The Plant-Based Boost: Nutrition Solutions for Athletes and Fitness Enthusiasts

by Melissa Halas

Overview

No matter what type of athlete or exercise enthusiast you are, this book provides the latest research on sports nutrition and how to boost plant-based foods for athletic performance and optimal health. If you’re an omnivore trying to eat less meat or a vegan trying to achieve nutritional balance, you’ll gain strategies to implement before, during, and after exercise. You’ll learn about protein quality and dosing, types and amounts of carbohydrates to target, the benefits of healthy fats, and fluid and electrolyte intake for adequate hydration. From performance-boosting phytonutrients to popular athletic supplements (both good and bad), this book offers practical nutrition advice through easy-to-understand charts and tips. You’ll have the tools you need to customize your fueling techniques to perform and feel your best every day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781733969260
Publisher:	Super Kids Nutrition Inc.
Publication date:	06/27/2019
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.51(d)

About the Author

Melissa Halas, MA, RDN, CDE is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist,
Certified Diabetes Educator, and wellness expert. She has 20 years of diverse experience in nutrition education, nutrition counseling, curriculum development, clinical care, clinical trials, media, and writing. Melissa is the current media representative for the California Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics, the parent nutrition expert for the People.com online magazine,
and a past panel expert on Childhood Obesity for TedMed.
Through her company, Melissa's Healthy Living, she provides nutrition counseling to help clients of all ages - including athletes - reach their best genetic potential. Melissa believes balanced nutrition contributes to positive spiritual, physical, and mental health. For 18 years she taught functional foods, sports nutrition and other courses, which developed her love for more than one specialty while offering a rewarding and diverse career in nutrition. Melissa is also the founder of SuperKids Nutrition,
a mega site and premier source for kids and family nutrition, and is the creator of the Super Crew®, a group of multi-cultural characters who get their powers from healthy plant-based foods and motivate young children to develop healthy eating habits from an early age.

Table of Contents

How a Plant-Based Diet Can Work for You 4 • 5 • Food Memories and Their Influence 6 Part 1: PROTEIN - THE MASTER SYNTHESIZER 12 Protein’s Leadership Role 12-13 Types of Protein: Amino Acids, Animal Protein, Plant protein 13-15 • Serving size examples, legumes, pulses, and soy 16-18 • Nuts, seeds, and whole grains and plant-based milks 20-21 Protein Quality 21 Digestibility – Not All Proteins Digest the Same 21 Biological Value 23 The Deeper Science on Protein Quality 24 • Protein Digestibility Corrected, Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) • Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) 25 • Why eat plant-based proteins if most animal sources are higher quality? 27 Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) 27 The Lowdown on the Amino Acid Leucine 28 • Ten Quick & Easy Meals and Snacks to • Maximize Muscle Growth 29 Protein Myth-Busting: Complementary Plant-Based Proteins 30 A Closer Look at Sources of Plant-Based Protein 32 • Proteins of the Future 35 The Protein Basics for Maximizing Muscle Gains & Maintaining Good Health 36 • Step 1: Assess Fitness Level 37 • Step 2: Select Protein Needs Based on Activity Level 38 Example Calculations of Protein Needs 42 How Much Plant-Based Protein Should I Eat? 44 Assessing Hydration Needs and Sports Beverage 46-49 Part 2: CARBOHYDRATES – YOUR BRAIN AND BODY NEED THEM 535 Carbohydrates Have Three Important Roles in the Body 55 • Carbohydrates Are Muscle Sparing 55 • Carbohydrates Are a Vital Part of Fat Metabolism 56 • Choosing the Right Amount of Carbohydrates 56 Whole Grains, key nutrients, cooking tips, ways to eat them 56-58 Legumes 69 • Proper legume preparation 71 Nut, Grain, and Root-Based Flours 73 What Is Fiber? 76 • Carbohydrates as Glycogen 82 Carbohydrate Loading 83 Carbohydrate Timing 87 A Look at Pre-Exercise Carbohydrate Timing 87 Post Workout: Refueling Best 88 • Pairing up carbohydrates and protein 89 • Two-a-day training, Strength athletes, Snacking Techniques 90-91 Part 3: FATS 96 Functions of Fat in the Body 97 Recommended Ranges of Fat Intake and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Recommendations 103 Coconut Oil: Facts vs. Fiction MCT oil for the athlete 106 Part 4: SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS 109 Nutrients of Concern 109 A Healthy Balance of the Macronutrients 120 • The Mediterranean, DASH, MIND and Nordic Diets 121-122 Alcohol 123 A Plant-Based Diet for Athletes – What’s on Your Plate? 123 Part 5: PHYTONUTRIENTS and Sports Nutrition 134 Part 6: SUPPLEMENTS AND ERGOGENIC AIDS, Supplements – How to Make Good Purchases 141 Do You Need a Protein Shake? 144 Animal-Based and Plant Protein Powder Overview 149 Your Plant Protein Takeaways 150 Caffeine, Creatine, Tart Cherry Juice, Beet Juice 150-157 Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate 159 • Beta-Alanine, Sodium Bicarbonate 159 • Arginine, Glutamine, Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) 161 • HMB 2 Turmeric and Curcumin Part 7: TASTY PLANT-BASED MEAL SNACK IDEAS 166

Editorial Reviews

“This evidence-based book comes at the perfect time, as the interest in fueling performance with plant-based foods is gaining popularity. The research supporting a plant-forward diet for improving health is well accepted, but many athletes are unsure of how plant-proteins will support their fitness goals and training. The information is in an easy-to-understand format and takes a deep dive into plant-based proteins, answering one of the most common concerns athletes have – how can they get all of the essential amino acids to fuel their sport. It is a comprehensive guide for any athlete looking to follow a plant-based lifestyle and includes how antioxidant and phytonutrient-rich plants benefit training and recovery. Athletes and exercise enthusiasts can now put this information into practice with the confidence to follow a plant-based diet for overall health, training, and excelling in sports.”

~Heather Mangieri, RDN, CSSD, Sports Dietitian and Author of Fueling Young Athletes

“This book gives you the why and how when it comes to incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet, with easy to follow meal plans and strategies. As a sports dietitian working with collegiate and professional athletes, there is a physical benefit that many of my athletes feel when they begin to incorporate more plant-based foods, whether they are in the form of carbs, protein or fat. This book breaks down the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits by macronutrients and color groups. It leaves the reader with activities to assess their own diets and to understand where they could potentially improve. If you’ve heard about the benefits of eating more plant-based foods but are unsure of how to add them into your diet, this is the book for you.”

– Erin Kratzer, MS, RDN, LDN, Collegiate and professional sports dietitian

From the Publisher