Whether you are a runner or a body builder you are an athlete. Athletes require quality protein, essential fats and complex carbohydrates from grains, fruits and vegetables. Or, at least that is what most experts recommend. But what if you are gluten intolerant or sensitive to wheat? Then what, right? Are you sick of all the athlete magazines and books catering to the average population?
We are bombarded with refined carbohydrates on a daily basis, and most of it is hidden in our prepared food products. We have become addicted to carbohydrates and trying to go a day without them is like a smoker going without a cigarette-total misery!
Why do we need carbohydrates anyway? We get our energy from them and they power every part of our body including the brain which needs them most. There are two types of carbohydrates (or carbs) that service our body; starch from root vegetables pasta and rice, and sugar. Sugar digests quickly and becomes instant energy for the body, but it is not always a usable source. Starches on the other hand, break down to sugar but at a slower pace, allowing our body to continue to use the source of energy for longer periods.
There are also two types of carbohydrates, complex and refined. Complex carbohydrates are your whole grains like brown rice, nuts, seeds, vegetables like yams and celery root. Refined carbohydrates are all the “evil-no-no’s” that you hear so much about. Essentially any white flour; white rice, white pasta, white bread, and all of your bakery items and so on are refined carbohydrates.
How does one cut back on carbohydrates?
Athletes require higher amounts of energy from their food in order for their body to maintain lean muscle mass and to allow for the repair and rejuvenation of all of their cells so that their muscles and organs work properly. If you are sensitive to certain carbohydrates, you too can still get superior nutrition.
If you are out at a restaurant look for simple foods such as poultry or fish. Ask for brown rice, steamed or grilled vegetables, along with a side salad with the salad dressing on the side. Salad dressings are for the most part laden with sugars, high fructose corn syrup and sometimes wheat to thicken. Ask for olive oil and any type of vinegar except for white (it’s a synthetic made from wood, great for cleaning with, not for eating). If you really want a pasta dish, bring your own pasta. Most restaurants will accommodate this small request. If you are gluten intolerant, be sure to speak with the manager and ensure they use a clean pot with fresh boiled water. Some restaurants will accommodate but cook your pasta in water that just had wheat pasta in it. If the restaurant cannot accommodate, move on. There are plenty of owners out there that would love your business, especially repeat business. My favourite restaurant in Toronto was not only accommodating, they ended up carrying a whole line of gluten free pastas for all of their guests.
Lunch time can be hard at a restaurant because it is usually sandwiches. Get creative! Either bring your own high fibre, high protein Kamut, Spelt or sprouted Ezekiel bread or pita. Or if you are unprepared, most sandwiches can be served without the bun or bread! Order a side salad and raw vegetables and skip the chips and french-fries. You can also make great lettuce wraps as well. Ask for large leafs of romaine lettuce and wrap your sandwich.
Pump up the fruit and vegetables. Both contain vital vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that are needed to maintain a healthy body, athlete or not. They provide fuel and fibre and take longer to break down in the system, generating a good source of energy. Fruits and vegetables that are low on the glycemic index such as berries, apples and leafy green vegetable will convert slowly to sugar over several hours maintaining insulin levels and reducing carbohydrate cravings.
Eat your carbohydrates before 5:00 pm, ideally carbohydrates are better served with a high quality protein for breakfast to provide energy from your night’s sleep to drive glucose into the brain and make you alert. If you are working out or training, good quality carbohydrates will provide you with energy to get through and also provide the energy necessary for muscle recovery post workout. If you are eating carbohydrates after 5:00 pm, they may be stored as fat. When we enter the evening hours, our body starts to slow down and prepare for rest. Carbohydrates are for energy to keep us going. At night we are not using as much energy therefore excess energy is stored as fat. If you find you are hungry at night eat lean protein that your body will be able to break down and utilize for repair, and growth of your cells.
There are many alternative grains to suite your nutritional needs and are far superior to the over processed wheat kernel. Utilizing alternative grains will help alleviate the symptoms associated with wheat or gluten grains such as wheat, oats, rye, barley kamut, and spelt.
Wheat sensitive individuals are those that can still tolerate gluten, but not wheat. There are many different grains to choose from. The most popular grain in the USA is Spelt; which is an ancient hybrid of a tetraploid wheat. It is basically unhampered by the grain industry and contains significantly more fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals than it’s refined cousin which has been genetically modified and stripped of most of its nutrient value. It is easily substituted in whole wheat recipes. Spelt bread tastes like whole wheat or brown bread. You can also get spelt pasta as well. Look for pasta made with whole grain spelt. Spelt flour substitutes well in recipes calling for whole wheat flour.
