Essentials of Nutrition for Sports

The American Heart Association recommends that those with
documented coronary heart disease consume 1 gram per day of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid combined.

Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid may be helpful

to diabetics. There is little evidence that intakes of less than 3 grams per day have side effects.

Heart-Healthy Fat

Fat Key Points •^

Keep total fat intake less than 30% of daily calories.

There are 9 calories in a gram of fat.

The maximum fat allowance in a 2,100-calorie diet is 70

grams a day.

-^

Dietary fat should be mostly mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids

-^

Polyunsaturated fatty acids provide essential fatty acids (linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid).

-^

Keep saturated and

trans

fat less than 10% of daily calories.

-^

Keep cholesterol intake less than 300 milligrams daily.

-^

High blood levels of LDL and to

tal cholesterol are dangerous.

-^

High levels of HDL cholesterol are desirable.

-^

Exercise regularly to raise HDL levels.

For a discussion of fat names and chemistry, see

Fats: Types,

Structure

on page

74

.

For more information about cholesterol, including LDL and

HDL cholesterol, see the free supplement to this book available through at: http://roadbikerider.com/nutritionforsportssupplement.htm

.

Overall Fat Allowance

Total adult fat intake is heart-

healthy between 20% and 30% of

total energy intake.

This range allows for sufficien

t intakes of essential nutrients

while keeping the intake of saturated

fatty acids at moderate levels.

The maximum daily heart-healthy recommendation is to get no

more than 30% of calories from fat.

Nutrition for Sports, Essentials of 87