Nutrition Part 1: Macronutrients & Micronutrients

Chapter 8: Nutrition PART 1 Muscular contraction, which is required in all physical activity, requires stored energy extracted from ingested macronutrients (i.e. carbohydrates, protein, fats). Carbohydrates Adequate carbohydrate intake ensures important functions for physical activity performance...

Chapter 8: Nutrition PART 1 Muscular contraction, which is required in all physical activity, requires stored energy extracted from ingested macronutrients (i.e. carbohydrates, protein, fats). Carbohydrates Adequate carbohydrate intake ensures important functions for physical activity performance. They are a good source of energy; they help preserve muscular tissue protein and provide fuel to the nervous system which is constantly used during physical activity. Carbohydrates come under different forms (table 1) and are primarily contained in food sources listed in table 2. Table 1: Types of carbohydrates Simple carbohydrates Complex carbohydrates Monosaccharides Disaccharides Oligosaccharides & Polysaccharides Fibre Glucose Sucrose Cellulose Soluble Fructose Lactose Glycogen Insoluble Galactose Maltose Starch Table 2: Sources of carbohydrates Prioritize these items Amount per 100g Limit these Chickpeas (61g) Kidney beans (60g) Legumes Banana (23g) Soft drinks Cake Fruits Mango (15g) Juice Muffins Vegetables Carrot (10g) Cookies Candy Whole grains Sweet potato (20g) Chips Oats (60g) Cooked brown rice (23g) Non-carbohydrate substrates such as lactate, glycerol and certain amino acids can be converted into glucose by the body. This means carbohydrate consumption isn’t “essential” for survival. However, insufficient carbohydrate intake can affect physical activity performance (Hough & Schoenfeld, 2021). Below are recommended carbohydrate intakes, depending on physical activity levels. Table 3: Recommended daily intake of carbohydrates Recommended daily amount Physical activity level or goals (per kg of body weight) Light: Low amount or low intensity 3-5g Moderate: About 1-hour of moderate/high intensity exercise per day 5-7g High: About 1-3 hours of moderate/high intensity exercise per day 6-10g Very High: About 4-5 hours of moderate/high intensity exercise per day 8-12g Strength / Power / Hypertrophy goals 3-8g Sports with high cardio / endurance demands 6-12g Recommended Fibre intake 14g per 1000 daily kcal Sources: Kerksick et al., 2018, Thomas et al., 2016, Hough & Schoenfeld, 2021 Protein Adequate protein intake ensures growth and repair of lean tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, etc.). This macronutrient is essential since the human body cannot synthesize 9 of the 20 amino acids (i.e. “building blocks” of multiple proteins). These 9 amino acids must be obtained “externally” through a balanced diet. Table 4: Sources of protein Complete sources of Incomplete sources of Amount per 100g Amount per 100g amino acids amino acids Seafood Shrimp (24g) Tuna (28g) Legumes Lentils (9g) Peanuts (24g) Meat Chicken (31g) Pork loin (27g) Nuts Mixed nuts (15-20g) Eggs 2 x Boiled eggs (13g) Seeds Chia (17g) Flax (18g) Soy Tofu (16g) Whole grains Pasta (13g) 2 bread slices (12g) Quinoa 1 cup of quinoa (8g) Table 5: Recommended daily intake of protein Recommended amount Varying recommendations (per kilogram of body weight) Recommended Dietary Allowance 1 0.80-0.85g No distinction whether the person is active or not General population, without specific athletic 2 goals 1.2-1.6g 3 Body composition and sports performance 1.2-2.0g 4 Building or maintaining muscle mass 1.4-2.0g 5 Athletic populations seeking to maximise training adaptation 1.6-2.2g Sources: Health Canada (2023) , Philips et al. (2016) , Thomas et al. (2016) , Jäger et al. (2017) 4, Morton et al. (2018) 5 1 2 3 In terms of meal timing, current scientific evidence suggests that splitting daily protein amount over three or more meals is more than adequate for most people (Schoenfeld & Aragon, 2018). For hypertrophy goals, incorporating four meals or more that include 0.4-0.55g/kg of protein is recommended. Fats Fats (or lipids) are the body’s main source of energy at rest (80% to 90% of total) and during light to moderate intensity physical activity (50 to 75% of total). They are considered essential since the body cannot synthesize enough to survive. They help transport the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K, which play many roles in cellular functions. The longer the physical activity, the bigger the energy contribution from circulating free fatty acids (FFAs). Fats are generally categorized into two groups: saturated & unsaturated. