Many scientific studies have demonstrated the importance of exercise for people’s welfare. People training sport must provide the body with the energy consumed and compensate the losses of water and salts. It is important that athletes know what is the food that may help in their activity, in what amount and way they have to take them to get all the possible benefits.

When you practice sport food is important but it’s different if you practise it at a competitive level or not.

● People who practise amateur sport have to pay attention to the quality of food without changing the quantity; this as a general rule. The extra caloric expenditure related to physical activity is lower than commonly believed(on average one hour swimming will consume about kcal, the equivalent of a packet of dry biscuits and half an apple) ● The most suitable diet for amateur sportive people to let them get the best performance as well as health, is similar to the diet normally followed by people who don’t practise any sport: a nutritionally balanced diet that provides the appropriate amounts of water, calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. ● It is enough to follow the dietary recommendations such as those contained in LARN *LARN: recommended intake levels of energy and nutriens for the Italian population. ( Italian Society of Human Nutrition ‘96)

A BALANCED DIET means ▲ to respect the right distribution among nutrients. Specifically: Carbohydrates: about % of daily caloric intake Proteins: about % of daily caloric intake compared to the % recommended for those who don’t practise sport. Total fat : % of daily caloric intake. Minerals: according to the recommendations valid for the general population (LARN*) Vitamins: according to the recommendations valid for the general population (LARN *) Water: at least litre a day but in general as much as lost through sweat, urine, etc.. ▲ It is necessary to eat more pasta, bread, legumes and oil (food that provides a good caloric intake), fruit and vegetables (able to cover the increased demand for minerals), and to drink more water.

So nutrients that improve physical performance do not exist and doping is bad for health and their use is prohibited by law. ▲ During the course of intensive physical activity may be useful to take sugar and fruit juics. ▲ It is useless increasing the protein intake (already too abundant in the Italian diet, since Italians on average eat 50% more than their protein needs). ▲ Food supplements are unnecessary as well..

What to put on the table? In general, food rich in complex carbohydrates, low in fat and with a high nutritional value. You should eat a meal rich in carbohydrates about three hours before the beginning of sport, in this way you guarantee your body a reserve of energy ready available so avoiding going to the gym when the digestive process is still on going.

Immediately after sport activity, you can drink fresh orange juice, which gives sugars. At dinner after a dish of pasta, steak is the ideal food to get the right "fuel" of proteins. In this way the body doesn’t use the ones it already has inside. During sport activity, it is good to drink in small sips and frequently so to reintegrate the fluids and minerals lost through sweating.