Sports Nut fats

	Buckeye Sports Nutrition Fats Fats are also known as lipids. Lipids are solid at room temperature. Oils also known as fat and are liquid at room temperature. Lipids are comprised of a group of compounds that have similar elements (carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) as do carbohydrates; however, they behave very differently because the concentration of oxygen and hydrogen. Also, lipids act and are used differently in the body. Some lipids have nitrogen and phosphorus in them. Fat is required in an athletes diet! Function Fat in the diet is used as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats provide food characteristics of smell, flavor and texture improves taste. To illustrate this fact, which sounds better to eat? A baked potato or French fried potatoes, a graham cracker or a frosted sugar cookie, a piece of chicken or plain red kidney beans? Fat signals to the brain that the body is "full" because fats remain in the stomach longer than proteins or carbohydrates. This is why fat provides satiety and allows for longer periods of time to pass before the body requires more nutrition. There is a lot of media attention relative to various kinds of fats. There are three major types of fats are triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols. Depending on the type and number of connections of the carbon to other elements determines the amount of saturation; thus, the terms saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Each of these types of fats serve different essential functions in the body. Fats are not BAD! Triglycerides provide storage of energy. Body fat provides an "ever ready battery" stored fuel source. Muscle tissue, including the heart muscle, use fatty acids as their primary fuel for low intensity activities. Phospholipids are the major component of cell membranes. Sterols also provide important functions at the cellular level. Cholesterol, a sterol, is a second very important component in keeping cells healthy and free from foreign attack. Cholesterol in the skin can be converted into vitamin D with exposure to sunshine. Cholesterol in the liver can be converted to an important digestive substance, bile acids. In the testes and ovaries, cholesterol can be converted to the sex hormones. In the adrenal gland, cholesterol can be converted into the corticosteroids, powerful hormones that regulate various aspects of nutrition. Surely, you have heard that cholesterol is BAD! It is essential to the normal functioning of the body plus the body naturally makes it, so if you don't eat enough of it your body will make it for itself. There are a lot of reasons to eat fat in your diet; however, there is still one that must be mentioned. There are two essential fatty acids that humans can't produce in the body. Therefore, we need a dietary source of them. Importance for Athletes In order to meet the increased requirement for carbohydrate and protein, athletes often need to reduce the amount of dietary fat consumed. Frequently, diets that are high in fat are also high in calories and low in several important nutrients and food groups (especially fruits and vegetables). A diet that is composed of a lot of fried foods, high fat desserts, and high fat meats and cheeses will leave the athlete depleted of several important nutrients that are needed to maximize athletic performance. Even though fat has many important functions in the body, dietary fat is not used as a major energy source during intense activity (the body prefers to use mostly carbohydrates for energy). Although a diet that is too high in dietary fat is not healthful, a diet that is too low in dietary fat is also a problem. Athletes who severely restrict their dietary fat intake may not be able to consume enough total calories during the day. It is not unusual though, for the other to occur: Athletes who severely restrict their fat intake often eat too many calories throughout the day. This happens because fat is the major nutrient that makes us feel full after a meal. Athletes who eat a diet that is too low in fat, may not feel full after meals and as a result, they often become preoccupied with food and consume too many calories from carbohydrates. It is important to find a healthy balance. Eat some fat at every meal, but don't go overboard. For example: at lunchtime put a piece of regular cheese on a turkey sandwich and eat it with low-fat yogurt and fruit. Recommended Intake There are no specific recommendations from government or nutrition agencies for fat intake but there are some guidelines .To meet ones needs for essential fatty acids, adults should consume about 4% of total energy intake from plant seed oils and foods made from these oils. In order to obtain sufficient omega-3 fatty acids, it has been recommended that we consume fish twice a week. For athletes total intake should not exceed 25% of total calories. Saturated fat intake should not exceed 7% of total calories, polyunsaturated fat intake should not exceed 8% of total calories. This leaves 8% of calories to be contributed by the monounsaturated fatty acids. Women need at least 20% of their total calories as fat, men need at least 15%. Cholesterol intake should be kept to 300 mg or less per day. In order to reduce LDL levels, it has been recommended that the amount of saturated fat in the diet be held at 10% of total calories. Saturated fat tends to increase LDL, so decreasing the saturated fat intake and replacing it with unsaturated fats should help reduce the risk of heart disease. Increase mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are better than polyunsaturated fats at decreasing LDL. Also, reduce intake of dietary trans fats, which act just like saturated fats. Best Food Sources It is likely that you will get enough fat in your diet without trying if you are eating the required amounts of protein and carbohydrate. Fruits and vegetables have the least amount of fat but can not make the claim of having NO FAT in all choices from this food group. Cereals can have as little as 3 grams of fat per serving. Milk, yogurt, ice cram and cheese can contain as little as 2 grams of fat per serving. Breads, snack crackers, some cookies can contain as low as 1 gram of fat per serving. Processed foods generally have a large amount of fat in them per serving. It might be valuable to suggest ways to avoid getting too much fat in the diet: Steaming, boiling or baking vegetables rather than stir frying them in oil; Season with herbs or spices rather than sauces, butter or margarine; Try lemon juice on salad rather than salad dressings; Limit baked goods in your diet (cakes, cookies, pies - try angel food cake, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers), Choose lean cuts of meat (limiting bacon, ribs and other visibly fatty meats); Roast, bake or broil meat, poultry and fish; Remove the skin from chicken before cooking; Use non-stick pans for cooking or vegetable sprays rather than butter or margarine; or Use small amounts of butter, sour cream or cream cheese or substitute jam, jelly or marmalade instead of butter. The following are examples of the difference of the saturation of similar foods: Butter (animal fat) is an example of saturated fat, olive, peanut or canola oils are monounsaturated fats and safflower, corn or soybean oils are polyunsaturated fats.