Kamut is much like Spelt, but is more popular in Canada and European countries. It is from the genus Triticum wheat family and is considered an ancient grain as well. It is also higher in protein and fibre than wheat and is a good source of minerals such as zinc and antioxidant selenium, amino acids and is higher in lipids thus producing sustainable energy for athletes. Look for whole grain Kamut bread and pasta. Kamut also substitutes well in recipes calling for whole wheat flour.
If you are gluten sensitive (and wheat sensitive athletes can benefit from this list as well) there are grains that have beneficial nutrient properties so that you can still maintain energy, growth and rejuvenation for your body. Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) has both soluble dietary fiber and in-soluble dietary fiber. It has been cultivated in South American Andes since 3,000 B.C. and is actually not a grain. Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant. The seed holds it structure much like a grain and can be used in place of couscous or any other small Durham wheat pasta. Quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a good source of vitamin E and B vitamins. It also contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids and is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine. Amino Acids are the building blocks of every function in the human body. Quinoa has become quite popular and there are several types of pasta made of quinoa; be sure to read the ingredients because it is usually mixed with other grains like rice and corn. You can also find crackers and cereals made from quinoa. Quinoa is a great substitute to oatmeal. It makes a great breakfast cereal and a great pudding as well. A quick recipe is 1 cup Quinoa and 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil then simmer 10 minutes. Use this in place of rice. It is quicker than rice and higher in protein. Mix with nuts, seeds or beans and you have a perfect meal. Get to know wheat and gluten free Quinoa.
Buckwheat does not have any wheat or relations to wheat. It is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. Buckwheat is a good source of manganese magnesium and fiber and contains rutin and quercitin and is a fantastic source of protein, containing all eight essential amino acids, including lysine. Buckwheat is also perfect for the gluten sensitive person.
Teff originated in Ethiopia between 4000 and 1000 BC. And is widely cultivated and used in Ethiopia, India and parts of Australia to this day. his makes teff nutrient dense as the bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of any grain. Teff (pronounced teef) is an actual grain and is high calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper, aluminum, barium, and thiamin and has an excellent amino acid composition, with lysine levels higher than wheat or barley. Teff is high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Teff is perfect for gluten sensitive individuals as well. Teff is more expensive than other grains and is harder to find than the other grains mentioned, but worth the hunt. You can always order online through Bob’s Red Mill or ask your health food store to order some for you.
There are many other grains that are suitable for wheat sensitivities and gluten free diets, but the grains mentioned are whole grains that have not been processed or refined and have beneficial nutrients that will aid in athletic performance and decrease the symptoms associated with carbohydrate sensitivities. There are key supplements that can aid in weaning you off of refined carbohydrates and lesson your symptoms. Chromium is a mineral that is required in trace amounts and enhances the action of insulin which is critical to storage of carbohydrate, fat and protein. Although wheat has this vital nutrient, however through the refining process it is lost. Chromium is naturally found in Broccoli, garlic, turkey breast, apples, bananas and green beans. If you have eaten mostly refined carbohydrates and little vegetable intake, there may be a need for short term supplementation. Especially if you are working out and not getting any results in the abdomen section where excess glucose is stored. Probiotics are live organisms that are found in the human body as well as plants and dirt. Our immune system is made up of good gut bacteria. When the good bacteria are flourishing, they are able to keep the opportunist bacteria at bay that may cause unnecessary ailments and cravings. When bad bacteria are able to flourish and grow, they require sugar to proliferate and grow. When they feel threatened they wil send out a chemical reaction that makes you crave starches and sugars so that they can feed and continue to populate. Sometimes this is the main reason why so many are addicted to carbohydrates. Some of you may be saying, I only eat mostly fruit. That is also a sugar! And if you are eating more fruit than vegetables, you are under microorganism control! You need to find a good quality source of acidophilus bifidus with a probrietary probiotic blend of at least 5 billion cfu of L. acidophilus; B. bifidum; L. casei; L. rhamnosus (L. reuteri; B. breve; B. longum; S. thermophilus. Let’s get one thing straight: YOGURT WILL NOT CUT IT! Unless you are making your own, most yogurts are commercial cups of sugar, flavour enhancers and colouring. The label may claim live cultures, and yes there are, but by the time you get to it, the culture have eaten the sugar in the cup and are rendered useless to your gut and you would need to eat a truck load to get the benefits of a good quality probiotic supplement. Taking a probiotic supplement will displace the bad guys allowing the good bacteria to take control, build your gut immunity and lower your cravings for carbohydrates as well as alleviate some of the symptoms you may be having. It is easier to kick the carb habit with probiotics and chromium. Whether you are an athlete or not we need carbohydrates on a daily basis. We do however have the choice to quality complex carbohydrates or refined. If you are building muscle, training or just working out, you do require more quality carbohydrates than the average sedentary couch potato. Don’t become a hostage to carb cravings and the endless cycle that goes with it. Get carb smart and make a choice.
