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At every stage of our life, we meet specific nutritional needs which we absolutely must not underestimate. This actually applies to many different circumstances: depending on what our goals are, it is important to take care of the body and adopt a healthy diet that allows you to meet all your needs.
This is the case, for example, of whom practice particular sports. We know that physical activity is one of the fundamental steps to stay fit and lose those unwanted pounds that we see in the mirror. Precisely for this reason we must accompany it to a correct diet, so as to fully exploit all the benefits of movement. For those who love to run, for example, the runner’s diet is the best solution. We talked about it with the dr. Michelangelo Giampietro, specialist in Sports Medicine and Food Science.
The cornerstones of this diet are carbohydrates and proteins, which improve physical performance and help you fill up with energy. Of course, the specific needs vary according to the discipline practiced: for longer workouts, it is good to include a moderate amount of fat in the diet. For those who travel short distances, it is better not to overdo it with sugars. Vegetables and fruitFinally, they must never be lacking: they bring important nutrients and rehydrate, so they are excellent for the nutrition of every sportsman.
Vegetables and fruit, on the other hand, are at the base of many diets, such as the Mediterranean diet. The latter is actually a real lifestyle, as explained by the Dr. Valentina Schirò, nutrition biologist specialized in Food Sciences: “It contains within itself the knowledge, traditions, habits and behaviors characteristic of Mediterranean peoples”. In fact, it refers to zero-kilometer raw materials, the seasonality of food and respect for the typical specialties of each geographical region.
But there’s more: several studies have shown how the Mediterranean diet is a real panacea for the body, bringing many benefits to our health. It decreases the risk of onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease, it also helps to live longer. So, what to bring to the table? Everything is in the balance of the various nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats they must be present in our diet, as well as vitamins, mineral salts, fibers and antioxidants.
The Mediterranean diet does not preclude the consumption of foods of animal origin, even if it pushes to moderate the quantities. Go ahead also for red meats, such as lamb – which, according to the gastronomic definition, would actually be a rosé meat. Light, substantial and digestible, this type of meat is ideal to alternate at the table with pork, veal or beef. What are its nutritional characteristics? He explains them to us Dr. Sara Cordara, specialist in food science and nutritionist.
Lamb meat is rich in high biological value proteins, which is why it is particularly suitable for athletes’ diets. It contains many minerals such as iron and zinc, is an excellent source of vitamins B3 and B12 and is low in calories – it provides around 100 calories for a 100 gram serving. If you have never tried this food, you can approach lamb meat with the recipe of Simone Rugiati, Irish meat ambassador for Italy. A real delicacy mouth-watering.
Finally, in our in-depth study we brought to light one of the problems that most afflict many of us: abdominal swelling. The dr. Corrado Pierantoni has developed a weekly nutrition plan for us to help us achieve a slimmer waistline and a flatter stomach. His dietary advice is available in the eBook that can be downloaded for free in our article, a guide to the correct diet to learn how to eat healthily and do good to our body.
