Ask the Nutritionist

Ask the Nutritionist

Michelle Gasparotto, RHN, RNCP, ROHP, is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and a Certified FirstLine Therapy Lifestyle Coach. Having graduated top of her class with a degree in Natural Nutrition from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Michelle is in private practice with an office at the Naturopathic Institute of Advanced Medicine in Oshawa.  In addition to being certified in sports nutrition, Michelle has expertise in nutrition therapy for weight management, diabetes, digestive disorders, and cardiovascular disease.  Michelle is a regular speaker for numerous organizations, both corporate and not-for-profit.  She is very active in the Durham soccer community with two children who play competitive soccer.  Michelle is passionate about helping her clients make dietary and lifestyle changes that will have long-lasting health benefits.

Article:  THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING YOUR VEGETABLES

Question - Summer 2011

Question
Hi Michelle, what can you tell me about the benefits of Coconut water? I’ve heard it can be used in place of commercial sports drinks.

Answer
Coconut water is a refreshing drink that obviously comes from coconuts. When a coconut ripens the water inside hardens and forms the white flesh of the coconut. Coconut water is the liquid from young unripe coconuts before this ripening process begins.

Coconut water is a powerhouse of nutrition in that it is a great NATURAL source of sugars, carbohydrates, water, sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium as well as plentiful amounts of vitamin C. Coconut water also contains trace elements of several B vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes and other phytonutrients.

Because coconut water is full of electrolytes (ionic minerals) that are vital to homeostasis – the body’s ability to regulate and maintain organ function - and this electrolyte content is similar to human plasma, it has gained international acclaim as a natural sports drink for oral re-hydration. Due to its NATURAL nutritional value, coconut water has proven superior to commercial sports drinks and sugary energy drinks as a natural electrolyte replacement beverage. Unlike other beverages, coconut water is completely compatible with the human body.

Because coconut water is natural and completely free of chemicals it is safe to give to children and babies. The literature shows that some pregnant women prefer drinking coconut water as a natural aid to help them with digestion problems that may occur during pregnancy.

For centuries locals in tropical regions have been drinking coconut water to boost their immune systems and gain vitality. Regular consumption of coconut water can naturally improve immunity, increase metabolism, alter HDL, and detoxify the body. Consistently drinking coconut water can help regulate intestinal function, which is known to provide numerous health benefits.
Medical science is now confirming the remarkable healing powers of coconut water, which people in tropical areas have known about for hundreds of years.

Question
“How much nutrition does white rice have? My dad was born in Brazil so the culture in Brazil is to have rice everyday (white rice). Is brown rice more nutritional than white rice because the brown rice has layers on it and during the white rice process those layers are striped away, which happen to contain vitamins?”

Answer
Rice is the second-most highly consumed grain in the world; more than 200 million tons is produced each year. Rice is a staple food throughout most of Asia. In North America, rice consumption is on the rise as people become more educated about this grain. Many natural food diets use whole (brown) rice as a main part of the diet. Also, concerns over wheat allergy and sensitivity have brought forth many new rice-based products as substitutes for wheat.

The problem with rice is that it is refined or polished. Although removing just the outer bran layers would still leave most of the nutrients, further milling takes place. The rice is then bleached, cleaned, pearled (polished with talc), then often oiled and coated. Unfortunately, this process removes a great deal of the nutrients. The oils are lost, the protein decreases and 80% of vitamin B1 is removed, as well as other B vitamins (50% of vitamin B6 and B2 and two-thirds of vitamin B3). (B-vitamins help to maintain the health of the nerves, skin, eyes, hair, and liver, as well as healthy muscle tone in the gastrointestinal tract and proper brain function. Also, the B-vitamins act as coenzymes and are involved in energy production). In addition, when rice is refined, many of the minerals are lost. Even when white rice is “enriched” it is still considerably lower in minerals than whole-grain brown rice. Below is a table comparing the fibre and mineral levels in brown rice and enriched white rice. 

Source: Nutrition Almanac, Fifth Edition, Lavon J. Dunne

Brown rice is one of our more nutrient-dense foods and should be a significant part of the soccer players diet.

Question

“Why is breakfast so important?"

Answer

Food for thought: if breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day, why is it the meal most often skipped?