Karen Langston is a Chief Body Reorganizer and Extreme Food Whisperer [email protected]
As seen on the Examiner.com By Jennifer Parker
We are bombarded with refined carbohydrates on a daily basis, and most of it is hidden in our prepared food products. We have become addicted to carbohydrates and trying to go a day without them is like a smoker going without a cigarette-total misery!
Why do we need carbohydrates anyway? We get our energy from them and they power every part of our body including the brain which needs them most. There are two types of carbohydrates (or carbs) that service our body; starch from root vegetables pasta and rice, and sugar. Sugar digests quickly and becomes instant energy for the body, but it is not always a usable source. Starches on the other hand, break down to sugar but at a slower pace, allowing our body to continue to use the source of energy for longer periods.
There are also two types of carbohydrates, complex and refined. Complex carbohydrates are your whole grains like brown rice, nuts, seeds, vegetables like yams and celery root. Refined carbohydrates are all the “evil-no-no’s” that you hear so much about. Essentially any white flour; white rice, white pasta, white bread, and all of your bakery items and so on are refined carbohydrates.
How does one cut back on carbohydrates?
Athletes require higher amounts of energy from their food in order for their body to maintain lean muscle mass and to allow for the repair and rejuvenation of all of their cells so that their muscles and organs work properly. If you are sensitive to certain carbohydrates, you too can still get superior nutrition.
If you are out at a restaurant look for simple foods such as poultry or fish. Ask for brown rice, steamed or grilled vegetables, along with a side salad with the salad dressing on the side. Salad dressings are for the most part laden with sugars, high fructose corn syrup and sometimes wheat to thicken. Ask for olive oil and any type of vinegar except for white (it’s a synthetic made from wood, great for cleaning with, not for eating). If you really want a pasta dish, bring your own pasta. Most restaurants will accommodate this small request. If you are gluten intolerant, be sure to speak with the manager and ensure they use a clean pot with fresh boiled water. Some restaurants will accommodate but cook your pasta in water that just had wheat pasta in it. If the restaurant cannot accommodate, move on. There are plenty of owners out there that would love your business, especially repeat business. My favourite restaurant in Toronto was not only accommodating, they ended up carrying a whole line of gluten free pastas for all of their guests.
Lunch time can be hard at a restaurant because it is usually sandwiches. Get creative! Either bring your own high fibre, high protein Kamut, Spelt or sprouted Ezekiel bread or pita. Or if you are unprepared, most sandwiches can be served without the bun or bread! Order a side salad and raw vegetables and skip the chips and french-fries. You can also make great lettuce wraps as well. Ask for large leafs of romaine lettuce and wrap your sandwich.
Pump up the fruit and vegetables. Both contain vital vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that are needed to maintain a healthy body, athlete or not. They provide fuel and fibre and take longer to break down in the system, generating a good source of energy. Fruits and vegetables that are low on the glycemic index such as berries, apples and leafy green vegetable will convert slowly to sugar over several hours maintaining insulin levels and reducing carbohydrate cravings.
Eat your carbohydrates before 5:00 pm, ideally carbohydrates are better served with a high quality protein for breakfast to provide energy from your night’s sleep to drive glucose into the brain and make you alert. If you are working out or training, good quality carbohydrates will provide you with energy to get through and also provide the energy necessary for muscle recovery post workout. If you are eating carbohydrates after 5:00 pm, they may be stored as fat. When we enter the evening hours, our body starts to slow down and prepare for rest. Carbohydrates are for energy to keep us going. At night we are not using as much energy therefore excess energy is stored as fat. If you find you are hungry at night eat lean protein that your body will be able to break down and utilize for repair, and growth of your cells.
There are many alternative grains to suite your nutritional needs and are far superior to the over processed wheat kernel. Utilizing alternative grains will help alleviate the symptoms associated with wheat or gluten grains such as wheat, oats, rye, barley kamut, and spelt.
Wheat sensitive individuals are those that can still tolerate gluten, but not wheat. There are many different grains to choose from. The most popular grain in the USA is Spelt; which is an ancient hybrid of a tetraploid wheat. It is basically unhampered by the grain industry and contains significantly more fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals than it’s refined cousin which has been genetically modified and stripped of most of its nutrient value. It is easily substituted in whole wheat recipes. Spelt bread tastes like whole wheat or brown bread. You can also get spelt pasta as well. Look for pasta made with whole grain spelt. Spelt flour substitutes well in recipes calling for whole wheat flour.
Kamut is much like Spelt, but is more popular in Canada and European countries. It is from the genus Triticum wheat family and is considered an ancient grain as well. It is also higher in protein and fibre than wheat and is a good source of minerals such as zinc and antioxidant selenium, amino acids and is higher in lipids thus producing sustainable energy for athletes. Look for whole grain Kamut bread and pasta. Kamut also substitutes well in recipes calling for whole wheat flour.
