Unit :- 5 SPORTS and NUTRITION

Meaning of Balanced Diet

A balanced diet means eating the right amount of foods from all food groups.

"A diet which consists of all the essential food constituents, viz., proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins,
minerals and water in correct proportion is called a balanced diet."

Meaning of Nutrition

'Nutrition' is defined as the science of food and its relationship with health.

In other words, it can be said that nutrition is the science of foods which comprises the dynamic process
in which the consumed food is digested, nutrients are absorbed and distributed to the tissues for
utilization and wastes are disposed of the body.

Nutrients can be broadly classified as macro- and micro nutrients depending upon their daily
requirements by the body.

Macro Nutrients

1 Macro nutrients constitute the majority of Individuals' diet. Hence, it can be sald that they are taken in
large amounts.

2 They supply energy and are needed for growth and maintenance of the body. They include
carbohydrates, protelns, fats and water.

3 The explanation of these macro nutrients is given below:

a) Carbohydrate

1 Carbohydrates are actually the organic compounds that are important for different digestive
operations in our body. There are lots of differences between carbohydrates and the other elements
important for nutrition such as protelns and fats.

2 There are two main types of carbohydrates, I.e., simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
Glucose, Fructose, Galactose, Sucrose, Maltose and Lactose are called simple carbohydrates. Starch,
dextrines, glycogen and cellulose are called complex carbohydrates or polysaccharides.

b) Proteins

1 Proteins contain-carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sometimes sulphur.

2 Proteins are very large molecules, so they cannot be directly absorbed into our blood.

3 So, they are turned into amino acids by our digestive system.

4 0.36 gram / pound of body weight is required in our body.

c) Fats

1 Fats contain carbon, oxygen and hydrogen in the percentage of 76, 12 and 12, respectively.
2 There are three different groups of fats in diet, that is, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and mono-
unsaturated fats.

3 Saturated fats- increases the chances of heart disease due to the increase of cholesterol in the blood.

4 The polyunsaturated fats and mono-unsaturated fats help in lowering the blood cholesterol.

5 The polyunsaturated fats are slightly better than mono-unsaturated fats. Fats are essentlal in diet but
the quantity of intake should be limited

d) Water

Water is a compound which is made up of hydrogen and oxygen elements in the ratio 2:1. Our blood also
contains 90% of water.

Micro Nutrients

Minerals and Vitamins are included in micro nutrients. Micro nutrients are required in very small
amount.

1) Minerals

:- Minerals are essential in our diet. About 4 per cent of our body weight is made up of minerals.
Minerals are required for healthy teeth, bones and muscles.

:- Minerals can be classified into macro, i.e., major minerals and micro-elements or trace minerals.

A. Macro minerals : Some macro minerals are described below:

1) Calcium : Calcium is among the top macro-minerals in terms of growth and

development of our bones and teeth. It makes the teeth and bones strong and healthy.

2) Potassium : Potassium is one of the most important minerals in diet. It is helpful in keeping the
nervous system and muscular system fit and active all the time.

3) Sodium : It helps in muscular activities. It also helps in the transmission of nerve impulses. Its main
sources are table salt, pickles, butter, etc.

4) Magnesium : It repairs and maintains body cells. It is found in meat, brown rice, beans, whole grains,
etc.

5) Phosphorus : Phosphorus helps in the formation of bones and teeth. It keeps the muscles and nerve
activities normal. It is found in rich quantity in egg, fish, cod liver, milk, unpolished rice, etc.

B. Micro minerals : Some micro minerals are described below:

1) lodine: It helps in the production of hormones in the thyroid gland. It is found in iodized salt, fish and
sea food

2) Iron : It is essential in the production of haemoglobin.

3) Chromium : It stimulates insulin activity. Its deficiency may cause diabetes. It is found in soyabean,
blackgram, carrot, tomato, groundnuts, bajra and barley.
4) Copper : It helps iron in the formation of haemoglobin. It is found in eggs, pulses and green leafy
vegetables

. 5) Cobalt : It protects us from anaemia and is found in green leafy vegetables, milk and meat.