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature whereas unsaturated fats (mono-unsaturated & poly-unsaturated) are liquid. Saturated fats have historically been perceived as being “unhealthy” for being linked to increased risk of heart diseases. Recent literature is more nuanced on this matter (Astrup et al, 2020), since the effects of saturated fats vary from one food source to another (since each food source contains other compounds of varying effects). Table 6: Sources of fat Sources of unsaturated fats (mono & poly) Sources of saturated fats Fatty fish Fatty meats Avocados Butter & cream Seeds Cheese and other dairy products Nuts Coconut oil Oils that are liquid at room temperature Palm oil According to the World Health Organization, the recommended daily intake of fat should fall within 20-35% of total calories. You can follow the instructions below (Figure 1) to determine your recommended daily intake. Figure 1: Determining daily intake of fats Steps Example 1. Determine your recommended caloric intake using the 1. Let’s pick a “Sedentary” male as an example. This person table1 below: requires 2400 kcal daily. Sedentary 1800 kcal Sedentary 1800 kcal Female Moderately active 2000 kcal Female Moderately active 2000 kcal Active 2400 kcal Active 2400 kcal Sedentary 2400 kcal Sedentary 2400 kcal Male Moderately active 2800 kcal Male Moderately active 2800 kcal Active 3200 kcal Active 3200 kcal 2. Multiply this value by the lower and upper percentages 2. Let’s multiply 2400kcal by 20% and 35%. This gives us of the recommended range (20-35%) values of 480kcal and 840kcal respectively. 3. Convert these caloric values into grams of fat by 3. Let’s divide 480kcal and 840kcal by nine to determine dividing by nine. recommended fat amounts in grams. This gives us values of 53.3g and 93.3g respectively. 1 gram of fat equals 9 kcal This means that a “Sedentary” male would need to consume between 53.3 to 93.3g of fat daily to fall within the recommended range 1 Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2015 – 2020) Fluids & Micronutrients Fluids A high proportion of your bodyweight is composed of water (approximately 60%). Proper hydration ensures essential body functions. Dehydration can negatively affect physical activity performance and lead to serious health problems. Assessing urine colour is a simple way to determine hydration levels. A light-yellow hue indicates sufficient hydration whereas as darker tones (dark yellow or amber) indicate dehydration (Perrier et al., 2016). Please consult Chapter 9 for Pre-workout fluid intake recommendations. Micronutrients: Vitamins & minerals Vitamins & minerals (i.e. “micronutrients”) cannot be synthesized in high enough amounts by the body and must be derived from your diet (see Table 7). Micronutrients are involved in multiple physiological mechanisms (e.g. energy production, immune system, bone health, nervous system, cell growth, antioxidation, etc.). Table 7: Sources of micronutrients Micronutrient Sources Sweet potato, spinach, pumpkin, carrots, ricotta cheese, herring, milk, cantaloupe, red peppers, Vitamin A mangoes, breakfast cereals Vitamin D Cod liver oil, trout, mushrooms, milk, sardines, breakfast cereals Sunflower seeds & oil, almonds & almond oil, safflower seeds & oil, hazelnuts, peanuts, peanut butter, Vitamin E corn oil, spinach, broccoli Vitamin K Broccoli, Asparagus, collard greens, kiwi, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, cabbage Red peppers, oranges, grapefruits, kiwifruit, green pepper, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, Vitamin C tomato, cantaloupe, cabbage, cauliflower, potato, spinach Calcium Milk, yogurt, cheese, tofu, orange juice & soy milk fortified