Diet 1

Diet
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What you will learn about

in this topic:
1. A healthy, balanced diet

2. How diet can aid a sportsperson

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Learning objectives
By the end of this presentation you
should be able to:
Understand why diet is important to
sports performance
Describe the different parts of a
balanced diet
Explain how special diets can aid
sports performance
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Task
Why do we need to eat food?

Spend three minutes noting down as

many reasons as you can think of.
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Balanced diet
A balanced diet is made up of seven
different categories:
1. Carbohydrates 5. Minerals
2. Proteins 6. Fibre
3. Fats 7. Water
4. Vitamins
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Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the sugars and
starches found in certain foods,
which are changed into a sugar
called glucose by the body.
Carbohydrates can be divided into
two sub-groups:
1. Simple carbohydrates
2. Complex carbohydrates
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Simple carbohydrates consist of

one or two sugar units. For
example:
Sugar
Sweets
Honey
Fruit
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Complex carbohydrates consist of

hundreds of sugar units. For
example:
Bread
Pasta
Rice
Potatoes
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Carbohydrates are stored in the

liver and muscles as glycogen.

Glycogen converts to glucose and is

used as energy for the muscles,
brain and other organs.

Excess carbohydrates are stored as

fats.
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Carbohydrates aid the sportsperson

by providing a ready source of
energy for when the muscles need
it.

Athletes training hard use up

carbohydrate stores quickly so diets
should be high in this food type.
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Protein
Proteins are large molecules
required for the structure, function
and regulation of the bodys cells,
tissues and organs.

Protein from food helps to build

muscle and repair tissue, which is
essential after an injury.
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Protein is found in:

Meat
Fish
Pulses (such as chickpeas, lentils
and beans)
Nuts
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Protein is broken down into amino

acids.

The body requires 21 types of

amino acids to function properly.

Our bodies can produce 13 types of

non-essential amino acids. The
other eight essential amino acids
come from protein in our food.
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Excess protein is converted into fat.

Sportspeople who need large

muscle size will take in extra
proteins for this effect.
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Fats
Fats are a form of stored energy,
released slowly when there is a lack
of carbohydrates.
Fats should make up 30 per cent of
a combination of saturated,
polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fatty acids.
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Sources of fat include:

Milk
Cheese
Butter
Oils
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Fats aid the sportsperson by:

Increasing the body size and
weight, important for sports that
require extra bulk.

Storing energy that is slowly

released when there is a lack of
carbohydrates.
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However, unnecessary weight can

inhibit performance and lead to high
cholesterol levels.
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Vitamins
Vitamins are key nutrients that the
body needs in small amounts to
grow and stay strong. There are 13
vitamins in total.
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Sources of vitamins include:

Citrus fruit (vitamin C)
Fish and liver (vitamin A)
Whole grains
and nuts
(vitamin B1)
Vegetable oil
(vitamin E)
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Vitamins aid the sportsperson by

helping with:
Vision
Production of red blood cells
Blood clotting
Condition of bones and teeth
Skin condition
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Minerals
Minerals are nutrients needed by
the body to help it function properly.
Minerals are:
Iodine
Iron
Calcium
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Iodine aids normal growth which is

essential for the athlete to help
energy production and comes from
milk and saltwater fish.
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Iron helps the

production of red
blood cells and
the way oxygen
is carried in the
body by
haemoglobin.
Iron comes from
liver and green
vegetables.
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Calcium helps bones to grow and

comes from:
Milk
Cheese
Cereals
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Fibre
Fibre (or roughage) helps digestion
but contains no nutrients.
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There are two types of fibre:

1. Insoluble: this adds bulk to food,
helping it to move through the
digestive system
2. Soluble: helps
to reduce
cholesterol,
keeping the
heart healthy
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Fibre aids the sportsperson as:

Less cholesterol in the body allows
the heart to work more efficiently

Less water retention occurs when

the bodys digestive system is
functioning properly
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Water
Water allows the
blood to flow more
easily around the
body.
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Drinking water is
extremely
important when
exercising, as the
body demands
more oxygen,
nutrients, heat
control and waste
removal.
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Two-thirds of the body is made up

of water.
Sportspeople need to constantly
replenish water lost through sweat,
urine and condensation when they
breathe.

In extreme heat more water is

needed to stop the effects of
dehydration and heatstroke.
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Exam questions
1. Give an example of a diet that
could benefit a sports performer
and explain how it works.
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2. The seven parts of a balanced diet are:

A. Water, fibre, milk, protein, fats,

carbohydrates, minerals
B. Water, protein, minerals, fats,
vitamins, fibre, carbohydrates
C. Water, fat, protein, dairy products,
vitamins, fibre, carbohydrates
D. Fats, carbohydrates, vitamins,
minerals, protein, sugars, milk
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What you have learnt

in this topic:
1. A healthy balanced diet

2. How diet can aid a sportsperson

 Diet 35

Learning objectives
You should now be able to:

Understand why diet is important to

sports performance
Describe the different parts of a
balanced diet
Explain how special diets can aid
sports performance