2) Vitamins

Vitamins are important nutritive component of food just like protein, carbohydrate and fat. Vitamins are
vital for healthy life. Vitamins protect us from various types of diseases. In fact, vitamins increase
immunity in our body against diseases.

Types of Vitamins : Vitamins can be divided into two categories.

A. Fat Soluble Vitamins : These vitamins are easily dissolved in fat.

B. Water Soluble Vitamins : These uitamins are soluble in water.

A. Fat Soluble Vitamins : These are described below:

1) Vitamin A : It is mainly found in ghee, milk, curd, egg yolk, fish, tomato, papaya, green vegetables,
orange, spinach, carrot, pumpkin, etc.

2) Vitamin D : It is mainly supplied by egg yolk, fish, sunlight, vegetables, cod liver oil, milk, cream, butter,
tomato, carrot, etc.

3) Vitamin E : Green vegetables, organ meats (Kidney, liver and heart), cotton seed, sprouts, coconut oil,
egg yolk, dry and fresh fruits, milk, meat, butter and maize are rich sources of Vitamin E.

4) Vitamin K : This Vitamin is mainly available in cauliflower, spinach, cabbage, tomato, potato, green
vegetables, wheat, egg, meat, etc.

B. Water Soluble Vitamins:

Vitamin B Complex : There are 8 vitamins under Vitamin B Complex. Important forms of vitamin B are
stated below:

1) Vitamin B1 or Thiamin : This vitamin is also called thiamin. Wheat, Groundnuts, green peas, orange,
pig meat, liver, eggs, green vegetables, rice and sprouts seeds are rich sources of vitamin B1.

2) Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin : This vitamin is yellow in colour. This vitamin is richly found in egg yolk, fish,
pulses, peas, rice, yeast, wheat and in green vegetables.

3) Vitamin B3 or Niacin : Milk is the major source of this vitamin. Along with this, vitamin B3 is found in
egg yolk an dry fruits.

4) Vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid : Yeast, milk, polished rice and nuts are rich sources of vitamin B5

5) Vitamin B6 : This vitamin is richly found in meat, fish, egg yolk, yeast, rice, wheat and peas, etc.

6) Vitamin B7 or Biotin : Egg yolk, milk, fresh vegetables, yeast, rice, wheat and peas, etc.

7) Vitamin B12 : Its colour is red. This vitamin is usually destroyed in cooking for a longer time. Its
deficiency may cause anaemia.
 Folic Acid : Folic Acid is found in yeast, spinach and liver

Nutritive & Non-Nutritive Components of Diet

The food which we eat contains various nutrients which are essential for our body. There are large
number of nutrients required in our balanced diet. Some of them are "Nutritive components" like
Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins, whereas some other components of diet have no nutritive value.

Fat

Fat is considered as a major source of fuel for light to moderate levels of activity. Various types of sports
require different proportions of fat to musdes to maximise performance. A minimum amount of fat is
desirable for a distance runner, high jumper and a gymnast.

These athletes require nominal fat. Adding weight to their body will hinder their performance. Distance
swimmers need a certain amount of fat distributed near the skin surface to diminish the heat bs to the
water.

Research studies show that extra weight of fat that has to be carried by a runner definitely diminishes
the performance.

vitaMINS

> Vitamins are essential in the normal diet for good performance in work and sports but there is no clear
evidence that extra amount of vitamins improves the performance.

>There are only three vitamins which have received the attention of researchers. These are:

1. Vitamin C:Low level of vitamin C intake does not reduce the work performance significantly.
Approximately, 60 mg of vitamin C intake by non-athletes and 300 mg to 500 mg intake by successful
athletes do not have any harmful effect on kidneys.

