Nutrient TYPES

   Fats (lipids) are a necessary part of the diet.  In our bodies, lipids are involved in the formation of cell membranes, and hormones. They provide a dense form of energy storage, padding, and delivery mechanism for lipid-soluble vitamins.


    Carbohydrates (CHO) are the major fuel source for most athletic activity, and are the dominant nutrient in most diets.  Athletes daily requirements vary from about 6g of CHO/kg body mass for females in lower intensity sports with a light training/practice/competition schedule, up to 10g of CHO/ kg body mass for male endurance athletes during a high volume training cycle.

There are 4 types of CHO that require particular attention:
1)  Fibre, which is non-digestable.  Lends mass to digestive track which regulates motility to allow absorption of other nutrients and helps in clearing out some toxins.  Avoid high fibre foods in precompetition meals, particularly if you are not accustomed to high doses as this may cause gastric distress.

2)  Complex carbohydrates, which are made up of chains of simple sugars.  These form the bulk of many meals and are most easily manipulated to help control overall caloric intake.

3)  Fructose, which is a simple sugar derived from fruit sources that alone, in it’s pure form. can cause gastric discomfort.  Luckily in whole foods it is accompanied by other sugar forms, so this is rarely an issue.

4)  Glucose and all other simple sugars, which are the most basic and direct energy source.  All carbohydrates are broken down (and/or modified) into glucose, so that it can be transported via the blood stream to the required tissues.


    Protein (PRO) is a major structural component of muscle, tendon, bone, ligament, blood and every other tissue and organ in the body.  Though we are incapable of storing surplus protein, we will break down one structure that’s not currently critical in order to make it immediately available for a specific demand.  For this reason athletes must regularly consume adequate levels of protein which range from a daily intake of 1-2g PRO/ kg body mass.

Proteins are comprised of long chains of amino acids.  There are 20 different types of amino acids that appear regularly in human tissue, rearranged in combinations to make over 10 000 different types of protein.  Many can be synthesized provided the parts are available, but roughly half are considered essential.  For our purposes we will rank protein (low-to-high) into a 4-tier hierarchy:

1)  Plant origin: Most fruits have very low levels of protein.  Some vegetables and grains have small amounts that can add up throughout the day.  Legumes (beans, lentils, peas) nuts, and seeds have much higher levels of protein and can be considered a major contributor to the total protein in an athletes diet.  Unfortunately, most vegetarian sources  do not have the full complement of amino acids so should be consumed in combination to ensure all essential amino acids are ingested.

2)  Animal origin: Animals (meat, poultry, fish, shellfish) and animal products (eggs, milk, cheese) are typically considered complete proteins in that they are comprised of all essential amino acids.  This does not necessarily mean that they have high absolute levels of protein, simply that the protein they have is high quality.

3)  Bovine:  Beef, cow cheese, and milk contain proteins that, for whatever reason, are absorbed more thoroughly and rapidly than other sources.

4)  Whey which represents about 20% of the protein in raw bovine milk (the remaining 80% is casein):  Whey is taken up very quickly by the human body, which can be beneficial in creating a positive protein balance immediately post exercise.  However casein, with it’s slower uptake, means it is available for a longer period of time which is beneficial in maintaining a prolonged positive protein balance.


    Vitamins are not a source of energy. They are molecular structures that are necessary  for a number of processes in our bodies.  We require a minimum level of each of the vitamins.  Consuming more is not necessarily better -excess will be excreted in the urine and very high levels may even be toxic.  Some can be stored longer than others, some are easier to get than others.  The recipes on this site focus on a diversity of vitamin-rich meals.  Athletes who are worried they are not eating enough variety of natural and fortified foods to meet vitamin requirements may choose to take a multi-vitamin supplement.  (See Supplements section.)


    Minerals may be required for structural components (iron in the blood, phosphorus in the bones) and/or may be critical in the electrical activity of the nervous and muscular systems.  We require a minimum level for each of the biological minerals.  Consuming more is not necessarily better -excess will be excreted in the urine and very high levels may even be toxic.  Some can be stored longer than others, some are easier to get than others.  The recipes on this site focus on a variety of mineral-rich meals.  Athletes who are worried they are not eating enough variety of natural and fortified foods to meet mineral requirements may choose to take a multi-mineral supplement.  (see supplement section)


    Water makes up about 60% of our body mass.  It is the solution in which all cellular and many extracellular reactions take place.  Being the major constituent of sweat means it must be consumed at a high volume in order to maintain hydration levels.  A decrease in body water equal to a 2% drop in body mass is enough to significantly affect performance adversely.  Many athletes are capable of sweating this much in less than an hour.