Diet
-
Carbohydrate for sports
The use of carbohydrate for sports has been well-known for several decades. The amount and timing of carbohydrate intake depends on many factors, including the duration, intensity and type of exercise. Roles of carbohydrate in sport As seen in the previous article, the main role of carbohydrate in the body is the production of energy. During exercise, this can translate to: In the time between training or competition bouts, carbohydrate intake is important to: The amount of carbohydrate an athlete requires during and around exercise depends on several factors: It is important to mention the fact that the individual factors listed above can change with habits. When it comes to…
-
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are a polarising subject. For some people, carbs are life, while others say they are the devil. In this article we explore what are carbohydrates, their roles, types and sources. What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates, a.k.a. “carbs” are one of the macronutrients in our food. As the name “carbohydrate” implies, carbs contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, hence the sciency abbreviation “CHO”. The word “carbohydrates” is a noun often used to describe carbohydrate-containing foods. Many of these foods are staples in many traditional cuisines, for example rice, bread, pasta, noodles, potatoes, and taro. Roles of carbohydrates The main role of carbohydrate is energy production in the body. The amount of energy…
-
Sodium in sports
At the population level, health authorities recommend limiting sodium intake to prevent chronic conditions. However, the role of sodium in sports is more complicated, as this electrolyte plays important roles related to performance and recovery. Roles of sodium As seen in the article How much salt is too much?, sodium has roles in the maintenance of plasma volume and transmission of nerve impulses. In addition, it is needed for muscle contraction and glucose transport into cells. As a reminder, glucose is essential for energy production during most types of exercise, as well as recovery post-exercise. Sodium in sports How do we lose sodium The main ways we lose sodium is…
-
How much salt is too much?
If you have a heart condition, your doctor has probably told you to limit your salt intake. As it is impossible and undesirable to eliminate salt completely, it is important to know much salt is too much? Sodium vs salt Sodium is a mineral and what we know as salt (the one we use for seasoning our food) is sodium chloride. Therefore, the amount of salt we consume does not equal the amount of sodium we consume. Sodium in food manifests in other forms, not just as the salt that is added for seasoning. Sodium is involved in many processes in the body, including maintenance of plasma volume, acid-base balance,…
-
Misreporting dietary intake
Misreporting dietary intake is more common than you think. This becomes an issue when we try to draw health, body composition and/or performance associations based on inaccurate data. The reasons for misreporting vary (not everyone lies on purpose) and does the level of misreporting (i.e. how far off are the reported vs “real” values). However, there are clear trends: for example, most people tend to underreport (say they ate less than they did) than overreport. What is misreporting dietary intake? Misreporting is failing to report with accuracy how much a person ate. Underreporting means reporting less than the actual amount, overreporting means reporting more than the actual amount. In science,…
-
Eating in Israel for fuel and pleasure 2023
This is an update on my previous article eating in Israel for fuel and pleasure based on my experience in a Krav Maga training camp, one of the top travel experiences in my life. This time my expectations were high, but my focus was different. The first trip was for an Immersion camp, open to people of all levels. This means training was not super intense. In addition, more than 20 people were from my gym in Sydney, so I felt less social anxiety. This time, I attended an Advanced Instructor Training program, so I knew it would be more technical and intense. We were only 4 Australians attending. Based…
-
Fermented foods and health
Fermented foods are often regarded as superfoods or wrongly equated to probiotics. In this article we discuss what are fermented foods and what is the relationship between fermented foods and health. What are fermented foods? Fermented foods are those which are transformed by the action of microorganisms. To differentiate fermentation from spoilage, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics utilises the following definition: “foods made through desired microbial growth and enzymatic conversions of food components” (1). Fermented foods are consumed all over the world and is estimated that there are over 5000 varieties (1, 2). During fermentation, microbes feed on the source food and produce metabolites which change its…
-
Making weight for BJJ
Competing in combat disciplines and other weight category sports require athletes to make weight. In this article we’ll explore what are the challenges and common mistakes when making weight for BJJ. What is making weight? In many sports, including combat disciplines, athletes compete in weight categories (a.k.a. classes) with the purpose of making competition more fair. The actual categories depend on the sport and other factors such as the affiliation or type of event (e.g. Olympic Games vs world championship). Making weight refers to the process of manipulating an athlete’s weight to fall within the limits of their weight class. This usually involves losing weight as it is advantageous for…
-
10 food swaps for a healthy gut
Instead of changing your whole diet it is easier to swap food items for similar ones that are better for you. In this article you will find 10 food swaps for a healthy gut. Foods for a healthy gut Although there is still a lot more to discover about the gut microbiome, in general higher richness and diversity are correlated with positive health outcomes. As seen in previous articles, a healthy gut microbiome can be achieved by limiting ultra-processed foods and eat a variety of dietary fibre and resistant starch. 10 food swaps for a healthy gut #1: Swap highly highly processed crackers for wholegrain crackers Highly processed crackers contain…
-
Gut microbiome inputs and outputs
In this article we explore the gut microbiome inputs and outputs, the most well-known of which are dietary fibre (input) and short-chain fatty acids (output). Composition of the gut microbiome Generally speaking, it is known which bacterial phyla are the main components of the human gut microbiome (phyla = plural of phylum, the fourth out of nine broadest biological classification – see this graphic for clarity). Of the core phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are the most prominent (about 90%) (1). The composition of the gut microbiome changes in the different sections of the gastrointestinal tract due to changes in pH, oxygen availability, etc. It has been said that each person’s…
