Fat_Sources in Your Sports Nutrition PlanIn your sports nutrition plan, the fat_sources (amount and type) you eat is an important consideration.
Vegetable oils (plant oils) are extracted from whole foods. Oil is liquid fat. Other fats can be found in whole foods such as nuts and seeds, milk products, and meat proteins, olives and avocadoes. Processed dressings, spreads and condiments are not whole foods.
The new pyramid suggests limiting “added” fat to 5-6 teaspoons everyday, depending on your calorie needs.
A serving of added fat is one teaspoon of oil, 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) oil-based salad dressing, or 1 Tbsp trans-fat free margarine. A serving of these fats provides approximately 15 grams of fat per serving. A low-fat food is one that contain less than 3 grams of total fat per serving.
Both food fat and body fat can impact your training. Learn more about fat. Fat is high calorie fuel in a small package. Too much fat (even the healthy plant fats and oils) can easily lead to weight gain which puts you at risk for diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Remember, plant fats favor good health, while animal fats may be linked to poor health. Avoid trans fats (check food labels), as they may lower your good HDL cholesterol and raise your risky LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 fats from fish, walnuts and ground flax seed should be included in your everyday sports nutrition plan, since these types of fats have been associated with decreased inflammation (which could be good for heart health and arthritis control).
Time to set a food fat goal as part of your sports nutrition plan! A great place to start is by adjusting the amount of fat or switching to healthier fats. Return to whole foods in sports nutrition for other fat_sources.
|