2.Vitamin E: Vitamin E has been claimed to have beneficial effects in the treatment of many diseases and
especially heart diseases. Several studies conducted on the use of Vitamin E have shown little or no
effect on the performance. It has been established that excess amount of Vitamin E intake does not
improve the performance in sports.

3. Vitamin B Complex : Deficiency of vitamin B-complex has shown decrease in the sports performance.
Several studies related to excess amount of vitamin B-complex intake show both improvement in
performance and no influence on performance. In fact, there is a need of further research and studies to
establish the effect of this vitamin on the performance of athletes.

Minerals

It is a well-known fact about minerals that their deficiency can decrease the performance, especially
during the exercise in hot climate. Sweating reduces the amount of sodium and chloride in the body.
Excess amount of salt intake can lead to potassium loss and increased water retention. This condition
can be harmful for the persons with hypertension. Still, there is no clear indication by research studies
that an excess amount of intake of minerals improves the performance of athletes.

Non-Nutritive Components of Diet

Non-nutritive components of diet are those components that do not provide energy or calories.
Roughage or fiber, water, colors, flavors, pesticide residues, etc., are among tens of thousands of non-
nutritive components of diet or food

Fiber or roughage

Fiber or roughage has no nutrient value. Hence, it is included in the non-nutritive components of diet. It
is the undigested part of the food or it can be said that it cannot be digested by the human intestinal
tract. It consists of water and improves intestinal function by adding bulk to food. It satisfies the
appetite. It helps to correct the disorders of large intestine. It prevents constipation. Roughage or fiber
can be divided into two categories, i.e., soluble and insoluble fibers.

Water

Water is also an essential component of diet. Even blood comprises 90% of water. Water in the blood
helps in the transportation of the nutrients to various cells of the body. Water is also significant in the
excretion of waste products. It also regulates the body temperature. Our body loses approximately 2% of
our body weight as water per day.

Color Compounds

Food or diet is made more appetizing and attractive by the wide reflection of colors made possible
through pigments. Natural pigments are found in fruits and vegetables. The colors derived from animal
products and grains are less bright. There are various colors derived from fruits and vegetables such as
red, orange, yellow, green, blue and cream.

Flavors compounds

Flavors are derived from both nutritive and non-nutritive components of food. Sometimes it becomes
very difficult to know the source of a specific flavor. An acidic food provides sour taste while an alkaline
one provides a bitter taste.

Eating for Weight Control

A healthy Weight, The Pitfalls of Dieting, Food Intolerance and Food Myths

Meaning of Healthy Weight

>Usually, an individual who has healthy Dweight leads a healthy life with a reduced risk of diseases. It
means that if an individual has a healthy weight, he can lead a healthy life. On the other hand, if an
individual has an unhealthy weight be it underweight or overweight, he/she is not able to lead a healthy
life.

>It is measured through BMI.

Method to Calculate BMI: Category BMI

Body Mass Index = Weight in kg

----------------------

Height in m²
The WHO criteria for underweight, Healthy or Normal weight, overweight and obesity by BMI are as
follows:

Methods to Control Healthy Body Weight

1) Set an Appropriate Goal

>For losing body weight, you should set an appropriate goal, l.e., how much weight you want to shed or
lose. While setting the goal, you should know about your capacitles and limitations. Your goal should be
achlevable. You may set your goal for one month.

>Take a pledge that you will lose 1 kg per month depending on how much excess welght you have. After
that you can further set your goal for weight control.

2) Cut your Calories

> Keep a plan ready to get back on the track if your body weight begins to exceed the required level. It is
a simple plan to follow. Just cut or subtract only 100 calories a day. In this way, you can return to your set
goal.

3) Active Lifestyle

An active dynamic lifestyle plays a pertinent role in controlling weight. School children should prefer to
walk to school instead of going by car or motorbike.
>Instead of elevators, they should tahe stairs. If they want to switch off the TV, they should not use a
remote control but should do this physically. They should not watch TV for more hours.

