Different food types - nutrients, water and fibre
An explanation of the foodstuffs needed to have a healthy diet
Nutrients
The body needs a balance of nutrientA substance needed by an organism to stay alive and healthy. For example, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. to stay healthy. There are five groups of nutrients.
Macronutrients
Macro simply means large or whole. Macronutrients need to be eaten in larger quantities than micronutrients.
| Purpose | Examples | |
| Proteins | Tissue growth – known as the body's building blocks. Athletes frequently use protein supplements in their diet and will consume protein immediately after training, sometimes as a 'shake'. | Animal products – meat, fish, dairy; plants – lentils, nuts, seeds; protein supplements and shakes. |
| Carbohydrates | Source of energy. Divided into: simple carbohydrates – sugars and complex carbohydrates – starches. Athletes need to consume larger quantities of carbohydrate to fuel their training and performance. Prior to an endurance event such as a triathlon, athletes might 'carbo-load' to ensure they have enough to finish the race. | Simple – sugar, glucose, fructose; energy gels; complex – bread, pasta, rice, potatoes. |
| Fats | Source of energy. Four types: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated (omega 3 and 6), saturated and trans fats. Fats are stored under the skin and are essential for health. Too much fat can limit an athlete's performance due to increased weight. | Monounsaturated – olive oil, avocados; polyunsaturated – oily fish, nuts, sunflower oil, soya beans; saturated – full-fat dairy, fatty meats; and trans fats – many snack foods. |
| Proteins | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Tissue growth – known as the body's building blocks. Athletes frequently use protein supplements in their diet and will consume protein immediately after training, sometimes as a 'shake'. |
| Examples | Animal products – meat, fish, dairy; plants – lentils, nuts, seeds; protein supplements and shakes. |
| Carbohydrates | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Source of energy. Divided into: simple carbohydrates – sugars and complex carbohydrates – starches. Athletes need to consume larger quantities of carbohydrate to fuel their training and performance. Prior to an endurance event such as a triathlon, athletes might 'carbo-load' to ensure they have enough to finish the race. |
| Examples | Simple – sugar, glucose, fructose; energy gels; complex – bread, pasta, rice, potatoes. |
| Fats | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Source of energy. Four types: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated (omega 3 and 6), saturated and trans fats. Fats are stored under the skin and are essential for health. Too much fat can limit an athlete's performance due to increased weight. |
| Examples | Monounsaturated – olive oil, avocados; polyunsaturated – oily fish, nuts, sunflower oil, soya beans; saturated – full-fat dairy, fatty meats; and trans fats – many snack foods. |
Micronutrients
Micro simply means small. Micronutrients need to be eaten in smaller quantities than macronutrients but are absolutely essential to health.
| Purpose | Examples | |
| Minerals | Essential for many processes, eg bone growth/strength, nervous system, red blood cells, immune system. Need small amounts only. | Calcium – milk, canned fish, broccoli; iron – watercress, brown rice, meat; zinc – shellfish, cheese, wheatgerm; potassium – fruit, pulses, white meat. |
| Vitamins | Essential for many processes, eg bone growth, metabolic rate, immune system, vision, nervous system. Need small amounts only. | A – dairy, oily fish, yellow fruit; B – vegetables, wholegrain cereals; C – citrus fruit, broccoli, sprouts; D – oily fish, eggs, fortified cereals. |
| Minerals | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Essential for many processes, eg bone growth/strength, nervous system, red blood cells, immune system. Need small amounts only. |
| Examples | Calcium – milk, canned fish, broccoli; iron – watercress, brown rice, meat; zinc – shellfish, cheese, wheatgerm; potassium – fruit, pulses, white meat. |
| Vitamins | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Essential for many processes, eg bone growth, metabolic rate, immune system, vision, nervous system. Need small amounts only. |
| Examples | A – dairy, oily fish, yellow fruit; B – vegetables, wholegrain cereals; C – citrus fruit, broccoli, sprouts; D – oily fish, eggs, fortified cereals. |
Water/fluids
The body needs to be hydrated to stay healthy. Failing to replace lost fluids can result in dehydrationWhen the body does not have as much fluids and water as it should. Severe dehydration can be life-threatening.. This is a more serious condition than lack of food. Women should drink around 1.6 litres (approximately 8 glasses) of fluid and men should drink around 2 litres (approximately 10 glasses) of fluid per day. This varies according to the temperature and how rigorous the exercise. All drinks count but water is the healthiest. Fruit juices are fine in moderation but do contain high levels of sugar.
Fibre/roughage
Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. It is only found in plant-based foods. There are two types and each one helps the body in different ways:
- solubleAble to dissolve in solvent. For example, sugar is soluble in water because it dissolves to form sugar solution. fibre – helps to reduce cholesterol, eg oats, barley, fruit, root vegetables
- insolubleUnable to dissolve in a particular solvent. For example, sand is insoluble in water. fibre – keeps the bowel healthy, eg wholemeal cereals, wholemeal bread, nuts