If you are gluten sensitive (and wheat sensitive athletes can benefit from this list as well) there are grains that have beneficial nutrient properties so that you can still maintain energy, growth and rejuvenation for your body. Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) has both soluble dietary fiber and in-soluble dietary fiber. It has been cultivated in South American Andes since 3,000 B.C. and is actually not a grain. Quinoa is the seed of the Chenopodium or Goosefoot plant. The seed holds it structure much like a grain and can be used in place of couscous or any other small Durham wheat pasta. Quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a good source of vitamin E and B vitamins. It also contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids and is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine. Amino Acids are the building blocks of every function in the human body. Quinoa has become quite popular and there are several types of pasta made of quinoa; be sure to read the ingredients because it is usually mixed with other grains like rice and corn. You can also find crackers and cereals made from quinoa. Quinoa is a great substitute to oatmeal. It makes a great breakfast cereal and a great pudding as well. A quick recipe is 1 cup Quinoa and 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil then simmer 10 minutes. Use this in place of rice. It is quicker than rice and higher in protein. Mix with nuts, seeds or beans and you have a perfect meal. Get to know wheat and gluten free Quinoa.
Buckwheat does not have any wheat or relations to wheat. It is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. Buckwheat is a good source of manganese magnesium and fiber and contains rutin and quercitin and is a fantastic source of protein, containing all eight essential amino acids, including lysine. Buckwheat is also perfect for the gluten sensitive person.
Teff originated in Ethiopia between 4000 and 1000 BC. And is widely cultivated and used in Ethiopia, India and parts of Australia to this day. his makes teff nutrient dense as the bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of any grain. Teff (pronounced teef) is an actual grain and is high calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper, aluminum, barium, and thiamin and has an excellent amino acid composition, with lysine levels higher than wheat or barley. Teff is high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Teff is perfect for gluten sensitive individuals as well. Teff is more expensive than other grains and is harder to find than the other grains mentioned, but worth the hunt. You can always order online through Bob’s Red Mill or ask your health food store to order some for you.
There are many other grains that are suitable for wheat sensitivities and gluten free diets, but the grains mentioned are whole grains that have not been processed or refined and have beneficial nutrients that will aid in athletic performance and decrease the symptoms associated with carbohydrate sensitivities. There are key supplements that can aid in weaning you off of refined carbohydrates and lesson your symptoms. Chromium is a mineral that is required in trace amounts and enhances the action of insulin which is critical to storage of carbohydrate, fat and protein. Although wheat has this vital nutrient, however through the refining process it is lost. Chromium is naturally found in Broccoli, garlic, turkey breast, apples, bananas and green beans. If you have eaten mostly refined carbohydrates and little vegetable intake, there may be a need for short term supplementation. Especially if you are working out and not getting any results in the abdomen section where excess glucose is stored. Probiotics are live organisms that are found in the human body as well as plants and dirt. Our immune system is made up of good gut bacteria. When the good bacteria are flourishing, they are able to keep the opportunist bacteria at bay that may cause unnecessary ailments and cravings. When bad bacteria are able to flourish and grow, they require sugar to proliferate and grow. When they feel threatened they wil send out a chemical reaction that makes you crave starches and sugars so that they can feed and continue to populate. Sometimes this is the main reason why so many are addicted to carbohydrates. Some of you may be saying, I only eat mostly fruit. That is also a sugar! And if you are eating more fruit than vegetables, you are under microorganism control! You need to find a good quality source of acidophilus bifidus with a probrietary probiotic blend of at least 5 billion cfu of L. acidophilus; B. bifidum; L. casei; L. rhamnosus (L. reuteri; B. breve; B. longum; S. thermophilus. Let’s get one thing straight: YOGURT WILL NOT CUT IT! Unless you are making your own, most yogurts are commercial cups of sugar, flavour enhancers and colouring. The label may claim live cultures, and yes there are, but by the time you get to it, the culture have eaten the sugar in the cup and are rendered useless to your gut and you would need to eat a truck load to get the benefits of a good quality probiotic supplement. Taking a probiotic supplement will displace the bad guys allowing the good bacteria to take control, build your gut immunity and lower your cravings for carbohydrates as well as alleviate some of the symptoms you may be having. It is easier to kick the carb habit with probiotics and chromium. Whether you are an athlete or not we need carbohydrates on a daily basis. We do however have the choice to quality complex carbohydrates or refined. If you are building muscle, training or just working out, you do require more quality carbohydrates than the average sedentary couch potato. Don’t become a hostage to carb cravings and the endless cycle that goes with it. Get carb smart and make a choice.
Karen Langston is a Chief Body Reorganizer and Extreme Food Whisperer [email protected]
As seen on the Examiner.com By Jennifer Parker
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