Sports nutrition requires a careful look at what is in food. To do this at the grocery store, read the Food Labels and know the terms used.
For more details about sports nutrition, training and motivation, visit http://visportsnutriton.ca
Here are a few important things to keep in mind when reading a nutrition label:
FAT FREE -- means a product has less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving
LOW FAT -- means a product has less than 3 grams of fat per serving
REDUCED FAT -- a product has at least 25% less fat per serving than the full-fat version
LEAN (meats) -- ¬less than 10 grams of fat per serving with less than 4.5 grams of saturated fat
EXTRA LEAN (meats) -- less than 5 grams of fat per serving with less than 2 grams of saturated fat
LIGHT -- a product has 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat per serving than non-light version
--50% less sodium
-- the food is clearer in color
HEALTHY -- low in fat and saturated fat and limited amounts of sodium and cholesterol
LESS -- 25% less of a nutrient or calories
CALORIE FREE -- a product has less than 5 calories per serving
LOW CALORIE -- a product has less than 40 calories per serving
REDUCED -- a product has 25% fewer calories, sodium or sugar per serving than the non-reduced version
SUGAR-FREE or NO ADDED SUGAR -- this doesn't tell you anything about sugar substitutes or sugar derivatives which can have just as many calories as regular sugar!
ORGANICALLY GROWN, ORGANIC, or NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS -- no chemicals used in their production but only trust labels that say "certified organically grown"
CHOLESTEROL FREE -- less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams of saturated fat per serving
HIGH FIBER -- contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving
GOOD SOURCE OF FIBER -- contains 2.5 -- 4.9 grams of fiber per serving
Pay attention to the ingredients in products. The ingredients list is where you find hidden fats, sodium, sugar, and artificial flavors. Keep in mind that the first ingredient will be the largest in quantity, the second ingredient will be the second most, and so on. A good rule of thumb I like to follow: if an item is packed with ingredients that I can't pronounce, leave it on the shelf. Sticking with products made from whole foods that have little to no preservatives is always a healthier choice for sports nutrition.
