BALANCED DIETS AND SUPPLEMENTATION

Food balance is fundamental for obtaining good results in the performance of our physiological, physical and mental tasks.

This balance should be the right one between the different nutrients: Macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as fiber and water.

Do you know how much to bring of everything?

Clearly, only professionals can provide accurate data in this regard by carrying out a study of each subject and taking into account many factors such as age, gender, height, weight, daily physical activity, anthropometry and performance, etc. In this sense each person is different, so diets should be personalized.

To do this, we will determine two basic elements: basal energy expenditure (BEE) and total energy expenditure (TEE).

BEE is the amount of energy, measured in joules or kilocalories, that our body needs to fulfill its basic functions and thus achieve a physiological balance (homeostasis).

TEE, however, is the sum of the BEE plus the energy needed to fulfill our physical and mental activity throughout the day. In this sense we can find on the internet countless tables that indicate the energy expenditure of a specific activity, both professional and sports, during an hour of continuous activity.

Well, the sum of those two factors (BEE+TEE), in joules or kilocalories, will determine the appropriate amount of energy that we must consume throughout the day. Once this result has been obtained, we must distribute nutrients in a convenient percentage, usually 60-65% of carbohydrates, of which only 10% must be simple sugars (sucrose, honey, syrups, brown sugar, panelas, etc.) and the rest must be complex sugars (mainly cereal starches, vegetables, etc.); 15-20% of Proteins that can be distributed in equal parts, in omnivorous diets, between foods of animal origin and plant origin and to finish a 20-25% of Fats of which only 10% must be saturated fats and the rest polyunsaturated and unsaturated (omegas).

At the sporting level, it is very likely that the energy demand is very high, so the food intake would have to be very high with the possible stomach and intestinal damage that can be created; Therefore sports supplementation can be a very good help in this regard since it will bring to the body of the athlete everything needed for maximum performance. Thus, for example, we see how marathon runners or long-distance cyclists, in addition to their professional-controlled feed, ingest energy bars, gels and mineral salts during their competition.

For a person who does not do competitive sport it is best to feed in a varied way and use some supplement element as a preventive only in times of fatigue during the routine.  To the most sedentary people, the daily stress and the fast pace of life demanded by our society can attract bad eating habits and therefore, not receiving the necessary nutrients or not meeting the appropriate food ratios to achieve the desired nutritional balance, entering overweight and other pathologies derived from a bad diet. In this sense, both shakes and any other preparation that contains the right nutrients to achieve an appropriate performance of the organism could be indicated.

Text written by Francisco José Sarmiento Medina. Senior Dietician. Chiromassage and Osteopathy. Basketball Coach.

Web: Francisco Sarmiento

Mail: fransarmiento70@gmail.com

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