>Instead of watching TV for more hours they should play outdoor games. In this way, they can lead an
active lifestyle, which will be beneficial in their weight control.

4) Yogic Exercises

>Yogic exercises can help In controlling as well as maintaining proper weight. For example, pranayama
and yogic asana, are helpful in controlling weight. As a matter of fact, research studies have proved that
stress and tension tend to Increase weight. Meditative asana are beneficial in relleving stress and
tension. Therefore, yogic exercises can also be used for keeping a good control on weight.

5) Avoid Fatty Foods

>If you want to lose or maintain weight, you should avold fatty foods In your diet. Fats are known to have
maximum number of calories. These extra calories will be accumulated In your body. So, avoid fatty
foods, If you want to remain healthy,

6) Avoid Junk & Fast Foods

Try to avoid junk and fast foods such as pizza, burger, chips, cookies, pastry, chocolate, cold drinkes, etc.,
If you want to lose weight. These foodstuffs are also rich in empty calories. Intake of such foodstuffs
leads to the condition of overweight.

The Pitfalls of Dieting

Nowadays everybody wants to remain slim and trim. People who are overweight use various methods to
lose weight. Most of them adhere to dieting. In the beginning, dieting produces good results or success.
But after initial success it adds more weight later on.

Even research studies indicate that 90% of the dieters gain all of their weight back and sometime more
than that. In fact, we are all aware that shedding or losing weight is not as simple as it sounds. Eat less
and exercise more to burn calories. We know this scientific fact but it is difficult to implement.

The major pitfalls of dieting are stated below:

1) Extreme Reduction of Calories:- For dieting, Intake of calories is reduced extremely. Research studies
indicate that 1800 calories a day cannot meet all the nutritional requirements of an individual. If you
reduce intake of calories it will result in a huge loss of weight. It can be dangerous for you. It will
definitely lower your metabolism and as a result of this your body weight will not be reduced in a
healthy manner.
2) Restriction on Some Nutrients : Generally, some nutrients like carbohydrates and fats are restricted in
dieting. In reality, your body needs all types of nutrients. If you don't take all the nutrients in required
amounts, the proper functioning of the body will be impaired.

3) Skipping Meals: It is a fact that if you have good metabolic rate, you can maintain or lose weight. If
your metabolic rate is slow you gain weight very easily. So, if you skip meals, it will lower your
metabolism to conserve energy.

So, skipping meals works against your weight-loss plans. Research studies also show if you skip one meal,
you take more calories during the next meal.

4) Intake of Calories through Beverages: If you want to lose your weight, most probably, you lay stress
on not to eat more and not on what you drink. In fact, beverages, coffee with cream and sugar,
sweetened juices and sodas really contribute to weight gain.

5) Underestimating the Calories : It is a fact that most of the persons who go on dieting usually
underestimate the number of calories they consume. So, it is essential to be more aware of the amount
of calories you take in your diet.

Food Intolerance

Food intolerance is more common than food allergy. Food intolerance is a term used widely for varied
physiological responses associated with a particular food. In simple words, food intolerance means the
individual elements of certain foods that cannot be properly processed and absorbed by our digestive
system

Causes of Food Intolerance

>Food intolerance is caused by part or complete absence of activity of the enzymes responsible for
breaking down or absorbing the food elements. These deficiencies are usually innate. Sometimes food
intolerance can be diet-related or can be due to illness.

Symptoms

Food intolerance can cause nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, flatulence, gas, cramps,
heartburn, headaches, irritability, nervousness, etc.

Management of Food Intolerance

> Individuals can try minor changes of diet to exclude food causing adverse reactions. Sometimes, it can
be managed adequately in such a way without the need for professional assistance.

>If you are unable to know the food which causes problem you should seek expert medical help.
Guidance can also be provided by your general practitioner to assist in diagnosis and management.

>For managing food intolerance, fructose intolerance therapy, lactose intolerance therapy and histamine
intolerance therapy can be applied.

