KTK-Nutrition

Who hasn’t heard the recommendation that we all should drink 8 glasses of water a day?   Yes, drinking water is good for our health.   Water is actually a nutrient we need every day.   How much water?   The Institute of Medicine recommends women consume about 91 ounces of water a day (about 11.3 cups) from food and beverages and men consume 125 ounces a day (about 15.6 cups) from food and beverages.   Thus, not just water counts but all liquids like coffee, milk, tea, juice and the many foods that contribute water.    Many people don’t think of foods as hydrating, but foods like watermelon are up to 90% water so do contribute water to our daily needs.   In fact, the Institute of Medicine notes , “About 80 percent of people’s total water comes from drinking water and beverages – including caffeinated beverages- and the other 20 percent is derived from food.”   Thus, the Institute doesn’t recommend hydration in terms of the number of glasses ...

Are you or your kids playing some sports this coming school year?  Will they be playing football , playing basketball or soccer?   Sports require not only skill but fuel – healthy nutrition to have energy for the game.   There is a lot of information on nutrition but what is reliable and what isn’t?   How important is just drinking enough water to performance?   What about salt and other electrolytes?   What should student athletes eat before games?   How can a student athlete prevent losing weight during the sports season?   I’ve known student athletes that struggle to maintain their weight during the sports season.   This week I was advising a coach on nutrition for students playing football but most of the same advice applies to students playing basketball or soccer.   In the next few weeks we will focus on sports nutrition.    What are some nutrition goals student athletes should focus on?  1.   ...