4.1 - Diet & Nutrition Flashcards
What are the 7 classes of food that should be present in all sports performers’ diets?
Carbohydrates Fats Proteins Vitamins Minerals Fibre Water
What are the 2 types of carbohydrates?
Simple
Complex
What are simple carbohydrates found in?
Fruits & processed foods and anything with refined sugar added.
What are simple carbohydrates?
Found in fruits and easily digested by the body. They are also often found in processed foods and anything with refined sugar added.
What are complex carbohydrates found in?
Nearly all plant-based foods - bread, pasta, rice and vegetables.
What are complex carbohydrates?
These are found in nearly all plant-based foods, and usually take longer for the body to digest. They are most commonly found in bread, pasta, rice and vegetables.
What is a balanced diet?
A diet containing a variety of foods from each of the food groups so there is an adequate intake of nutrients.
What is glucose?
A simple sugar and the major source of energy for the body’s cells.
What is glycogen?
The stored form of glucose found in the muscles and the liver.
What is the glycaemic index?
This ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels.
What is cholesterol?
A type of fat found in the blood.
What does LDL stand for?
Low-density lipoproteins.
What does HDL stand for?
High-density lipoproteins.
What do low-density lipoproteins do?
Transport cholesterol in the blood to the tissues and are classed as ‘bad’ cholesterol since they are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
What do high-density lipoproteins do?
Transport excess cholesterol in the blood back to the liver where it is broken down. They are classed as ‘good’ cholesterol since they lower the risk of developing heart disease.
Which are ‘good’ and which are ‘bad’ lipoproteins?
LDL - bad
HDL - good
What is the principle source of energy used by the body?
Carbohydrates.
What are the functions of carbohydrates?
Principle source of energy.
Main fuel for high intensity or anaerobic work.
What is carbohydrate in food digested and converted into in the body?
Converted into glucose.
What happens when carbohydrates are converted into glucose?
The glucose enters the bloodstream.
Where is glucose stored in the body and what is it stored as?
Glucose is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen but these stores are limited so regular refuelling is necessary.
What is important for a performer to consider in terms of carbohydrates?
The glycaemic index and release rate of different carbohydrates and the consequence this has on when they should be consumed in relation to training.
What do foods with a lower glycaemic index do?
Cause a slower, sustained release of glucose to the blood meaning that blood glucose levels are maintained for longer.
Why are foods with a lower glycaemic index good?
They cause a slower, sustained release of glucose to the blood meaning that blood glucose levels are maintained for longer.
Which type of glycaemic index causes a slower, sustained release of glucose to the blood meaning that blood glucose levels are maintained for longer.
Lower.
What do foods with a high glycaemic index do?
Cause a rapid, short rise in blood glucose but this will be short lived.
Which type of glycaemic index causes a rapid, short rise in blood glucose but this will be short lived.
High.
How long before exercise should foods with a lower glycaemic index be eaten?
3-4 hours before exercise.
What are some examples of foods with a low glycaemic index?
Beans on toast, pasta or rice with a vegetable based sauce, breakfast cereal with milk, crumpets with jam or honey.
How long before exercise should foods with a high glycaemic index be eaten?
1-2 hours before exercise.
What are some examples of foods with a high glycaemic index?
Fruit smoothies, cereal bars, fruit-flavoured yogurt and fruit.
What is more important to consume one hour before exercise?
Liquid consumption appears more important through sports drinks and cordials.
Where can saturated fat be found?
In both sweet and savoury foods but most comes from animal sources.
What does too much saturated fat lead to?
Excessive weight gain which will affect levels of stamina, limit flexibility and lead to health problems such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
What will excessive weight gain affect/lead to?
It will affect levels of stamina, limit flexibility and lead to health problems such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Where is cholesterol predominantly made?
In the liver.
How is cholesterol carried?
In the blood as low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
What are the 2 forms of cholesterol?
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
What can too much LDL lead to?
Fatty deposits developing in the arteries which can have a negative effect on blood flow.
What does HDL do?
Takes cholesterol away from parts of the body where it has accumulated to the liver where it is disposed of.
What are trans-fats?
A type of unsaturated fat.
Where can trans-fats be found?
In meat and dairy products but most are made from an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils (hydrogenation), which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature.
What is the process by which trans-fats can be made?
Made from an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils (hydrogenation), which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature.
What does using artificial trans-fats allow?
Allows food to have a longer shelf life.
What can trans-fats lead to?
High levels of blood cholesterol.
What is the max amount of trans-fats we should be consuming a day?
No more than 5g.
Why do we need to watch out more for saturated fats as apposed to trans-fats in the supermarket?
Trans-fats are found in hydrogenated vegetable oil and most supermarkets in the UK have removed hydrogenated vegetable oil from their own-brand products so it is the saturated fats that we need to look out for.
What are the functions of fat in the body?
Major source of energy.
They are used for low intensity, aerobic work such as jogging.
They are also a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Why shouldn’t we cut out all fat from our diet?
Not all fats are bad. They are a major source of energy for the body, used for low intensity, aerobic work such as jogging and are also a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
What are fats a carrier for?
Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
What type of exercise are fats useful for?
They are used for low intensity, aerobic work such as jogging.
Why can’t fats be used for high intensity exercise where oxygen is in limited supply?
Fats require oxygen to be broken down.
What are the different types of fat?
Saturated.
Unsaturated (including trans-fats).
What are proteins a combination of?
Many chemicals called amino acids.
What are proteins important for?
Muscle growth and repair.
To make enzymes, hormones and haemoglobin.
Are proteins a source of energy?
Yes - a minor source of energy.
What type of athletes are proteins used by more and why?
Power athletes who have a greater need to repair and develop muscle tissue.
When do proteins tend to provide more energy?
When glycogen and fat stores are low.
What are some good sources of protein?
Meat, fish, eggs and dairy products.
What are amino acids?
Chemicals used in all the body cells to build proteins.
What are vitamins?
Essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts in order to work properly.
Are vitamins needed in small or large amounts?
Small.
What are the 2 types of vitamins?
Fat-soluble vitamins.
Water-soluble vitamins.
What are the fat-soluble vitamins?
A, D, E and K.
Where are fat-soluble vitamins predominantly found?
In fatty foods and animal products such as milk, dairy foods, vegetable oils, eggs, liver and oily fish.
What does the body do with the fat-soluble vitamins?
It stores them in the liver and fatty tissue for use at a late date.
What are the water-soluble vitamins?
The B vitamins and vitamin C.
Where are water-soluble vitamins predominantly found?
In a wide range of foods such as fruit, vegetables and dairy products.
Are water-soluble vitamins stored in the body?
No.
Because water-soluble vitamins aren’t stored in the body, what does this mean?
They need to be taken in daily.