American dietetic association defines Nutrition as the process by which food and other food substances are ingested in the mouth, digested, absorbed and assimilated by the human body.
It can also be defined as the sum of total of the processes involved in the intake and utilization of food substances by living organisms, including ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport and metabolism of nutrients found in food (Heather Hedrick Fink)
For a person to perform well in any sport, different factors must be put into consideration which includes physical and mental training. In most cases at high levels of athletic competitions, athletes receives excellent coaching to maximize their physical, mental and psychological skills. However, for all these to happen food is vital element which in one way or the other determine the outcomes of these exercises. Clyde Williams, a famous sport scientist from England stresses on the importance of food in any exercise when he recalls that from the earliest times certain foods were regarded as essential preparation for physical activity in addition to specialized training.
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So as to understand the role of nutrition in sports, it is important to look first the basic nutrition which is optimal for both athletes and non-athletes. This includes the essential nutrients that must be present in the food for it to be considered adequate or nutrient dense.
Foods and beverages are composed of six nutrients that are vital functioning to the human body. These nutrients plays different roles and some of the main roles include;
- Production of energy for body processes (energy giving foods)
- Repair, growth and development of tissues (Body building foods)
- Prevention of deficiency and degenerative diseases (Protective foods)
These six nutrients are Proteins, Carbohydrates, fats, Vitamins, minerals and water. They are also known as essential nutrients because the body requires them to function properly and the body cannot produce these nutrients in the required quantities and thus must be obtained from the diet.
The three nutrients, that is, carbohydrates, protein and fats are called macronutrients as the body requires these nutrients in large quantities. Minerals and vitamins are termed as micronutrients because daily requirements for these nutrients are low.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are compounds that are made of Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen molecules. They are broken down to glucose which is the main source of fuel for the body. They provide 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate. Glucose is the only source of energy that can be utilized by the brain and hence stressing more on the importance of carbohydrates.
Proteins
They are compounds whose building blocks are amino acids. Amino acids are built of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen molecules. The body is able to produce some amino acids whereas the remaining amino acids must be provided by the diet. The roles of proteins in the body includes development, growth and repair of muscles and other body tissues. This makes proteins critical for recovery from intense physical training (Hedrick, pg.5)
Proteins can be used as source of energy mostly during starvation but is not used efficiently hence is not a source of energy preferred by the body. They provide 4 calories per gram of protein
Sources of proteins includes; Grains, vegetables, meat, milk and beans group.
Fats
Like Carbohydrates and proteins, fats are compounds that are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules. They are also known as lipids and can be found in both plant and animals sources in the diet. The most common type of fats are triglycerides and others includes phospholipid and cholesterol (Hedrick pg.5)
Fats provides the highest value of energy in the body with one gram of fat providing 9 calories. Like proteins, fats are not the best sources of energy for the body due to different reasons such as their low solubility and requires a lot of energy to be broken down.
They are primarily used as fuel at rest or during low moderate intensity exercise. Other functions of the fats includes providing structures to cell membranes, aiding in transport and absorption of fat soluble vitamins, acting as shock absorbers for various body organs such as heart and forming insulation that wraps nerve cells.(Hedrick pg.5)
Sources of fats includes margarine, butter, dairy products and plant sources such as nuts, seeds, avocados and some grain products.
Vitamins
Vitamins are a large class of nutrients that contain hydrogen and carbon. Some vitamins contains oxygen, nitrogen and other elements in addition to Carbon and hydrogen. For a nutrient to be classified as a vitamin, ‘first is must be consumed exogenously since the body cannot be able to produce it in sufficient quantities and second, the substance must be essential to at least one vital chemical reaction or process in the human body’ (Hedrick, pg. 5)
Vitamins are classified as water soluble (B vitamins and Vitamin C) or Fat soluble vitamins (Vitamin A, D, E and K), depending on their methods of absorption transport and storage in the body. Vitamins are found in almost all foods including fruits, vegetables, grain, meat, milk and some fats.
Minerals
Minerals are groups of nutrient that are composed of various elements but lacks carbon. Just like vitamins, minerals plays a major role in structural development of tissues as well as the regulation of bodily processes.
“Physical activity places demands on the muscles and bones, increases the need for oxygen- carrying compounds in the blood and increases the loss of sweat and electrolytes from the body, all of which hinge on the adequate intake and replacement of dietary minerals.” (Hedrick pg.6)
Similar to vitamins, minerals are classified into major minerals (Calcium, sodium, potassium, Chloride, Phosphorous, Magnesium and sulfur) and trace minerals (Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, fluoride, molybdenum and manganese). This is according to total quantity required by the body on daily basis.
Minerals are found in variety of foods but are mainly concentrated in the meat, beans, milk and their alternatives.
Water
Water is not classified as nutrient in this case but deserves to be highlighted because of the vital roles it plays in the body. It is considered as one of the most crucial substance to the survival of human being. The body is made up of 55-60% water.
In athletics or any physical activity, water is important for temperature regulation, lubrication of joints and the transport of nutrients to the active tissues. (Hedrick pg.6)
Each of the discussed nutrient above, has a role in the health and proper functioning of the human body. Any physical/ athletic activity places an extra requirement for these nutrients in the body. In order to meet this demand, dietary changes are vital which in most cases leads to increasing the amount of food consumed.
