Most of us love watching the Olympics. To see the expertise, stamina and agility of the athletes is amazing.
Ever wonder what they eat? What does it take to fuel the strength, speed, endurance and grace of Olympic athletes?
It takes years of training and hard work, and sports dietitians are part of many Olympic hopefuls' team -- helping to propel athletes to achieve the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger).
For athletes, nutrition is one leg of the three-legged stool that supports their performance. Genetic endowment coupled with sport-specific training and coaching cannot stand on their own without proper food and fluid intake.
Registered dietitian nutritionists find creative ways to feed athletes to help them get the most out of their training. Shawn Hueglin, registered dietitian and senior United States Olympic Committee sports dietitian, provides nutrition coaching for team sports. Many of her athletes focus on achieving and maintaining lean body mass to have the endurance, agility and skill they need.
"I find that blanket nutrition recommendations are not always helpful, as different athletes on the same team have different nutritional needs," Hueglin says. "The field hockey goalie is different from a midfielder who might run several miles during a match, so altering dietary intake based on physiological demands of the position is important."
Athletes and their nutrition needs can differ significantly from that of the general public. Who could forget Michael Phelps' 8,000- to 10,000-calorie-per-day diet while training for the 2008 Olympics? The International Olympic Committee's 2010 Consensus Statement on Sports Nutrition recommends athletes eat enough carbohydrate-rich foods to maximize muscle glycogen stores before training and competition and replenish the stores after hard exercise. The timing of protein intake can promote muscle protein synthesis.
Page Love, registered dietitian, who has worked as a nutrition consultant to United States Tennis Association, has helped prepare future Olympians to take the court. Love helps athletes make healthful food choices and develop sound on-court hydration plans. Heat illness is one of the most common sports medical issues and it is completely preventable.
"Matches can be quite long -- three to four hours with five sets -- so they need more than fluids. I encourage them to eat high-carbohydrate energy bars, gels and bananas, in addition to high-carbohydrate sport drinks with packets of electrolytes to help them replace on-court losses," she says.
Most of us will never reach the level of an Olympian, but the science behind the right fuel for a workout applies to every athlete.
Q and A
Q: Do black walnuts have nutritional characteristics similar to other walnuts?
A: Very little nutrient information is available on black walnuts except from the principal grower/supplier, according to Jeffrey Blumberg, director of Tufts' HNRCA Antioxidants Research Laboratory. In contrast, the available nutritional information on English walnuts comes from diverse sources and has largely been replicated. The only truly significant difference is in the higher protein content of the black walnut, says Blumberg. While some of the vitamins and minerals are higher in black than English walnuts, the differences would contribute very little to total intakes in usual diets. - Tufts University Health Letter.
RECIPE
I have an abundance of Mason jars leftover from my daughter's wedding -- we used them for lights, tea and lemonade and flower vases. So I'm always thrilled when I find a new way to use the jars in everyday life. This recipe from the California Walnut Commission uses the jars to build a portable salad.
Crunchy Layered Salad with Walnuts and Asian Sesame Dressing
1 cup California walnut halves and pieces
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 cup shelled edamame, frozen
1 cup bell peppers, fresh, diced
1 cup tomatoes, fresh, diced
1/2 cup light Asian sesame dressing
Cook edamame according to the directions on the package. Drain well and place edamame in a shallow dish to cool. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool until it's time to assemble the salad. Cook brown rice according to directions on the package. Place in shallow dish to cool. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the salad. Chop California walnuts into bite size pieces. Place chopped walnuts in a bowl until you're ready to assemble the salad. Dice bell peppers and place in bowl until you're ready to assemble the salad. Dice tomatoes and place in bowl until you're ready to assemble the salad.
To assemble the salad, place 2 tablespoons of salad dressing in the bottom of the canning jar, followed by 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice, 1/4 cup diced bell peppers, 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup edamame and 1/4 cup lightly chopped walnut pieces. Twist lid tightly to seal jar. Shake and serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for future use. Repeat to fill 4 jars. Serves 4.
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