Bilang isang high performance dietitian na actual na nag-iimplement ng sports nutrition programs off and onsite of competition, parati akong naghahanap ng mga bagong pag aaral or mga innovative trends na maaaring makatulong sa sports and exercise nutrition issues ng aking mga clients. At isa sa mga areas na parating meron bago ay ang sports foods at sports nutrition supplements.
Sa katotohanan, “some supplements and sports foods offer real advantage to athletic performance. Some products ‘work’ by producing a direct performance-enhancing effect. Other products can be used by athletes to meet their nutrition goals and, as an indirect outcome, allow the athlete to achieve optimal health, recovery and performance” (1).
Ngunit ang isang drawback sa pag gamit ng sports foods at sports supplements ay may kamahalan ang mga ito. Kung kaya’t medyo matındi tindi ang epekto nito sa budget ng isang elite or recreational athlete lalong lalo na sa atletang Pinoy. Dahil kadalasan, mas pinipili nila ang mga sports foods at supplements kesa sa whole foods dahil iniisip nila na mas mainam or mas effective ang mga ito para sa kanilang exercise fueling at recovery nutrition.
Ngunit, hindi naman ito ang kaso ayon sa isang pag aaral na tinignan ang effect ng sports foods VS whole foods, particularly ang mga potato-based foods, pag dating sa muscle recovery. In this study, recreational athletes were subjected to a 90-min energy-depleting cycling ride and were given two different types of recovery nutrition (2):
Recovery foods TRIAL 1 (sports foods and supplements) consisted of
sports drinks
salt tablets
energy chews
protein and energy bars.
Recovery foods TRIAL 2 were mainly potato-based whole foods sources of macronutirents and electrolytes such as:
potato pancakes with syrup
potato gnocchi and pasta sauce
seasoned fries and hash browns
Matapos kainin ang recovery foods sa loob ng 4-hour recovery period, kinunan sila ng muscle biopsies at blood samples. They were then asked to complete a 20km time trial bike ride.
Results have shown na ang muscle recovery ay parehas lamang sa sports supplement at potato based recovery foods. At wala din pagkakaiba sa cycling time trial performance sa pagitan ng 2 trials na ito.
Nakita sa pagaaral na ito na ang optimum recovery nutrition ay pwede pa rin ma-achieve sa whole foods nutrition tulad ng mga potato-based foods. Ang pag include ng patatas sa diet ng isang athlete ay kayang makapag bigay ng additional vitamins and minerals na maaaring makatulong sa kanilang active lifestyle. Ang ilan sa mga ito ay ang mga sumusunod:
Iron - helps in maximizing oxygen delivery in the body and to the working muscles
Vitamin B6 - helps in energy production
Vitamin C - antioxidant, aids in collagen production, and supports iron absorption
Potassium - an electrolyte needed for muscle function
In summary, kung sakto lang ang budget mo at may kakayahan ka naman mag-prepare, maaring gamitin ang whole foods for recovery nutrition. Mag kasing husay lang ang sports at whole foods sa pag maximize ng recovery mula sa isang energy depleting o nakakapagod na exercises. At tulad din ng sports foods, parehas lang ang benefits ng whole foods pag dating sa sports and exercise performance.
References: 1. Clinical Sports Nutrition (5th ed.) 2015. McGraw-Hill Education (Australia) Pty Ltd. 2. European Journal of Applied Physiology (2020) 120:1131-1142
Full disclosure: This post was sponsored by Potatoes USA-Philippines, but all opinions stated above are my own.
Disclaimer: All information shared in this post are for general education purposes only. Consult a licensed health professional if you have specific nutrition, health, and medical concerns.