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- Overview- Useful resources- Cooking activity

CONTENTS

Eat like an athlete!

Session 1COUNT ON CARBS

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Eat like an athlete!Session 1 COUNT ON CARBS

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Suggested session time frame:1 hour - 20 mins theory, 30 mins cook-ing, 10 mins clear up.

The big picture?

To provide a working knowl edge of carbohydrate-rich foods:

• What are carbohydrates• Why does the body need

carbohydrates• Practical uses to fuel physical activity• How to cook with carbohydrate-rich

foods

Session objectives:

What are carbohydrates and why do we need to eat them?

• Carbohydrates as a body fuel for energy, concentration, mood

• Carbohydrates to fuel physical activity and sport

• How to cook with carbohydrate-rich foods

• How to identify slow release vs. fast release /complex vs. refined

• How to choose sources of carbohydrates for sustained energy levels

Resources and Materials:

For the theory:

Bring to the session a variety of sources of fast and slow-release carbohydrate-rich foods – butternut squash, sweet potato, potato, rice, pasta, couscous, white & brown bread, oats, noodles, lentils, jelly babies, honey, doughnut, pizza box, sugary cereal box, porridge oats.

For the cooking activity:

Ingredients and equipment as listed on page 7.

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Session 1 WHAT ARE CARBS?

Eat like an athlete!What are carbohydrates and why do we need to eat them?

Carbohydrates, once digested, are converted into blood glucose and used for energy, or stored in the liver and muscle.

This is called glycogen. Glycogen stored in the liver is used to maintain steady blood glucose levels for the body and brain.

Glycogen stored in the muscle is used to provide fuel for the muscles. The longer and higher the intensity of exercise, the higher proportion of carbohydrates will be used.

Fit to Win!

When people do sport, the muscles use a combination of carbohydrate, protein and fat. The combination depends on the type, intensity and duration of the exercise.

Some carbohydrate-rich foods are digested more rapidly into the bloodstream than others.

This is excellent news for athletes, as they can consume different types of carbohydrate to fit in with their training goals - see information on slow and fast-release carbohydrate on pages 3 and 4.

Carbohydrate-richfoods are the

optimum fuel for energy

55-60% of the food energy, or calories,

in a young person’s diet should come

from carbohydrates

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Session 1 SLOW RELEASING CARBOHYDRATES

Eat like an athlete!Slow releasing carbohydrates are released gradually into the bloodstream providing:

Sustained energy, which helps stamina, mood & concentration. Also helps sports endurance.

Slow releasing carbs:

• Reduce hunger pangs and cravings• Help avoid dramatic sugar highs and lows• Improve stamina• Sustain energy, concentration, focus• Generally unrefined providing more

vitamins, minerals and fibre, or ‘nutrient-rich’ calories, than refined carbs.

HELPS Sports

EnduranceSustained

Energy

Slow releasing carbs are sometimes called

Low Glycaemic Index (G.I.) Carbohydrates.

IMPROVED Stamina, Mood &

Concentration

Slow releasing carbs include:

• Wholegrain bread• Unprocessed cereals• Porridge oats• Long grain brown rice• Wholewheat pasta• Lentils, beans, chickpeas• Fruits like bananas, apples & pears• Vegetables like broccoli, beetroot,

carrots, peas & sweet potato.

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Session 1 USEFUL RESOURCES: FAST RELEASING CARBSEat like an athlete!

Research shows that increased consumption of foods rich in fast releasing refined carbohydrates is one of the major causes of obesity and tooth decay.

• Are quickly digested - this can help fuel muscles during exercise or quickly replenish muscles after exercise to help recovery

• Are often refined providing fewer nutrients than unrefined carbohydrates

Fast releasing carbs...

• high-sugar fizzy drinks• sweets, ice-cream• processed sugary cereals• white bread, pastries• white, short grain rice (rice pudding)• biscuits, cakes• chips & pizza

FAST, SHORT-LIVED ENERGY.Fast releasing carbohydrate-rich foods are best consumed:

• Immediately after exercise to speed recovery (15 minute magic window)

• As treats

• Fast release carbs are sometimes called high Glycaemic Index (G.I.) Carbohydrates

Fast releasing carbs:

• Provide a ‘sugar high’ – a blood-sugar rush ‘high’ followed by a slump in energy, concentration and mood

• Encourage the body to produce insulin which can lead to type 2 diabetes and are generally high in sugar and can contribute to tooth decay and obesity

Fast releasing carbohydrates are released rapidly into the bloodstream to give...

