3.2.1.1 - Diet and Nutrition Flashcards
(complete)
What does balanced mean?
Sufficient, enough, the correct amount of each component
What is a balanced diet essential for?
- optimum performance
- health
- weight
- energy levels
What are the 7 classifications of food?
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Protein
- Fibre
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Water
What are the 2 types of carbohydrate?
Simple: Found in fruits, easily digested, processed foods, anything with refined sugar.
Complex: Found in plant-based foods, take longer for the body to digest e.g. bread, pasta, rice etc
How does the carbohydrate based food we eat become energy?
The carbohydrate is digested and converted into glucose.
The glucose is stored in the muscles and liver.
In itโs stored form, it is called glycogen.
Define glucose
A simple sugar and the major source of energy for the bodyโs cells, mainly found in blood.
Define glycogen
The stored form of glucose found in the muscles and liver
What is the glycemic index?
A figure representing the ability of a carbohydrate food to increase the level of glucose in blood.
low = <55
medium = 56-69
high = 70>
What is involved in a high glycemic index?
-Foods raise blood sugar quickly, and within 30 minutes, blood sugar falls.
-It falls below its starting point
-May lead to feeling tired and lacking energy
It is a rapid, short rise in glucose and should be taken 1-2 hours before exercise
What is involved in a low glycemic index?
-Foods increase blood sugar slowly, and within 30 minutes, blood sugar gently falls
-The level it reaches is at the same starting point
-Energy is provided for a longer period of time
It is a slow, sustained release of glucose and should be eaten 3-4 hours before exercise
What are proteins?
-Combinations of many chemicals called amino acids.
-Amino acids are used in all body cells to build protein
-Proteins are a minor source of energy
examples include; meat, fish, eggs, cheese
Why are proteins important? (4 reasons)
- Growth and repair
- Making enzymes
- Making hormones
- Making haemoglobin
When may proteins be used?
When energy is needed if carbohydrates and fats are low
Who may use protein to aid performance?
Power athletes
- they have a greater need for growth and repair
- when a muscle grows and repairs (hypertrophy), it has a larger contraction potential, allowing for more force
Negative effect of protein?
Too much can damage your liver and kidneys
What are the 2 types of fat?
- Saturated e.g. cake, fried chicken
- Unsaturated e.g. avocados, fatty fish, vegetable oils, peanut butter, olives/olive oil, vegetable oils
What can too much saturated fat lead to?
- weight gain
- poor stamina
- poor flexibility
- coronary heart disease
- diabetes
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- poor thermoregulation (body overheats)
They can also lead to high levels of cholesterol.
What is cholesterol?
Is made predominantly in the liver and is carried by the blood
It has 2 different forms:
-Low density lipoproteins (LDL)
-High density lipoproteins (HDL)
What do low density lipoproteins do?
Leave fatty deposits in the arteries and cause poor blood flow and oxygen transportation.
What do high density lipoproteins do?
Take cholesterol away from parts of the body where it has accumulated. It takes it to the liver - it is then disposed of.
What do unsaturated fats do?
- Help to carry/transport vitamins (specifically A,D,E and K - fat soluble)
- Help act as an insulator
- Provide energy when intensity is low and duration is long
They are a crucial part of any endurance athleteโs diet.
What are Trans fats?
- A type of unsaturated fat
- Mostly made from industrial processes by adding hydrogen
- Gives the food a longer shelf-life
- Causes high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol)
- Most supermarkets have removed hydrogenated oil from own-brand products
examples include: fried foods, commercial baked goods, processed foods, margarine
What are the 2 different types of vitamins?
- Fat-soluble (A/K/E/D)
- Water-soluble (B/C)
What are fat soluble vitamins?
- stored in the liver and fatty tissue (for use at a later date)
- not essential to consume these types of vitamins every day
A/K/E/D
What foods contain Vitamin A?
- Primarily from animal products; milk, fish, eggs, cheese
- Plant based foods such as carrots
What foods contain Vitamin K?
- Found most predominantly in green leafy vegetables; spinach, cabbage and broccoli
What foods contain Vitamin E?
- Roughly 60% comes from vegetable oil
- Nuts, seed and cereals
Where can vitamin D be sourced?
- It is made by the body underneath the skin when exposed to sunlight
A smaller amount can be gained from;
- milk (dairy)
- oily fish
What are the 2 exercise-related functions of vitamin D?
- ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐บ- our bones are better able to absorb calcium, a performer is less likely to suffer from stress fractures caused by overuse. Also bones are less likely to break from impact within contact sports.
- ๐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ต
What are water soluble vitamins?
- not stored and need to be taken daily
- any excess will not be beneficial - will be excreted
- these vitamins can be easily destroyed or washed out during food preparation
B/C
What are the 4 types of vitamin B? (where are they found and what is their exercise-related function?)
B1 - Eggs, Liver and red meat - break down and release energy from food
B2 - Eggs, liver and cereals - break down and release energy from food
B6 - Eggs and cereals - helps form red blood cells and haemoglobin
B12 - Red meat, liver, kidney and fish - helps form red blood cells and maintains nervous systems
Where is Vitamin C found and what is itโs exercise related function?
