Ideal Nutrition

Go Nuts!!!!

What’s so healthy about nuts for athletes?
Nuts offer far more than just calories. They are filled with hard-to-get
nutrients that can easily get processed out of refined foods. By the end of
the day, nut eaters tend to have a diet with overall higher nutrient quality

Nuts offer magnesium, niacin, vitamin E, copper, and manganese, as well
as other phytochemicals that are health protective, like resveratrol
(reduces heart disease). All this means, nuts have a powerful impact on your
health.
Nuts protect against the diseases of aging. That is, people who eat nuts
or peanut butter five or more times a week reduce their risk of heart
disease and diabetes by more than 20% .

If you are enjoying nuts as a recovery food after a hard workout, be
sure to eat some carbs along with the nuts. While the protein and
(healthful) fat in nuts abates hunger and helps build muscles, only carbs
(re)fuel your muscles. Some carb-protein nut combinations include: peanut
butter + banana; nuts + dried fruit; almonds + (packet of instant) oatmeal.
Nuts offer only a little protein—for example, about 8 grams in two
tablespoons peanut butter (the amount in a typical sandwich). This is not
much, considering the protein needs of most active women are 60 to 90 grams,
and active men may need 80 to 120 grams. Hence, vegetarian athletes need to
really eat a lot of nuts and peanut butter if this is their main source of
protein!
Easier yet, boost your protein intake by adding this childhood memory
back into your daily sports diet: a glass of milk along with the peanut
butter sandwich! In general, enjoy nuts, in moderate portions, as an
integral part of your meals and snacks.