, nuts, lentils and dark green leafy vegetables.

n CHROMIUM makes insulin more potent. Foods to go for: Liver, poultry, shellfish, broccoli, whole grains, pulses and spices, grape juice.

n VITAMIN B1 has a direct role in the conversion of glucose into pyruvic acid, as well as in the creation of ATP in the Krebs Cycle. It is also used to turn fats into pyruvic acid, thus helping in the process of creating energy from the fat we eat.

Foods to go for: Whole grains, lentils and beans provide reasonable amounts of Vitamin B1, but the highest levels can be found in wheatgerm, sunflower seeds and lean pork.

n VITAMIN B2, like B1, helps in the creation of pyruvic acid and is used to convert fats into ATP as well as in the Krebs Cycle. B2 is also required to move electrons around, so that energy is released from the cycle. Foods to go for: Dairy, particularly yoghurt; eggs; fish, especially trout and tuna; broccoli, spinach and avocados; red meat and dark chicken meat; grains, particularly oat bran, wheatgerm, quinoa and rye.

n VITAMIN B3 is required in the Krebs Cycle in addition to helping in the process of fats becoming pyruvic acid. Lastly, it is required to help carry electrons out of the Krebs Cycle, which is the last stage of creating ATP . Foods to go for: High-protein foods, such as poultry, fish, red meat and liver; chestnut mushrooms; foods high in tryptophan help boost niacin levels, so dairy and eggs would be good choices.

n VITAMIN C is an essential part of the creation of ATP in the Krebs Cycle and also in the last stage of energy release, called the electron transfer chain. Foods to go for: All fresh fruit and vegetables but particularly good sources include acerola cherries, all citrus fruits, cantaloupe melons, pineapples, blackcurrants, strawberries, peppers, potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale.

n BIOTIN helps amino acids in proteins become pyruvic acid and also in getting into the Krebs Cycle. It is also required in the breakdown of fats into energy. Foods to go for: Offal (particularly liver); fish, egg yolk and soya products; nuts (notably hazelnuts); Swiss chard, sweet potato, tomatoes, carrots and avocado.

q Supereating - A Revolutionary Way To Get More From The Foods You Eat, by Ian Marber, published by Quadrille.

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