with calcium, salmon, breakfast cereals Breakfast cereals, oysters, white beans, dark chocolate, beef, lentils, spinach, tofu, kidney beans, Iron sardines, chickpeas, tomato paste, potatoes, cashews Magnesium Almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, soybeans (edamame), black beans, brown rice, breakfast cereals Beet greens, fish, chicken, beef, lentils, yams, potatoes, sweet potato, plantains, raisins, bananas, acorn Potassium squash, tomato, tomato paste, avocado, beans, spinach, chard, prunes, plums, apricots, oranges, carrots, milk, yogurt Adapted from Hough & Schoenfeld (2021) and Griffin (2023) Vitamins are categorized as being water-soluble or fat-soluble (Table 8). Minerals are categorized into macrominerals and microminerals (Table 9). Table 8: Types of vitamins Water soluble vitamins Fat soluble vitamins Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Vitamin A Vitamin B: Vitamin D Thiamin (B1) Pyridoxine (B6) Riboflavin (B2) Biotin (B7) Vitamin E Niacin (B3) Folate (B9) Pantothenic acid (B5) Cobalamin (B12) Vitamin K Table 9: Types of minerals Macrominerals (or major Microminerals (or trace elements) elements) Calcium Copper Chloride Iodine Magnesium Iron Phosphorous Selenium Potassium Zinc Sodium Questions: 1. What are the top sources of carbohydrates in your diet? Are you generally able to prioritize healthy sources over unhealthy sources? 2. Using table 3, how many grams of carbohydrates do you need per day to support your physical activity levels or fitness goals? 3. Are proteins essential? Please explain why. 4. Using table 5, how many grams of protein do you need per day to support your fitness goals? 5. What type of fats are more prevalent in your diet (saturated or unsaturated)? What are the main food sources for each type in your diet? 6. Using table 7, which micronutrient do you think is lacking in your diet right now? Why? References Astrup, A., Magkos, F., Bier, D. M., Brenna, J. T., De Oliveira Otto, M. C., Hill, J. O., King, J. C., Mente, A., Ordovas, J. M., Volek, J. S., Yusuf, S., & Krauss, R. M. (2020). Saturated Fats and Health: A Reassessment and Proposal for Food-Based Recommendations. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 76(7), 844–857. Griffin, R. M. (2023). Food sources for vitamins and minerals. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/vitamins-and- minerals-good-food-sources Health Canada (2023). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. Retrieved July 31st, 2024, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/dietary-reference-intakes/tables.html Hough, P., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2021). Advanced personal training: Science to Practice. Routledge. Jäger, R., Kerksick, C. M., Campbell, B. I., Cribb, P. J., Wells, S. D., Skwiat, T. M., Purpura, M., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Ferrando, A. A., Arent, S. M., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Arciero, P. J., Ormsbee, M. J., Taylor, L. W., Wilborn, C. D., Kalman, D. S., Kreider, R. B., Willoughby, D. S.,... Antonio, J. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1). Kerksick, C. M., Wilborn, C. D., Roberts, M. D., Smith-Ryan, A., Kleiner, S. M., Jäger, R., Collins, R., Cooke, M., Davis, J. N., Galvan, E., Greenwood, M., Lowery, L. M., Wildman, R., Antonio, J., & Kreider, R. B. (2018). ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15(1). Morton, R., Murphy, K., McKellar, S., et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384. Perrier, E., Johnson, E., McKenzie, A., et al. (2016). Urine colour change as an indicator of change in daily water intake: a quantitative analysis. European Journal of Nutrition, 55(5), 1943–1949. Phillips, S., Chevalier, S., & Leidy, H. (2016). Protein “requirements” beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, & Metabolism, 41(5), 565–572. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. (2016). Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 48(3):543-568. Schoenfeld, B., & Aragon, A. (2018). How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 10. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/previous-dietary- guidelines/2015.