First off, apologies for the late posting: I have been traveling and did not have internet.
I lived a large portion of my schooling years consuming extreme amounts of protein through chicken, eggs, and most notably, whey in a powder form. Me and my roommates in college would put it in everything from oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, and sprinkled over fruit from time to time. Whey is one of the two proteins that comes from cows milk as a highly processed result in the making of cheese. Whey contains little fat, lactose (the sugar that comes from dairy), or cholesterol. Whey is a complete protein which means it contains all of the essential amino acids as well as branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s), which are the first ones used during exercise and are absorbed directly into the muscle tissue. Whey has also been shown to aid in weight loss, blood sugar stabilization, and cholesterol levels. Clearly whey protein has many great affects, and since it is a more absorbable protein than soy it gives you much more bang for your buck.
However, whey can be limiting for those wanting to eat vegetarian, vegan, or raw foods since it comes from cows and is highly, highly processed. In addition protein supplementation can cause added strain on the kidneys and liver when we get much more than our bodies need. Another issue that can come up with protein supplementation is chemical exposure A recent consumer reports study of 15 popular protein drinks found that 3 products (EAS and Muscle Milk) contained levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury above the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) recommendations.
I assure you that any person that eats meat gets enough protein for the day. Whey is a great option for a post work out smoothie, breakfast, or snack, but just be sure to account for the protein in your diet. Do not eat a big protein shake after a workout and then go to Capital Grille for a 20oz strip. If you do need to supplement whey protein in your diet, here a few recommendations to keep in mind when choosing a product.
• Get whey from grass fed and pesticide free cows which will give you higher quality nutrition.
• Many cows are treated with the maligned and dangerous rBGH hormone to increase milk production.
• Most whey is heated which decreases the nutritional content and the immune supporting micronutrients.
• Get whey protein concentrate, since isolates are stripped of nutritional cofactors, exposed to acid processing, cannot be assimilated by the body.
• Many whey products contain artificial sweeteners, so be sure and get unsweetened.
Next post will discuss another popular protein source: rice. Have a great week!
Tip of the week- When storing beets, cut the leaves and store separate so they do not take all the moisture from the root.
Sources
http://rawnatureboy.ning.com/profiles/blogs/arsenic-in-your-protein-shake
mercola.com
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Protein part 1- Soy
I have decided to do a series on protein where I will give an overview of the major sources of protein sources for athletes and non athletes. Many popular sports supplements contain soy as their main protein source. Why is this? Well, soy is lactose free, animal free, low in fat, natural, and contains vitamin B12, good qualities if you’re a vegetarian or just looking for a healthy alternative right? In fact in a recent survey but the United Soybean Board 85% of consumers viewed soy as a healthy alternative. But, soy has recently come under heavy fire as a protein source as well as source of good nutrition.
Proponents of soy tout the long lived Asian cultures that have thrived off of soy for centuries as proof of its healthfulness. However, unlike those cultures, which ate the soybean in its whole and natural state, western producers fracture the product in two and separate the protein and the oil for our consumption. A vast majority of the soy products that we purchase are highly processed, one of the highest pesticide levels in all foods, and almost all soy products sold are genetically modified. Additionally soy has been found to;
• contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors which are responsible for gastric distress, reduce protein digestion and the uptake of amino’s
• High in phytic acid which block the body’s ability to absorb minerals
• High amounts of omega 6 fatty acids
• Could lead to increased rate of breast cancer, brain damage, infant abnormalities, thyroid disorders
Fermented soy products like tempeh and miso paste as well as organically produced soy can be a healthy part of your diet. A recent study concluded that up to 11 grams of soy (¼ C of tofu) was effective in reducing breast cancer, but many, ingest far more than that regularly. Its impossible not to, soy is the new corn, and has many names; its in flour, milk, cheese, ice cream, “meat”,lecithin, texturized vegetable protein, isoflavones, cereals, bars, and work out drinks. So, if you are going to eat soy products, stop buying the edemame out of the freezer section, eat in moderation, and try to get organic and non gmo. For a full analysis many soy products check out this report by the Cornucopia Institute, grading the quality of many commercial soy products. http://www.cornucopia.org/soysurvey/
Proponents of soy tout the long lived Asian cultures that have thrived off of soy for centuries as proof of its healthfulness. However, unlike those cultures, which ate the soybean in its whole and natural state, western producers fracture the product in two and separate the protein and the oil for our consumption. A vast majority of the soy products that we purchase are highly processed, one of the highest pesticide levels in all foods, and almost all soy products sold are genetically modified. Additionally soy has been found to;
• contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors which are responsible for gastric distress, reduce protein digestion and the uptake of amino’s
• High in phytic acid which block the body’s ability to absorb minerals
• High amounts of omega 6 fatty acids
• Could lead to increased rate of breast cancer, brain damage, infant abnormalities, thyroid disorders
Fermented soy products like tempeh and miso paste as well as organically produced soy can be a healthy part of your diet. A recent study concluded that up to 11 grams of soy (¼ C of tofu) was effective in reducing breast cancer, but many, ingest far more than that regularly. Its impossible not to, soy is the new corn, and has many names; its in flour, milk, cheese, ice cream, “meat”,lecithin, texturized vegetable protein, isoflavones, cereals, bars, and work out drinks. So, if you are going to eat soy products, stop buying the edemame out of the freezer section, eat in moderation, and try to get organic and non gmo. For a full analysis many soy products check out this report by the Cornucopia Institute, grading the quality of many commercial soy products. http://www.cornucopia.org/soysurvey/
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Free Radicals and Antioxidants
Two of the biggest buzzwords floating around grocery stores, gyms, conversations, and health articles are “antioxidants” and “free radicals.” So what are these things and what do they have to do with health and more so exercise? First we will take a look at free radicals.
Free radicals are atoms with an unpaired electron, which is a big no-no for an atom. What these unpaired atoms will do is move through the body and steal electrons from other molecules or drop electrons to become more stable, starting a chain reaction of destruction of the body’s cells, which causes the inability for the cell to perform, tissue degradation, advanced again, and disease promotion. But wait! Free radicals are also a necessity of life. According to renowned free radical production expert, Prof. Britton Chance from Univ of Penn, free radicals are a crucial to the immune system by going through veins and attacking foreigners as well as fighting off bacteria. But, we do not want excessive amounts of them around as it is at that point they begin destruction in the cells. So, how do you keep this from happening?
Free radicals are unavoidable if you are a breathing human. They are present in the air, pesticides, toxins, as well as gained through any aerobic exercise (when exercise is comfortable), drinking, smoking, and diet. The best way to keep your free radicals at safe levels is to increase your antioxidant intake. Why antioxidants? Well, antioxidants are molecules that break the chain of destruction initiated when a free radical steals an electron from another molecule. They also prevent oxidation by scavenging for free radicals and preventing cell damage, as well as prevent the formation of new free radicals. Best sources of antioxidants are organic and fresh fruits and veggies most notably, berries, pinto, red, black, and kidney beans, artichokes, prunes, apples, and pecans.
Now, what does all this have to do with an athlete? Well, as discussed above, training increases oxidative stress in the body as a result of the increased oxygen intake and inability to properly detoxify the oxygen, which in turn increases the amount of free radicals that roam around inside of us. So antioxidants are key for aiding free radical production in athletes. In order to limit the production it is important to increase consistency of our exercising which increases our antioxidant defense system, as well as through making some of the already mentioned dietary changes.
Jay’s tip of the week; when you know who is calling you do not say “hello” when you answer the phone, it makes no sense.
Free radicals are atoms with an unpaired electron, which is a big no-no for an atom. What these unpaired atoms will do is move through the body and steal electrons from other molecules or drop electrons to become more stable, starting a chain reaction of destruction of the body’s cells, which causes the inability for the cell to perform, tissue degradation, advanced again, and disease promotion. But wait! Free radicals are also a necessity of life. According to renowned free radical production expert, Prof. Britton Chance from Univ of Penn, free radicals are a crucial to the immune system by going through veins and attacking foreigners as well as fighting off bacteria. But, we do not want excessive amounts of them around as it is at that point they begin destruction in the cells. So, how do you keep this from happening?
Free radicals are unavoidable if you are a breathing human. They are present in the air, pesticides, toxins, as well as gained through any aerobic exercise (when exercise is comfortable), drinking, smoking, and diet. The best way to keep your free radicals at safe levels is to increase your antioxidant intake. Why antioxidants? Well, antioxidants are molecules that break the chain of destruction initiated when a free radical steals an electron from another molecule. They also prevent oxidation by scavenging for free radicals and preventing cell damage, as well as prevent the formation of new free radicals. Best sources of antioxidants are organic and fresh fruits and veggies most notably, berries, pinto, red, black, and kidney beans, artichokes, prunes, apples, and pecans.