- Known as an ascorbic acid
- Can be found in many fruits and vegetables - most associated with citrus fruits: oranges, kiwis, strawberries etc
- It protects cells, keeps them healthy and maintains bones, teeth, gums and ligaments
What are minerals and what do they do?
- Assist bodily functions
- Dissolved by the body as ions (electrolytes)
Found in - meat, fish, eggs, dairy, cereals, vegetables, fruits and nuts
Main functions - facilitate transmission of nerve impulses and enable effective muscle contractions
3 minerals and what they do?
Calcium - important for strong bones and teeth, allow for efficient nerve and muscle function
Sodium - regulates fluid levels; hydration - BUT too much causes hypertension which increases the risk of stroke/heart attack
Iron - forms haemoglobin in red blood cells which helps to transport oxygen - a lack of iron is called anaemia
Where is fibre found and what is itโs function?
Found in; wholemeal breads, pasta, nuts, seeds
Function - slows down the time it takes the body to break down food, therefore providing a slower, more sustained release of energy. It also helps to prevent constipation and assists digestion.
Fibreโs impact on cholesterol?
- High fibre helps the body eliminate cholesterol (LDLs) by binding it in the digestive tract
- Also fights diseases - can help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease
Importance of water?
Constitutes 60% of a personโs body weight
It is essential for good health
It is the main component of many cells
What does water transport?
Nutrients, hormones and waste products
What does water aid in?
Regulating body temperature
How does water impact exercise? (why is it needed?
-When we exercise and muscles contract, energy is generated by breaking bonds of ATP.
-When these bonds are broken, heat is released as a by-product
-Consuming water prevents us from overheating during this process
BUT - as more energy is generated, more heat is released and our body begins to cool itself - via radiation and evaporation
When does evaporation occur?
-Takes place as an athlete sweats - it does this to cool the body
-Water is lost during this process
-If water levels are not replenished then dehydration will occur
What can dehydration lead to?
- headaches and muscle fatigue
- increased HR - lower cardiac output
- reduction in transportation of oxygen and nutrients
- reduction in exchange of waste products
- increases reaction time and decision making
- reduced sweating to prevent water loss
- increased core temperature
- blood viscosity will increase
- reduces blood flow to muscles and skin
- loss of electrolytes/possible cramps
How may a performer rehydrate during competition?
- sports drink - boosts glycogen levels before competition
- water - rehydrate during competition
For every 1KG of body weight lost during exercise, the performer needs to drink 1.5l of fluid
Define a balanced diet
A diet containing a variety of foods from each of the food groups, so there is an adequate intake of nutrients.
Define dehydration?
When the body loses more fluid than it takes in
What is Creatine Monohydrate and what does it do?
- Commonly referred to as โcreatineโ - it increases the amount of phosphocreatine stores in the muscle
- Phosphocreatine is used to fuel the ATP-PC system which gives us energy for up to 10 seconds
- Increasing creatine will allow this energy system to work longer, decrease recovery time, and allow for performance at a higher intensity
e.g. sprinters,jumpers,throwers
Advantages and disadvantages of Creatine Monohydrate?
Advantages:
- provides energy
- replenishes phosphocreatine stores
- allows ATP-PC system to last longer
- improves muscle mass
- decreases recovery time
Disadvantages:
- dehydration
- liver damage
- muscle cramps
- vomiting
- water retention
What is Sodium Bicarbonate and what does it do?
- It is an antacid (neutralises acidity in stomach)
- It increases the buffering capacity of the blood , and neutralises the negative effects of lactic acid and hydrogen ions
- Reduces the acidity within the muscle cells, delaying fatigue, allowing performers to maintain high intensity for longer.
e.g. athletes who engage the โanaerobic glycotic systemโ - elite 400m runners
Advantages and disadvantages of Sodium Bicarbonate?
Advantages:
- reduces acidity in the muscle cells
- delays fatigue
- increases the buffering capacity of the blood
Disadvantages:
- vomiting
- pain
- cramping
- diarrhoea
- bloating
What is caffeine and what does it do?
- A stimulant that increases mental alertness and reduces fatigue (and therefore improves reaction time and decision making)
- It improves mobalisation of fatty acids so they are more able to use as energy
- Used by endurance performers using aerobic energy system
- 3mg caffeine per KG body weight is best
Advantages and disadvantages of caffeine?
Advantages:
- increased mental alertness
- reduces effects of fatigue
- allows fats to be used as an energy source
- delays the use of glycogen stores
Disadvantages:
- loss of fine control
- against rules of most sports in large quantities
- dehydration, insomnia, muscle cramps, stomach cramps, vomiting, irregular heartbeat, diarrhoea
2 types of glycogen loading?
Supercompensation - 6 days before competition - day 1,2,3 consume all protein and exercise at a high intensity (burns off carbohydrate stores, depleting them) // day 4,5,6 consume all carbohydrates and exercise at a low intensity (allows glycogen stores to be increased by up to 2x the original amount).
This prevents fatigue.
Carbo-window - Replenish glycogen stores during the first 20 minutes will enhance performance for the next day as this is when the body is most able to restore lost glycogen.