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Session 1 USEFUL RESOURCES: TOP TEN CARBS FOR SUSTAINED ENERGY

Eat like an athlete!

TOP 10 CARBOHYDRATE

RICH FOODS

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456789

105

Porridge oats

Wholewheat cereals

Bread: multigrain, granary, rye, pitta bread, chapatti

Pasta (preferably wholewheat)

Brown basmati rice

Egg noodles, couscous, quinoa

Beans

Fruit: bananas, apples, pears

Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes, butternut squash, yam, new potatoes,carrots

Malt loaf Lots of energy!

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Eat like an athlete!

Session 1 COOKING ACTIVITY: OATY BANANA PANCAKES

Split into groups of four or five.

• Address health and safety issues (see right).• Read the recipe thoroughly together and discuss the 'healthy eating'

points below.

Healthy Eating Points

This recipe has a good balance of carbs, protein and fat and will help sustain energy levels and concentration:

• Jumbo oats, wholemeal flour and banana are nutrient-rich, slow release carbs

• Eggs and buttermilk provide protein and important minerals• Agave syrup is low GI - so it has a slower release than sugar or

honey6

COOKING ACTIVITIES –

Safety and hygiene guidelines (please repeat this before all cooking activities)

Before beginning any cooking activity, please ensure that all participants are aware of the importance of hygiene in food preparation.

Here are some important rules to consider when discussing hygiene in food preparation:

• Take any jewellery off.• Tie your hair back.• Thoroughly wash and dry your hands.• Place a plaster over any cuts.• Clean the table.• Wear a clean apron.• Use separate chopping boards, plates and utensils for

chopping raw meat, poultry, fish and fresh produce (fruit and vegetables) and always wash these thoroughly after use.

• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat, poultry and fish.

• If you cough or sneeze make sure you wash your hands once again.

• Always wash and dry all equipment, clear up and wipe all surfaces after cooking activity.

This is a recipe for...

• Breakfast• Pre-exercise fuel• Sustained energy, concentration, focus• Good balance of carbs, protein, good fat, vitamins & minerals

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Method

1. Combine the dry ingredients and raisins in a mixing bowl.

2. In another bowl, briefly beat together the buttermilk, egg and oil until combined. Add to the dry mixture and gently beat until just combined.

3. Leave the batter to stand for 5 minutes.

4. Heat a frying pan or pancake pan and with a little oil and/or melted butter. The pancakes brown quickly, so keep the pan on a low heat. Spoon tablespoons of batter into the pan to form 8-10 cm diameter cakes and cook for a couple of minutes. When little bubbles appear on the surface, flip the blinis and cook on the other side for another couple of minutes until well risen and cooked through.

Ingredients

• 50g plain white flour• 50g self-raising wholemeal flour• 50g porridge oats• 1 tsp baking powder• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda• Pinch of salt• 2 tsp caster sugar (optional)• Handful of raisins (optional)• 250 ml buttermilk (or natural

yoghurt, thinned with milk)• 1 large or 2 small ripe bananas,

mashed with a fork• 1 large free-range egg• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil • 1 tbsp melted butter or

rapeseed oil to cook

Oat & Banana Buttermilk PancakesPrep: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutesServes 2/3

Everyone loves a pancake! This recipe is an all-time favourite in Kate’s house. They are light and fluffy, packed with the good stuff, brightening up any day!

Eat like an athlete!

Session 1 COOKING ACTIVITY: OATY BANANA PANCAKES

Serve hot with your favourite toppings. We like Greek yoghurt, almond butter and fruit – or a dash of maple syrup.

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Yum!

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We have a deep commitment to helping people eat better and move more. By 2025, we want every child to be able to cook 5 simple recipes by the time they leave home and understand the link between what they eat and their physical and mental wellbeing.

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Our Partnership with the YST...

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1p per pack of GO BITES + 50p per book sold go to the Youth Sport Trust.

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