The perfect meal for athletes revealed

It might seem like an ordinary meal to most, composed of steak, sweet potato mash and four kinds of vegetables. 

But this particular dish has been dubbed the perfect meal for athletes by performance nutrition experts. 

Comprising an 8oz New York sirloin strip steak served with sweet potato mash, kale, samphire, mange tout and broccoli, the hearty offering has all right balance of protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals. 

The meal was served by London chef and former Olympian Francis Agyepong at Christopher's restaurant in Covent Garden to Olympic gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu and world junior champion Dina Asher-Smith.

WHY IS IT PERFECT?  

• Steak is high in protein, which is excellent for muscle recovery and also in iron stores which helps reduce fatigue. It's an ideal meat for athletes to consume during their training programme.
• Sweet potato is an excellent carbohydrate source so it contributes to the recovery of normal muscle function after hard training. 
• The green veg provides vitamins A and C which support the immune system to function normally, which is hampered with hard training.

The athlete turned head chef worked with worked with Sainsbury's and British Athletics' performance nutritionist Joseph Agu to create a perfect menu for Ms Ohuruogu and Ms Asher-Smith, as they prepare for the 2015 athletics season.

Christine Ohuruogu said: 'Nutrition is a very important part of athletics, and it's great that Francis and Joseph have identified a dish which will help our training, but also taste great.’

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