Macronutrients

macronutrients consist of :

• fats
• protein
• carbohydrates

"Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism and for other body functions. macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy. the prefix makro is from the greek and means big or large, and this term is used because macronutrients are required in large amounts. There are three classes of micronutrients : proteins, carbohydrates and fats" Diet.com(2015)

Carbohydrates

"Carbohydrates are organic compounds in tissues or food that can be broken down to be one of the main sources of energy for humans or animals. Classified as simple or complex, carbohydrates are mainly starches and sugars".   Your Dictionary [2015]

Carbohydrates are a source of energy. When consumed they are converted by the body into glucose and this is used as fuel for cells such as the ones going to the brain and the muscles. each carbohydrate consists of 4 calories per gram. The chemical structure of a carbohydrate is carbon hydrogen and oxygen. There are two different types of carbohydrate which are simple and complex carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates are fast releasing carbohydrates hence the name 'simple'. "All simple carbohydrates are made of just one or two sugar molecules. They are the quickest source of energy, as they are very rapidly digested." Nutrition MD [2015] . Some examples of Simple carbohydrates are monosaccarides these are one unit sugars and disaccharides these are two unit sugars. There is also monosaccharides which include glucose fructose and galactose. Some food examples are  sweets, cakes and fizzy drinks this is because there is a high amount of sugar in them. Athletes would use simple carbs if they where competeing in quick bursts of exercise such as a 100m sprinter

Complex carbophydrates are slow releasing this is why they are labelled 'complex' carbohydrates.They are made up of sugar molecules bound together and are often high in fiber.Complex carbohydrates help to keep the body fuelled for long periods of time, helps aid digestion and helps to keep your heart healthy. Food sources for complex carbs are nuts, whole grain breads and pasta and also fruits and veg. The sports to which complex carbohydrates are used are usually the ones that go on for a long duration such as a marathon.

  

Protein

There are in excess of 10 thousand different proteins in our body. The main functions of protein in our body is repair and maintain body tissues also it helps with the development and repairing of those tissues. Another function of protein is for the transportation of enzymes and hormones in our body. If we do not have proteins in our body we wouldnt be able to produce or rebuild body cells, tissue or organs and muscles. 1 protein consists of 4 calories per gram.Proteins consist of structures which are reffered to as amino acids. amino acids are broken down into two different combinations one being non essential amino acids and the other being essential amino acids.

Essential amino acids

Essential amino acids are unable to be made by the body so we have to rely on getting these from food sources. The food sources are such as meat    eggs and some dairy products. An example of this linking it to sports performance would be weight training this is because when weight training after you need to replenish damaged cells and the only way in which to do this is to consume the right amount of protein to help recover and to help grow your muscles.

Non Essential amino acids

These are the amino acids of which our body synthese itself. These are found in foods but as oppose to essential amino acids we do not need these as much mainly because the body can synthese these itself. The place where the body makes these amino acids are the liver and this process is called transmination. Linking this to sports performance an athletes consumption of proteins is dependent upon what spot they do and there general diet. An example of this is a rugby player because after a game a player would often take a protein shake or a protein bar to help aid recovery as after the game there isnt enough time to go for a good meal 15 mins after exercise.

Fats

(split second nutrition) 2015

This  video is a brief over view of fats and in the text below i will be going into more depth

Saturated fat

This is the unhealthier option compared to unsaturated fats because of where you get it from such as the food sources. The food sources are animal fats, choclate,cheese and processed meats. while saturated fats may be good for quick burst of energy they sit in your stomach and put you at a high risk of getting heart disease, also it puts you at a high risk of getting type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Unsaturated fats

These are split in two catorgories which are polyunsaturated and monosaturated fatty acids. the food sources of unsaturated fats are olives, sammon and avacodos. The consumption of unsaturated fats is healthier than saturated fats and can provide us with more energy when it comes to sport. They can help with the lowering of your cholesterol so therefore not carrying a health risk.

Polyunsaturated fats

These fats eaten in moderation can have a posotive effect on our health. these are used as alternatives to trans and saturated fats. This fats is most commonly found in foods that are plant based or oils so some examples would be salmon and sunflower oil.

Omega 3 fatty acids

This acid is one of the polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is from fish and athletes often use this in tablet form to provide them with energy, this can also help with sports performance because it aids power, strength and speed. It cand also help with muscle and bone growth.

Monounsaturated fats

Monosaturated fats are not dissimmilar to polyunsaturated fats because they help to control your blood sugar levels therefore making it so your less olikely to get type 2 diabetes.

References

Diet.com (2015) macronutrients. [Online] Available from: http://www.diet.com/g/macronutrients [Accessed on 22/04/2015]

Your dictionary [2015] Examples of complex carbohydrates. [Online] Available from: http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-complex-carbohydrates.html [Accessed on 23/04/2015]

Nutrition MD [2015] Making sense of foods. [Online] Available from :http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_understand_foods/carbs_versus.html [Accessed on 23/04/2015]

( split second nutrition) 2015. What are types of fat. (online at url) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdJMj5jIqs4 [Accessed on 26/04/2015]