The Best Carb, Protein and Fat
Choices for Active People
by David Quick

BEST CARBOHYDRATES

-- Fruits and vegetables: Especially beneficial are sweet potatoes, spinach, red peppers, butternut squash, romaine lettuce, asparagus, baked potato with skin, green peppers, peas, corn.

-- Grains, pastas and cereals: Look for breads and pastas made with whole wheat, and try out overlooked grains such as bulgur wheat, quinoa, oatmeal and whole-grain corn. Buy breakfast cereals that contain whole grains that are cracked, split or puffed; it's even better if they contain nuts or dried fruits.

BEST PROTEINS

-- Red meat: Seek out low-fat cuts like those with the words "loin" or "round" in the name.

-- Chicken and turkey: Look beyond the staple of the athlete's diet - chicken breasts - for other forms of these birds, such as canned chicken in soups or salads, or sliced turkey breast used in sandwiches.

-- Eggs: One of the most complete sources of protein out there; even if you just eat the white, eggs still deliver a lot of nutrients.

-- Dairy products: The best protein sources in the cheese family are parmesan, Swiss, cheddar, colby, gouda, Monterey and skim mozzarella. Nonfat yogurt, low-fat yogurt and skim milk are other terrific choices.

-- Fish and seafood: Those that deliver the biggest nutritional boost are cod, shrimp, tuna, crab, clams, halibut and salmon.

-- Legumes: Your best choices in this category are soybeans, peanuts, lentils, split peas, white beans, kidney beans and black beans.

BEST FATS

-- Fish and fowl: White meat chicken and turkey are low in saturated fat and 8-12 ounces of cold water fish (such as salmon and tuna) are great sources of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

-- Oils: Olive, peanut, soybean, canola and flaxseed oil are all beneficial to your health while being low in saturated fats and high in unsaturated ("good") fats.

-- Fruits, seeds and nuts: Avocados are high in polyunsaturated fat ("good") fat. Sprinkling nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts or pine nuts over salads is a tasty way to get some added good fat without overdoing it. Peanut butter is OK as long as you don't eat too much.

-- Dairy products: Yogurt of any flavor is worth eating, as are low-fat cheeses and milks. Use whole milk, cream, butter and sour cream sparingly.

From Chris Carmichael's "Food for Fitness"

TIPS FOR YOUTHS

When young athletes begin practice with full fuel stores, they are better prepared to complete their workouts. But usually kids arrive at practice running on empty because they have skipped breakfast or lunch or just have not eaten enough throughout the day. Not only does this lead to diminished performance, it also hinders their ability to recover before the next day's practice. Here are some good student-athlete food choices for a typical school day:

BREAKFAST:

Quick, nutrient-dense and, in some cases, portable options.

-- Oatmeal with skim milk, raisins and almonds
-- Two-egg wrap made with a whole-wheat tortilla
-- Shake made with fruit juice, frozen strawberries and skim milk
-- English muffin or bagel with nonfat cheese
-- Peanut butter in a whole-wheat tortilla
-- Cereal with fruit and low-fat or nonfat yogurt
-- Whole-grain waffle with fruit or peanut butter

LUNCH:

Selecting a nutritious lunch from the options offered at school is tough, but possible. Brown-bagging it is also a great option.
In the cafeteria, choose:

-- Any type of fresh fruit or vegetables
-- Low-fat or skim milk (chocolate is OK!)
-- Fruit juices
-- Hamburger (go easy on the fries)
-- Grilled chicken sandwich
-- Bean burrito
-- Turkey sandwich
-- Soups or chili
-- Veggie and cheese pizza

Brown bag choices:

-- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
-- Peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich
-- Fruit or fruit cups
-- Microwaveable container of soup or stew

PRE-PRACTICE SNACK:

There can be four hours or more between lunch and practice. A good snack will help carry the student through.

-- Powerbar Performance, Harvest or Pria bar
-- Fig Newtons
-- Nutrigrain bar or other cereal bar
-- Trail mix
-- Crackers with cheese or peanut butter
-- Fruit or fruit cups
-- Dried fruit
-- Graham crackers

David Quick of The Post and Courier Staff. From Chris Carmichael's "Food for Fitness"
Copyright 2004 The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) November 8, 2004