Nutrition & Energy Systems Flashcards
what is the process that breaks down food in the body?
digestion
what does the body extract through digestion?
nutrients in the food, nutrients are broken down into even simpler forms and stored in different parts of our bodies, then converted into energy when our body needs it
what is nutrition?
the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth
What are the two types of nutrients?
macronutrients and micronutrients
What is a macronutrient?
nutrients that are required in large amounts in the diet
-carbohydrates, fats (lipids), protein, water
what is a micronutrient?
nutrients that are required in small amounts in the diet
-vitamins, minerals, zinc, magnesium
what is the purpose of carbohydrates?
provide the fastest and easiest form of energy for our muscles, brain and assist our immune system. Primary source of energy for high intensity (>65 Max Heart Rate) exercise, needed for muscle repair and muscle growth, need 3 times the amount of carbohydrate to protein daily
what are the sources of carbohydrates?
sugars and starches (complex carbs)
What is the glycemic index?
the speed at which carbs in a food are digested to glucose
what is low GI food?
broken down slowly, released into the blood over several hours, full longer
what is high GI food?
digested rapidly, give you a blood glucose spike (used for short sports)
what is the purpose protein?
Protein is mainly used for growth and repair of tissues (like muscles).
Used for energy production only in extreme conditions (when carbohydrates and fats are completely diminished), Proteins contribute very minimal amounts towards energy production during exercise (10 – 15 % in prolonged endurance activities).
what is the purpose of fats?
provides the main fuel source for long-duration, low- to moderate-intensity exercise (think endurance sports, such as marathons).
Even during high-intensity exercise, where carbohydrate is the main fuel source, the body needs fat to help access the stored carbohydrate (glycogen)
fats play an important role in the regulation of body temperature, the reduction of inflammation, blood clotting and brain development.
what is the fat to fuel exercise process?
- Digestion: Fat is slow to digest and be converted into a usable form of energy. This process can take up to six hours.
- Transportation: it needs time to transport it to the working muscles before it can be used as energy.
- Conversion: Converting stored body fat into energy takes a great deal of oxygen, which requires decreased exercise intensity
what are the two types of fats?
unsaturated and saturated fats
what are unsaturated fats?
Unsaturated fats help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels. There are 2 types.
what are the two types of unsaturated fats?
- polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 and omega-6 fats (found in fish, nuts, and safflower and soybean oil, for example)
- monounsaturated fats (found in olive and canola oil, avocado, cashews and almonds, for example)
what are saturated fats?
Consuming more than the recommended amount of saturated fat is linked to heart disease and high cholesterol. saturated fats are often in dairy foods (butter, cream, full-fat milk and cheese), meat, coconut milk and cream
how long does it take food to leave you stomach?
1-4 hours
how long does it take different foods to leave your stomach?
- Foods high in carbohydrate leave your stomach the fastest
- Foods high in fat can stay in your stomach much longer (>4 hrs)
what’s the best food choice for pre game meals?
something high in Carbohydrate. Carbs are easy to digest and become quick energy
- Between 0-60 minutes prior to competing = high carb meal - choose high GI (simple) carbs converted to glucose quickly
- 2-4 hours - night before= High carb choose low GI (complex) carbs converted to glucose slowly
what the best food choice for after competing?
eat a high carb/high protein meal to replace glycogen stores and repair muscle
what does dehydration impair?
Dehydration impairs performance and mental skills, especially in hot weather. Decreased concentration, mood and skill execution. Increase temp, fatigue.
how to prevent dehydration?
Monitor your typical sweat losses during exercise and develop a hydration plan for before, during and after exercise that replaces these losses
Aim to have minimal weight (fluid) loss during exercise, preferably less than 1kg
when should you drink water during exercise?
- During exercise, drink at a rate that is comfortable and practical to replace most of your sweat losses
- Do not drink at a rate that exceeds sweat losses
- Be aware of greater fluid losses in hot and humid environments
when do you drink water or energy drinks?
- Water is an excellent fluid for low intensity and short duration sports
- Sports drinks are ideally suited to high intensity and endurance sports
What influences fluid intake during events?
- Palatability (taste)
- sodium (salt loss and intake)
- Rate of gastric emptying (how often you go to the toilet)
Why do we need water?
balances chemicals in our body, fills our cells, regulates body temperature (perspiration), flushes waste
what is the name of too much water in the cells?
hyponatremia
What are the symptoms of dehydration?
low focus, low alertness, short-term memory impairment
What are the long term effects of dehydration?
type 2 diabeties, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity
Explain what happens at a physiological level when dehydration sets in?
blood thickens - increased blood pressure - increased cholesterol levels (harder to pump blood) - increased risk of cardiac arrest
what do sports drinks do?
can improve sports performance, provide carbohydrates and electrolytes - carbohydrates supply the muscles with fuel during sport
what is the main electrolyte that sport drinks provide?
sodium, which improves the flavour and water absorption
statistics about sport drinks?
- Found to improve endurance capacity by > 2 minutes
- Delay fatigue and reduce the rate of muscle glycogen utillisation by 22%
recommendations for hydration
- Replace fluid losses- in Australia climate need to drink 1.5 times loss
- If exercising for <1 hour, water may be enough, especially if food consumed before training
- If exercising for >1 hour, sports drink may be beneficial
what determines the type/s of fuel used when exercise?
- Intensity of session
- Duration of session
- Adaptation/Training level of athlete
when do you use fat as your food fuel?
When resting or exercise intensity is low/moderate (up to 50% of your maximum heart rate) - sitting, walking, slow jog