For non-professional athletes, it is always important to keep the attention on nutrition alive, even if it often happens that the information on foods is confused, fragmented, and not very comprehensive.
Regardless of the type of sport, each of which requires specific indications, the stresses to which the body is subjected when practicing sporting activity are considerable, and it is good to be careful not to put the organs in conditions of excessive stress.
This does not always succeed, precisely because we are poorly informed: we asked Dr. Paola Buoninfante, a nutrition biologist specializing in Nutritional Biotherapy, for some clarification on which foods to prefer and what type of diet to adopt if you decide to practice sports constantly.
Doctor, one of the most frequent mistakes made when starting a sports-type diet is to overdo the protein load. But why is it wrong? What does it entail?
The excessive protein load can cause organic disturbances, which, however, can be avoided by following some indications.
Which?
First of all, it is important to differentiate the sources of proteins and to alternate meat, eggs, cheeses, legumes, fish. Those who need to reduce fat mass can make more use of eggs, fish products, and less fatty meats.
It is also essential to avoid taking too much protein in the same meal, especially in the evening, and to distribute the quotas in all meals of the day.
Proteins must always be associated with a percentage of carbohydrates, which provide energy, and with vegetables or fruits rich in vegetable water, which facilitate the function of the liver and kidneys.
Finally, pay attention to the quality of the proteins: raw ones have a higher bioavailability of carbohydrates (raw ham, bresaola, speck, carpaccio).
The motor activity requires adequate sources of energy, which are obviously provided by sugars, which must be associated correctly to have benefits and not create glycemic imbalances. How are sugars associated?
It is important to distinguish simple sugars, which are rapidly absorbed, and complex sugars, capable of guaranteeing energy for prolonged times.
Before training of a certain duration or in endurance sports, for example, it is recommended to consume meals with a high load of complex sugars associated with proteins and mineral salts such as potassium and calcium.
Earlier, he talked about vegetables. Which ones do you recommend?
All those useful to facilitate the hepatic activity, constantly engaged in athletes, and which do not cause fatigue of the renal function, which will have to eliminate the catabolites processed by the liver.
Typically “kidney” vegetables can be chicory, chicory, chicory, endive: in association with meat, they facilitate the elimination of nitrogenous waste. Finally, all raw vegetables are useful for the supply of vegetation water.
If you had to recommend food to a sportsman, what would it be?
The egg: however it is taken, it is one of the most useful foods. It is a giant cell, so it is packed with nutrients that satisfy every need. But pay attention to cooking: the longer it is prolonged, the more these qualities will disperse.
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