The
human body is made up of microscopic cells of different types. Each
cell is an individual functional unit. It is capable of performing
innumerable functions, which collectively support the entire body.
The
ability of the body to perform optimally under any situation for the
entire life is a way of defining fitness and health.
The
fuel needed for each and every cell is energy, which is measured in
calories. Energy is the basic requirement of survival of any human
being or for that matter any living organism.
Sources
Food
provides us energy through various sources. One of the most
abundantly available sources is carbohydrates. We get carbohydrates
from cereals, pulses, and vegetables.
The
requirement of carbohydrates is based on individual requirements
depending on the age, gender, body composition, body weight, age,
lifestyle and so on.
For
example, a sportsperson who is 25 years old will need more
carbohydrates as compared to another 25-year-old who is working in
the office for eight hours sitting in a chair.
Functions
The
prime function of carbohydrates is to provide energy, and the second
most important function is to spare the proteins in the diet to
perform their prime function of growth and repair of tissues.
In
the absence or deficiency of carbohydrates, the body uses proteins
for energy, and in the bargain the body is deprived of sufficient
proteins for growth and repair of the tissues.
Besides,
these carbohydrates are needed in the diet for allowing the body to
be able to burn fat as a source of energy after a good workout.
Energy storage
Cereals
are a good source of carbohydrates. Our body stores energy in two
compartments - the muscles and fat cells.
The
more the muscles in strength and density the more is our basal
metabolic rate (BMR). Basal metabolic rate is our ability to use fat
as a source of energy at rest in a given 24 hours of time. Higher the
BMR, the fitter and healthier is our body.
The
fitness of any individual depends on his/her BMR. Therefore
maintaining high muscle density is the goal of any fitness regime.
As
we age, our muscles become worn out, and we lose them every passing
year of our life after the age of 30.
This
entire slow process of degenerating muscles is aging. Aging invites
innumerable medical disorders, which lead to further deterioration of
the body.
Nutrition and exercise
Optimum
nutrition and regular exercise are the two keys to anti-aging.
Optimum
nutrition starts with providing the right kind of food in the diet on
a daily basis and at right quantity and frequency. Exercising
individuals need their nutrition to be closely monitored so that they
are able to progress in the exercise intensity, which further ensures
maintaining the muscles and therefore the BMR.
Non-exercising
individuals have to be even more particular about their food intake
to see to it that they are able to maintain their health with diet
alone. Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of
the grain.
Quality and quantity
Cereals
include whole grains like wheat, oats, quinoa, wheat flakes, jowar,
bajra, nachni, rice, barley, millets and rye.
These
are the staple foods of most of the populations of the world. They
are highly misunderstood by the modern fitness professionals, as they
are a rich source of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates
are considered to be providing dense calories, which may be
detrimental to the health of the people who are obese and/or
diabetic.
Therefore,
many fitness professionals do not plan meals with cereals for such
individuals.
But
technically, we should include the right kind of cereals in the right
quality and quantity and in the right frequency to the diets.
Cereals
are also a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, which the body
is deprived of in diets that do not include cereals.
A
smart nutrition plan has cereals planned in the right meals,
especially in meals like breakfast and lunch, so that the body gets
good amount of energy to start the day.
Instant
cereals like muesli, oats and wheat flakes, added to skimmed milk,
make an excellent breakfast meal and/or evening snack.
In
a nutrition plan which has six meals, at least four should have
cereals combined with a serving of vegetables for fibre and a portion
of good quality protein like chicken or fish or eggs.
These
breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals so as to
meet up the complete nutrient requirements of the person on a daily
basis.
Components
Right
from childhood, cereals are a very important component of our diets.
After a baby is weaned form the mother’s milk, the first solid food
that we introduce in the baby’s meal is a cereal.
A
cereal also makes a very good pre-workout meal for an athlete or a
person working out in the gymnasium.
Patients
recovering from surgery or a chronic illness need to be started on
cereals before we put them on a regular diet.
It
is the kind of cereals that need to be modified as per the
individual’s requirement.
For
example, a person heading to the gymnasium to work out on skeletal
muscles needs a cereal which will get digested slowly and provide
energy slowly to the body, so that he/she can exercise with optimum
intensity for the entire duration without fatiguing and draining the
precious muscles.
A
person recovering in the hospital is given rice gruel to start as the
first solid meal so as to allow the digestive system to be able to
adapt to the intense dynamic digestion process.
A
baby is given a processed instant cereal, so that it is easily
digested and provides other nutrients, which may be fortified
according to its needs.
A
person wanting to lose weight/body fat will be given cereals like
oats and wheat as lunch and breakfast, but cereals may be avoided for
such a person to create carbohydrate deprivation in the latter meals
of the day to force the body to use fat as a source of energy and
thus lead to fat loss.
This
is how the manipulation of this very versatile food can be done to
provide fitness.
In
old age the digestion is sluggish and physical activities reduce.
Thus, cereals that are light and easy to digest, but provide
important vitamins and minerals are given. These include quinoa,
oats, brown rice, and buck wheat.
Convenience foods for diabetics
Diabetics
are always fighting with their body to metabolise carbohydrates,
which becomes challenging for a diabetic.
Thus
slow-absorbed cereals like barley, oats, and muesli are given to
them, but instantly absorbed cereals like white rice, corn flakes and
sago are completely avoided in their diets.
Easily
digested and absorbed cereals like rice, puffed rice and sago convert
their sugar into blood sugar very fast and that then goes to fat
cells very quickly, leading to morbid obesity and high unmanageable
blood glucose levels.
Since
cereals are available in the packaged form, easily they are very
convenient foods for people who travel a lot.
They
are packaged in hygienic environment to ensure preventing infection
of the digestive system when eaten on a train or in a car or on a
flight as compared to eating cereals from roadside stalls.
Whatever
be your fitness goals, cereals can be very conveniently used in the
diet plans to help you reach your goal if planned smartly over the
entire day.
They
are like the main driver of the vehicle of your body. Without
cereals, one may end up with chronic nutrient deficiencies.
Let
them be the driving force of the fitness regime, and allow the other
nutrients to do more important tasks and support the body for optimum
fitness.
(The
author is a clinical and sports nutrition consultant. She can be
contacted at sveta1365@gmail.com)
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