The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

20. Let an Expert Personalize Your Plan
As with many things in life there is no one size fits all. That’s why many competitive and recreational athletes opt to enlist the help of a dietitian or sports nutritionist to craft an individualized meal plan that matches their performance and recovery needs. If you’re not sure where to find one, hop online. You can search for a registered dietitian in your area who specializes in sports nutrition at www.eatright.org. The initials CSSD after an expert’s name means he or she is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements
15. A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
16. Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies
17. Drinking Water May Help You Lose Weight
18. Bacteria Are Critical to Your Health
19. Calcium Isn't Just for Strong Bones
20. Let an Expert Personalize Your Plan

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

19. Calcium Isn't Just for Strong Bones
In a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, obese women who consumed less than 600 mg of calcium per day, 60 percent of the daily recommended intake, followed a low-calorie diet for 15 weeks. The women were instructed to take either 1,200 mg of calcium or a placebo. The calcium group lost nearly 12 pounds over the course of the program, compared to just two pounds in the control group. Nearly 55 percent of men and 78 percent of women aged 20 and up fall short of the recommended 1,000 mg of calcium, which ramps up to 1,200 mg after age 50. If you supplement your intake don’t take more than 500 mg at once, as absorption decreases as the dose increases. And look for calcium citrate, which is well tolerated and absorbed efficiently.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements
15. A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
16. Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies
17. Drinking Water May Help You Lose Weight
18. Bacteria Are Critical to Your Health
19. Calcium Isn't Just for Strong Bones
20. Let an Expert Personalize Your Plan

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

18. Bacteria Are Critical to Your Health
A recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a probiotic supplement, specifically Lactobacillus gasseri, helped adults with obese tendencies achieve weight-loss success. The study assigned 87 overweight people to receive a daily dose of fermented milk, with or without added priobiotics, for a 12-week period. The supplemented group had a 4.6 percent reduction in belly fat and a 1.4 percent reduction in body weight, compared to no changes among those who didn't recieve the "good" bacteria. Probiotics also fight arthritic inflammation and boost immunity—a Swedish study found that employees given Lactobacillus got sick less often and missed far fewer days of work. The best food sources are yogurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut and Kimchi.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements
15. A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
16. Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies
17. Drinking Water May Help You Lose Weight
18. Bacteria Are Critical to Your Health
19. Calcium Isn't Just for Strong Bones
20. Let an Expert Personalize Your Plan

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

17. Drinking Water May Help You Lose Weight
A recent study found that adults who simply gulped two cups of water before meals enjoyed a major weight-loss benefit—they shed 40 percent more weight over a 12-week period while following a low-cal plan identical to a second group of dieters. The same group of scientists previously found that subjects who drank two cups before meals naturally consumed 75- 90 fewer calories, an amount that could snowball day after day. According to the Institute of Medicine, women 19 and over need 2.7 liters of total fluid per day (about 11 8-oz cups) and men need 3.7 (about 15 8-oz cups). But that’s total fluid, not just water. Foods provide about 20 percent of your needs, which still leaves nearly nine cups of fluid to go, so if water is the only beverage you drink, eight glasses a day is a smart strategy.

More:

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

16. Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies
Researchers at Colorado State University fed more than 100 subjects one of two diets: one with produce from fi ve distinct plant families, and the other with fruits and vegetables from 18 distinct plant families. Both diets were consumed for two weeks at a time and provided identical amounts of produce. But blood samples revealed that the more varied diet signifi cantly reduced oxidation in the body, a marker for disease protection. Aim for a wide array of colors and types of produce.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements
15. A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
16. Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies

Look for more Food for Thought pieces throughout December on TENNIS.com.

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

15. A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
Researchers at Arizona State University discovered that vitamin C’s role goes beyond fending off sniffles. This powerhouse nutrient can build stamina and squash a spare tire because the amount in your blood stream is related to your body’s ability to burn fat for fuel, both at rest and during exercise. Men in the study with low vitamin C levels burned 25 percent less fat during a treadmill test compared to those with adequate vitamin C. The link: C is essential for the production of carnitine, a nutrient that helps turn fat into a useable fuel source. This domino effect delays fatigue—each gram of fat packs nine calories, compared to four in carbohydrate. Vitamin C-rich foods include peppers, broccoli and citrus fruits.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements
15. A Little Vitamin C Makes a Big Difference
16. Variety Trumps Quantity for Fruits & Veggies

Look for more Food for Thought pieces throughout December on TENNIS.com.

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
In addition to being a feel-good food, dark chocolate may be life-saving. One study found that heart-attack survivors who ate chocolate just twice a week over a two-year period cut their risk of dying from heart disease threefold. Another reported that when women ate dark chocolate daily for just seven days, their levels of “bad” cholesterol, LDL, dropped by six percent, and their levels of HDL, the “good” kind, rose by nine percent. Dark chocolate is also linked to a reduction in the risk of stroke, reduced inflammation and better blood pressure control. Indulge in a small amount each day, up to an ounce. Look for 70 percent dark or greater for the most antioxidants.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
13. Chocolate is a Key Superfood
14. Buyer Beware When it Comes to Supplements

Look for more Food for Thought pieces throughout December on TENNIS.com.

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

12. Spices are a Secret Weapon
A Penn State University study found that adding such herbs and spices as oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves and garlic powder to meals significantly upped postmeal blood levels of antioxidants, lowered insulin levels and reduced unhealthy blood fats by about 30 percent. Other research shows that such natural seasonings can also boost satiety and rev up metabolism. Many herbs and spices are even more potent sources of antioxidants than fruits and vegetables. To harness their power, sprinkle a little into each meal.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon

Look for more Food for Thought pieces throughout December on TENNIS.com.

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.

The 20 Things You Need to Know About Nutrition

11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
Vitamin D’s nickname is the “sunshine vitamin” because exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays triggers its production in the body. But recent research found that Hawaiians who spend more than 20 hours a week in the sun, including half of the time without sunscreen, still had low vitamin D levels. And a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that nearly 60 percent of Americans have too little Vitamin D in their blood and nearly a quarter had serious deficiencies. Not getting enough has been linked to autoimmune disorders, certain cancers, increased body fat and decreased muscle strength. In healthy, young Californians, researchers found an inverse relationship between blood Vitamin D levels and muscle fat. Ask your doctor to test your blood vitamin D level to determine if you need a supplement.

More:

1. Your Diet Impacts Your Brain Function
2. The Right Breakfast Fights Hunger All Day
3. Food Can Fight Pain
4. Don't Run on Empty
5. Sleep Matters ... A Lot
6. Omega-3s Are Beyond Essential
7. Milk Does More Than Double Duty
8. Don't Get Fooled by the Afterburn Myth
9. Organic Food is Worth the Extra Money
10. Alcohol May Weaken Muscle
11. Relying on the Sun for Vitamin D May Be a Mistake
12. Spices are a Secret Weapon

Look for more Food for Thought pieces throughout December on TENNIS.com.

Originally published in the January/February 2012 issue of TENNIS.