How to cook sports food?

In the athlete's diet it is very important to know how much, when and for what to eat, but Do we know how we should cook sports foods? Depending on the culinary techniques, the nutrients will be maintained more or less, it will provide more or fewer calories ... so depending on the sporting objective we can opt for one or the other.

• Depending on the cooking used, the nutritional quality of the food will vary.
• Steam cooking is the one that best maintains the nutritional properties of food, as well as being one of the lightest.
• To know what type of cooking is the most appropriate, we must assess the type of sport that is practiced, since a runner or a cyclist needs a low weight to increase their performance and, on the other hand, a karate fighter may want a higher weight within his category. , to have an advantage over your opponent.

What will it depend on choosing one type of cooking or another?

To know what type of cooking is the most appropriate, we must assess the type of sport that is practiced, since a cyclist needs a low weight to increase his performance and instead a karate fighter may want a higher weight within his category. to have an advantage over your opponent. Mesocycles should also be taken into account, because depending on the objective of the training, we may be interested in using one more cooking method or another, for example If you are training with high intensity and long time, low-fat cooking is preferable since they are better tolerated. Although it must be said that any of the cooking can be adapted to individual needs, for example being able to make a very low-calorie stew or vegetables boiled and then sautéed with oil, thus increasing their calories.

If our main objective is keep the nutrients of the food, the main cooking will be steamed. In it, the food is cooked with the steam that emerges from the water, since the nutrients are not in direct contact, they do not pass into the water and remain in the food, so its nutritional properties, color and flavor will be greater. In addition, it is a technique that does not require fat for cooking, so the calories will be those of the food. It is important that the container is covered, so that the water vapor does not escape. The most suitable foods for steaming are vegetables, fish and shellfish.

What should we keep in mind when cooking sports food without losing nutrients?

• Prepare food just before eating it.
• Do not cut food into very small pieces.
• Maintain the temperature and cooking time recommended for cooking food.

The consumption of raw vegetables, as part of, garnishes, as dessert or between meals, are the best option to achieve the necessary nutrients, since it does not undergo any thermal process, so they must be present throughout the day.

If the goal is to reduce weight, the cooking that barely uses fat will be chosen, steam (described at the beginning), iron, papillote, sautéed and boiled, let's get to know them:

• Iron: it is preferable to use a non-stick iron since it does not require the use of oil, although a small amount can be added if desired. The food is cooked over medium heat so that it does not burn by turning the piece so that it cooks on both sides. The most appropriate foods to be cooked on the grill are medium or filleted pieces of meat or fish or chopped vegetables.
• Papillote: the food is wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked in its own juice in the oven or microwave. They do not require fat to be cooked and it is advisable to cook a whole piece. The piece of meat or fish can be cooked together with vegetables to give it more flavor.
• Sautéing: this type of cooking is characterized by the use of a small amount of oil and by leaving the food al dente, this requires cutting the food into small portions; that way it tastes and smells better and maintains its nutritional properties better. You can prepare all kinds of food, meat, fish, pasta, vegetables ...
• Boiled: it is one of the most used techniques for cooking, but it has the disadvantage that many of the nutrients remain in the cooking water, especially the B vitamins and minerals, so it is advisable to cook it in a pressure cooker . If a conventional pot is used, it should be covered, add the food in medium sizes and when the water is already boiling and respect the cooking time, trying not to exceed it. The most appropriate foods to be boiled are vegetables, pasta, rice, potatoes or eggs.

What should we take into account so as not to enrich the calories on the plate?

• Control the amount of oil that is added both during cooking and at the end.
• Avoid adding sauces such as mayonnaise, caesar sauce ... or any processed product rich in calories and saturated fat.
• Spices and aromatic herbs can be used to flavor dishes.

It will also be necessary do not abuse rationss and increase foods with a lower calorie content, such as greens and vegetables. If the objective is to increase the weight, the high-fat cooking will be the chosen ones, the stews, the stews and the fried will be the most recommended options, let's get to know them:

• Stews and / or stews: they are slow preparations, cooked over low heat where, in addition to the main ingredients, fat can be added for cooking. To be a healthy dish, unsaturated fats should be used, he will always be the best choice. They are the star food in stews and the toughest meats in stews, accompanied by potatoes and vegetables.
• Fried: the food is cooked by immersing it in oil, so the caloric increase is very considerable. Olive oil is the main choice of fat, but in frying, if possible, even more so, since it withstands high temperatures without generating toxic substances. Frying is suitable for most foods, potatoes, vegetables, meat, fish ...

What should we take into account when preparing caloric dishes?

Weight gain may be necessary in some sports disciplines, but we must always gain weight through good quality food. The fat chosen for cooking should be olive oil, and avoid saturated fats that come from processed foods and sausages. Stews and casseroles can be enriched with dried fruit, very healthy and high-calorie foods.