Breakfast means, “breaking the fast” from the last meal eaten the previous day. During the overnight fast blood sugar levels drop. Eating a healthy breakfast refuels blood glucose levels after having gone the entire night without food. As you will remember, glucose is the body’s main energy source and is required to fuel the brain and muscles.

The benefits of consuming a healthy breakfast are well documented. Numerous studies show that eating breakfast improves concentration, alertness and energy. Children who skip breakfast have slower reaction times, are more accident-prone, and generally feel more fatigued throughout the day. Current research also shows that children who eat breakfast concentrate better in school and perform better on tests. Children who skip breakfast tend to be more hyper, disruptive in the classroom, and have decreased problem-solving abilities.

Academic performance is improved by a healthy breakfast.

As well, children who skip breakfast are more likely to eat unhealthy snacks, experience cravings and are more prone to junk food binges.

Here are some great breakfast ideas to start the day:

• Whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and ½ cup of plain yogurt
• Hot cereal (like quinoa or oatmeal) topped with a flavourful spice (nutmeg or cinnamon). Add dates, raisins, almonds, cranberries … Stir in a scoop of protein powder (no more than 15g)
• Multigrain waffles (Bob’s Red Mill) topped with peanut or almond butter or fruit and a hard boiled egg on the side
• Vegetable omelette with 2 slices multigrain or spelt toast
• Breakfast smoothie (soy milk, orange juice, banana, raspberries, blueberries or strawberries; add protein powder or yogurt and flax seeds
• Almond or peanut butter on spelt toast with fresh fruit (banana or apple wedges)
• A whole-wheat pita stuffed with scrambled eggs

The benefits of these “whole food” breakfast combinations is that they contain complex carbohydrates that provide long, sustaining energy, and protein which is an essential nutrient to physical performance and high-level health. These breakfasts are also high in fibre, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Enjoy!

Question

“What are Omega-3 fatty acids and why are they important?”

Answer

Great question! First, let me give a brief introduction about fats in general. Fats are converted for storage in the body from glucose. We also obtain fats directly from the foods we eat. Fats are our energy reserve; they insulate the body and cushion vital organs. Fats are required to transport other nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K – the fat-soluble vitamins. Fats are an essential component of the cell membrane and every cell in the body needs fatty acids to produce and build new cells. They are critical in the transmission of nerve impulses and for normal brain development.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a healthy type of fat and classified as ESSENTIAL because the body cannot make them; they MUST be obtained from the diet. Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent food sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Because the Standard North American diet does not promote a healthy intake of omega-3 fatty acids, supplementation with “Fish Oils” or Flax Oil is recommended

It is important to note that a deficiency in these healthy fats can impair mental functions such as learning and intelligence and new research is showing a definite link between omega-3 deficiency and depression, ADD and autism.

As well, omega-3 fatty acids have vital functions in the body including the following:

     • Pain relief
     • Supports joint, muscle, ligament and bone health
     • Supports the inflammatory process; Omega-3’s are anti-inflammatory!
     • Supports a healthy immune response; supports the body’s healing process
     • Vital for growth and development
     • Supports overall brain and nervous system function
     • Cellular integrity
       (ensures proper nutrients enter the cell and ensures waste products are quickly removed from the cell)

In order for athletes to achieve optimal performance, it is necessary to have a healthy diet, which includes healthy fats, such as Omega-3 fatty acids.

Question
With all the different sports drinks on the market, this article will help you decide if and when a sports drink should be a part of your activity.

Question
“My son is on the school basketball team and has 2 games a week as soon as school ends. When the games are finally done, he'll be home by 5:10 and we need to be out the door again by 5:45 to get to soccer practice. What can I give him to get him through practice, without cramping him up? There are a lot of running drills, so I need to make sure he can keep up with everyone, before he starts to cramp up. When he gets home, we usually give him a protein shake. Any suggestions?”

Answer
Parents of active children know that fuelling their young athlete can be a real challenge. Parents also recognize that the habits they instill in their children today will be carried into their adult years, so it’s important that they learn healthy ways to fuel their bodies.