Food Myths
There are various food myths which are prevailing not only in India but all over the world. What to eat,
when to eat and how often to eat are such questions which usually confuse most of the individuals. We
believe in such myths because they sound like they could be true.

> Nowadays, we have scientific knowledge and on the basis of that knowledge we should not believe in
food myths. The most common food myths which are still prevalent in our contemporary society are
stated subsequently.

Drinking while Eating Makes you Fat

The actual fact behind this misconception is that enzymes and their digestive juices will be diluted by
drinking water while eating. It will slow down your digestion which may lead to excess body fat. In
contrary, there is a scientific fact that drinking water while eating improves digestion

Starve Yourself if you Want to Lose Weight

Eating a good diet is more important than not to eat when you are on a weight-loss programme. Include
such food items in your diet which suppress appetite and increase metabolism so that you don't eat too
much. So, there is no need to starve yourself if you want to lose weight

Exercise makes You Eat More

Exercise burns calories which may increase your hunger. Research studies conducted in this area have
not shown that the individuals who do exercise, consume more calories than those who don't

Importance of diet in sports

The body needs nutrition to repair and recover. Sports persons have greater demands on their body. If
these are not met through proper diet, outcome will suffer and post training recovery process will be
affected.

For different games, there are different body composition requirements which can be manipulated to
certain extent by nutrient composition of diet besides training, thus helping in achieving body
composition goals.

Right kind of nutritional composition in pre-competition meals, during competition and post competition
meals can help improve performance, delay fatigue and speed up recovery.

Adequate diet enhances physiological adaptations during training.

Pre Competition Diet

1) Balanced Macronutrients:

> Carbohydrates for sustained energy.

>Protein for muscle repair and maintenance.

> Healthy fats for long-lasting fuel.

2) Hydration:
> Prioritize water intake.

> Avoid excessive caffeine/alcohol.

3) Nutrient-Dense Foods:

> Whole, minimally processed options for essential nutrients.

4) Timing of Meals:

3-4 hours before: Balanced meal rich in carbs, moderate in protein.

1-2 hours before: Smaller snack with carbs and protein.

5) Avoid Overeating:

>Consume enough for energy, but avoid e: gyszive intake.

During competition DIET

1) Continued Hydration:

>Drink water regularly to prevent dehydration. Sip on a sports drink for electrolyte replenishment, if
needed.

2) Simple Carbohydrates :

> Easily digestible carbs like fruits, energy gels, or sports drinks provide quick energy.

3) Small, Balanced Snacks:

>Consume small, balanced snacks (e.g., a banana with a handful of nuts) to maintain blood sugar levels.

4) Avoid Heavy or High-Fat Foods:

> These can lead to discomfort and sluggishness during performance.

5) Familiar Foods:

> Stick to foods you've consumed before; avoid new or unfamiliar items.

6) Avoid Overeating:

> Consume enough to sustain energy, but don't overindulge.

7) Monitor Hydration Status:

> Pay attention to signs of dehydration like dark urine or thirst.

Post Competition Diet

1) Rehydrate:

>Start by replenishing fluids lost during the competition. Water is essential.

2) Carbohydrates for Glycogen Replenishment:

>Consume complex carbohydrates (e.g., whole grains, fruits, vegetables) to restore glycogen levels.

3) Protein for Muscle Repair:

> Include lean protein sources (e.g., chicken, fish, tofu, beans) to aid in muscle recovery.

4) Healthy Fats for Sustained Energy:

> Incorporate sources like avocados, nuts, and seeds.

5) Balanced Meal within 2-3 Hours:

> Aim for a balanced meal with carbs, protein, and healthy fats to support recovery.

6) Nutrient Dense Foods:

> Prioritize whole, nutrient-rich options for essential vitamins and minerals.

7) Include Antioxidants:

> Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants (e.g., berries, leafy greens) aid in recovery.

8) Fiber for Digestive Health:

>Include fiber-rich foods to promote digestion and overall health.