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Fats are also known as lipids. Lipids are solid at room temperature. Oils also known as fat and are liquid at room temperature. Lipids are comprised of a group of compounds that have similar elements (carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) as do carbohydrates; however, they behave very differently because the concentration of oxygen and hydrogen. Also, lipids act and are used differently in the body. Some lipids have nitrogen and phosphorus in them. Fat is required in an athletes diet!

Function

Fat in the diet is used as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats provide food characteristics of smell, flavor and texture improves taste. To illustrate this fact, which sounds better to eat? A baked potato or French fried potatoes, a graham cracker or a frosted sugar cookie, a piece of chicken or plain red kidney beans?

Fat signals to the brain that the body is "full" because fats remain in the stomach longer than proteins or carbohydrates. This is why fat provides satiety and allows for longer periods of time to pass before the body requires more nutrition.

There is a lot of media attention relative to various kinds of fats. There are three major types of fats are triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols. Depending on the type and number of connections of the carbon to other elements determines the amount of saturation; thus, the terms saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Each of these types of fats serve different essential functions in the body. Fats are not BAD!

Triglycerides provide storage of energy. Body fat provides an "ever ready battery" stored fuel source. Muscle tissue, including the heart muscle, use fatty acids as their primary fuel for low intensity activities. Phospholipids are the major component of cell membranes. Sterols also provide important functions at the cellular level. Cholesterol, a sterol, is a second very important component in keeping cells healthy and free from foreign attack. Cholesterol in the skin can be converted into vitamin D with exposure to sunshine. Cholesterol in the liver can be converted to an important digestive substance, bile acids. In the testes and ovaries, cholesterol can be converted to the sex hormones. In the adrenal gland, cholesterol can be converted into the corticosteroids, powerful hormones that regulate various aspects of nutrition. Surely, you have heard that cholesterol is BAD! It is essential to the normal functioning of the body plus the body naturally makes it, so if you don't eat enough of it your body will make it for itself.

There are a lot of reasons to eat fat in your diet; however, there is still one that must be mentioned. There are two essential fatty acids that humans can't produce in the body. Therefore, we need a dietary source of them.

Importance for Athletes

In order to meet the increased requirement for carbohydrate and protein, athletes often need to reduce the amount of dietary fat consumed. Frequently, diets that are high in fat are also high in calories and low in several important nutrients and food groups (especially fruits and vegetables). A diet that is composed of a lot of fried foods, high fat desserts, and high fat meats and cheeses will leave the athlete depleted of several important nutrients that are needed to maximize athletic performance. Even though fat has many important functions in the body, dietary fat is not used as a major energy source during intense activity (the body prefers to use mostly carbohydrates for energy).

Although a diet that is too high in dietary fat is not healthful, a diet that is too low in dietary fat is also a problem. Athletes who severely restrict their dietary fat intake may not be able to consume enough total calories during the day. It is not unusual though, for the other to occur: Athletes who severely restrict their fat intake often eat too many calories throughout the day. This happens because fat is the major nutrient that makes us feel full after a meal. Athletes who eat a diet that is too low in fat, may not feel full after meals and as a result, they often become preoccupied with food and consume too many calories from carbohydrates. It is important to find a healthy balance. Eat some fat at every meal, but don't go overboard. For example: at lunchtime put a piece of regular cheese on a turkey sandwich and eat it with low-fat yogurt and fruit.

Recommended Intake

There are no specific recommendations from government or nutrition agencies for fat intake but there are some guidelines .To meet ones needs for essential fatty acids, adults should consume about 4% of total energy intake from plant seed oils and foods made from these oils. In order to obtain sufficient omega-3 fatty acids, it has been recommended that we consume fish twice a week. For athletes total intake should not exceed 25% of total calories. Saturated fat intake should not exceed 7% of total calories, polyunsaturated fat intake should not exceed 8% of total calories. This leaves 8% of calories to be contributed by the monounsaturated fatty acids. Women need at least 20% of their total calories as fat, men need at least 15%. Cholesterol intake should be kept to 300 mg or less per day. In order to reduce LDL levels, it has been recommended that the amount of saturated fat in the diet be held at 10% of total calories. Saturated fat tends to increase LDL, so decreasing the saturated fat intake and replacing it with unsaturated fats should help reduce the risk of heart disease. Increase mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are better than polyunsaturated fats at decreasing LDL. Also, reduce intake of dietary trans fats, which act just like saturated fats.

Best Food Sources

It is likely that you will get enough fat in your diet without trying if you are eating the required amounts of protein and carbohydrate. Fruits and vegetables have the least amount of fat but can not make the claim of having NO FAT in all choices from this food group. Cereals can have as little as 3 grams of fat per serving. Milk, yogurt, ice cram and cheese can contain as little as 2 grams of fat per serving. Breads, snack crackers, some cookies can contain as low as 1 gram of fat per serving. Processed foods generally have a large amount of fat in them per serving.

The following are examples of the difference of the saturation of similar foods: Butter (animal fat) is an example of saturated fat, olive, peanut or canola oils are monounsaturated fats and safflower, corn or soybean oils are polyunsaturated fats.