To answer the question, it’s not so much what the athlete eats after the practice but rather what the athlete put into his body during the day and in prior days. Children who are active must eat small, healthy meals every 2-3 hours. Eating this way reduces hunger pangs and keeps their metabolism running in high gear. Eating small, frequent meals will also cut down on the gorging behaviour that is common in athletes. Active children must consume a Whole Foods diet (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes). Each meal should include carbohydrates and proteins together. The carbohydrates from the vegetables, fruits and whole grains provide the fuel they need to keep going (remember – carbs are the gas in their gas tanks!) and the protein will help repair muscle tissue as well as keeping them feeling full.

It’s important to kick-start the athlete’s day with a healthy, hearty breakfast. An example would be a piece of fruit, a bowl of oatmeal and some plain, low-fat yogurt. A healthy morning snack at school is vital to keep energy levels high. A good school snack would be grapes, multigrain crackers and a mini Babybel cheese. Lunch should be healthy and balanced, once again consisting of carbohydrates and protein. The afternoon snack at school is very important since it will provide the fuel for after school activities. A suggestion might be a multigrain bagel with 2 slices of mozzarella cheese. As soon as school is over and just before the game, 8 oz of a sports drink will provide the boost needed to get through the workout. After the game, a Smoothie will provide the quick absorbing carbohydrates necessary to provide fuel for the next activity. Remember that after evening practices it is important that you replenish glycogen stores by consuming your RECOVERY complex carbohydrates.

Also remember that hydration is extremely important. Failing to drink enough water during the day will leave the athlete dehydrated, which in turn leads to fatigue and poor performance.

Parents of active children must learn that day-to-day recovery foods are absolutely vital when you are expecting your child to perform again at a high level. You and your child need to recognize that what they eat and drink not only in the hour after exercise, but on a daily basis, plays a huge role in how they will recover for their next training session or game. By consuming a Whole Foods diet and by eating every 2-3 hours, active children will have the energy they need to maintain their busy schedules.

Question

“You mentioned in your seminar the importance of iron in the diet. We don’t eat a lot of red meat. What other foods can my daughter eat to increase her iron intake and absorption?”

Answer

Iron is a mineral of great importance to soccer players. Iron is the oxygen-carrying particle of the molecule hemoglobin and myoglobin. As part of red blood cells, these molecules transport oxygen from the lungs through the bloodstream to all the cells of the body. If you lack iron it means that less oxygen is transported to the cells, and the more tired you’ll feel. You’ll be exhausted, irritable and unable to train at peak levels. Soccer players require more iron than sedentary people because they’re sweating. The more you sweat the more iron you lose.

I see many clients in my practice who are iron deficient and one reason is that many people are cutting out red meat and dark-meat poultry from their diet because they’re concerned about fat. The adolescent consuming a “junk food” diet is also at very high risk for iron deficiency. As well, female soccer players have their iron reserves taxed to the limit by blood loss during menstruation.

Nutritionally, there are two types of iron: heme iron which is found in animal products and is the most efficiently absorbed form of iron and nonheme iron found mostly in vegetables and grains. Nonheme iron is poorly absorbed compared to heme iron. Fortunately, the absorption of nonheme iron is enhanced by what’s eaten with it. Vitamin C rich foods can more than double the amount of iron absorbed.

So, you don’t need to consume red meat to meet your daily iron levels. In addition to beef, liver, lamb, dark-meat poultry, eggs and shellfish, iron can also be obtained from dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collards) and whole grains such as millet, brown rice and oats. Legumes, nuts and most seeds all contain some iron. Other foods high in iron include kelp (a sea vegetable) brewer’s yeast and blackstrap molasses. Dried, ground Thyme (a spice) is also very high in iron.

Be aware that frequent use of antacids, phosphates (found in meat), soft drinks, coffee and black tea all decrease the absorption of iron.

Even though iron is such an important mineral, understand that too much iron is also harmful to the body so don’t overload on it. As well, please do not self-medicate with iron supplements, as this can be dangerous.

Disclaimer: Durham Region Soccer Association and the Ontario Soccer Association, do not represent, warrant or endorse the completeness of any of the information, content, views, opinions, or recommendations contained in the information provided. Every precaution has been taken to provide the most accurate information possible and is for informational purposes only. This information is accepted on the condition that errors or omissions will not be made the basis for any claim, demand or cause for action. The information and data were obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy. It is the responsibility of the reader to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any of the information provided.