Now, what does all this have to do with an athlete? Well, as discussed above, training increases oxidative stress in the body as a result of the increased oxygen intake and inability to properly detoxify the oxygen, which in turn increases the amount of free radicals that roam around inside of us. So antioxidants are key for aiding free radical production in athletes. In order to limit the production it is important to increase consistency of our exercising which increases our antioxidant defense system, as well as through making some of the already mentioned dietary changes.
Jay’s tip of the week; when you know who is calling you do not say “hello” when you answer the phone, it makes no sense.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Intro/Electrolytes
As my first blog it will be longer than most, but I wanted to give y’all some background on what I am about. Sports nutrition is an area of health that oddly has been neglected by trainers, media, and practitioners. I assume this is because athletes have always gone under the assumption that the need lots of fuel and can get it from anywhere they want because they train too much to get fat. While this is often true, its not about getting fat, its about giving your body the best sources of nutrients available and gaining the nutritional advantage over everyone else eating power bars, gels, gummies, Gatorade, and all the other crap that most athletes put in their bodies while they train.
This blog is centered around sports nutrition, but will also include random thoughts that I encounter as well as other things I feel are worthy of sharing about nutrition, and all that goes with it. Today’s post is based around electrolytes and why they are important for training.
Sports drinks are a necessity for endurance athletes and for training sessions lasting over an hour. The reason being; sports drinks deliver water, minerals, vitamins, and energy to an athlete’s rapidly depleting stores during exercise. As we begin to sweat we begin to lose our ability to perform because of the loss of electrolytes that takes place over extended periods of training. What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are ions in your body that function to carry impulses across cell membranes to other cells, which are necessary for your body to perform its functions.
There are 3 main electrolytes consisting of Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride, most of your sports drinks contain a combination of these electrolytes, which help the body perform several functions during workouts. These include; fluid absorption to keep hydrated, improving performance b providing the body with efficient fuel, and maintaining blood volume in the body.
Sports drinks are important and should be a part of any workout lasting an hour or longer, as your body can operate of carbohydrate stores for shorter workouts, but most drinks on the market are HFCS and water with some minerals added. Instead of the traditional drinks on the market try coconut water or a home recipe in the future. Coconut water contains high levels of potassium, iron, and calcium as well as 100% natural sugars. Another option that is my go to drink right now, is water, a tablespoon or so of honey, which is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and high quality sugar, and then a few teaspoons of Himalayan salt for the sodium, and other trace minerals. Get creative and see what works for you, but please try and wean off of the commercial drinks, when you train you need the best fuel available and HFCS simply is not it.
Have a great week, and check back next week for a new post.
A few last things, this is my first one of these deals, so I may post more frequent, and will most likely waver from only talking about sports nutrition because sometimes I think other things are important too.
This blog is centered around sports nutrition, but will also include random thoughts that I encounter as well as other things I feel are worthy of sharing about nutrition, and all that goes with it. Today’s post is based around electrolytes and why they are important for training.
Sports drinks are a necessity for endurance athletes and for training sessions lasting over an hour. The reason being; sports drinks deliver water, minerals, vitamins, and energy to an athlete’s rapidly depleting stores during exercise. As we begin to sweat we begin to lose our ability to perform because of the loss of electrolytes that takes place over extended periods of training. What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are ions in your body that function to carry impulses across cell membranes to other cells, which are necessary for your body to perform its functions.
There are 3 main electrolytes consisting of Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride, most of your sports drinks contain a combination of these electrolytes, which help the body perform several functions during workouts. These include; fluid absorption to keep hydrated, improving performance b providing the body with efficient fuel, and maintaining blood volume in the body.
Sports drinks are important and should be a part of any workout lasting an hour or longer, as your body can operate of carbohydrate stores for shorter workouts, but most drinks on the market are HFCS and water with some minerals added. Instead of the traditional drinks on the market try coconut water or a home recipe in the future. Coconut water contains high levels of potassium, iron, and calcium as well as 100% natural sugars. Another option that is my go to drink right now, is water, a tablespoon or so of honey, which is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and high quality sugar, and then a few teaspoons of Himalayan salt for the sodium, and other trace minerals. Get creative and see what works for you, but please try and wean off of the commercial drinks, when you train you need the best fuel available and HFCS simply is not it.
Have a great week, and check back next week for a new post.
A few last things, this is my first one of these deals, so I may post more frequent, and will most likely waver from only talking about sports nutrition because sometimes I think other things are important too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)