Santa Cruz Volleyball Forum

As beach volleyball players, we want lots of energy to play our best game and stay on the courts for hours on end. We know that carbohydrates provide the main source of fuel for exercising muscles and have been told that carbohydrates should be the primary focus of our diet (approximately 60-65% of total calories).

However, we also know that carrying around extra pounds acquired in the winter months doesn’t make jumping out of the sand any easier (is it ever easy?). It can be tempting to think about cutting back on carbohydrates to lose some weight. After all, carbohydrates are a food group that is really easy to overdo, right? Have you ever wondered…."Where the heck did the entire package of crackers go? They were just here a minute ago!”

What if you could provide fuel to your exercising muscles and lose weight at the same time? Good news! It is possible if you replace the refined grains in your diet (like white flours and white rice) with whole grains. Read on for a brief explanation of why whole grains make all the difference:

Whole Grains contain all three parts of the grain, which are the bran, the germ and endosperm.

The outer layer of the grain is known as the bran. It’s the main source of the grain’s fiber and also has phytochemicals and minerals. This is generally stripped off of the grain and put into breakfast cereals, like bran flakes.

The germ is a significant source of B vitamins, vitamin E, antioxidants, phytochemicals and minerals. This is generally removed and sold as wheat germ.

The endosperm (center of the grain) provides complex carbohydrates in the form of starch. This is made into flour and it is what we are consuming when we eat refined carbohydrates—like white bread, pasta and crackers.

So, what does any of this have to do with weight? Well, when you eat a refined carbohydrate (all starch, little to no nutrients) it causes a spike in blood sugar, which in turn increases your insulin levels. High insulin levels will eventually cause your blood sugar to drop. The low blood sugar equals low energy, irritable mood and food cravings. Before you know it, you're raiding the cabinets for any high carbohydrate snack you can get your hands on!

By substituting whole grains for the refined carbohydrates in your diet, you can have energy to exercise and lose a few pounds in the process. The nutrients contained in the bran and germ of whole grains, especially fiber, slows down the entrance of sugar into the blood stream, helping to regulate those sugar spikes. Plus, fiber provides a feeling of fullness so you are less likely to overeat, providing a natural portion control mechanism.

Yea! You can have your healthy whole grain cake and eat it too! Here are some tips for adding whole grains to your diet:

1. Be sure to buy whole grain bread. When choosing bread look for 100% whole grain as the first ingredient. I love Alvarado Street Bread—a wonderful sprouted grain bread made with whole grains.
2. Experiment with different whole grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet and barley.
3. If you eat pasta, purchase whole grain pastas (like brown rice or whole wheat) instead of white pasta.

Of course, healthy food is only good for you if you eat it! So, to help you start experimenting with different whole grains, I have included a wonderful recipe below for a Three Mushroom Barley Stew. Also, be sure to check out my Quinoa and Black Bean Salad posted under healthy eating. Both are extremely satisfying and will give you loads of energy for the long days of volleyball!

Please visit my website at www.nourishingnutrition.com and enter your email to receive free recipes, healthy eating and cooking tips as well as information on upcoming cooking classes and healthy eating workshops.

Three Mushroom and Barley Stew
Serves 4-6

This hearty earthy stew is like wintertime in a bowl! I love the following combination of mushrooms, but use any mushrooms or combination you like.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup red wine
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 teaspoons arrowroot dissolved in 1/4 cup water or vegetable stock
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup barley
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Pour the oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to release liquid, about 3-5 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add the red wine and simmer for 3 minutes or until mushrooms have soaked up liquid.

Add remaining ingredients, except balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until barley is cooked, about 30 minutes and stew is thickened. Before serving, stir in vinegar. Serve this stew with hearty whole grain bread.

Jennifer Brewer, MS, CNS is a Certified Nutritionist and Natural Foods Chef in Santa Cruz, CA. She is the Culinary Educator at New Leaf Community Markets. You can find her online at www.nourishingnutrition.com.

I feel whole grains are much better than white floor products but they should represent only a small % of our daily diet. Overall, whole grains are still low nutrient foods compared to fruits and vegetables. Most bread products contain added salt which is not healthy. It can lead to all kinds of health problems including high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

Studies have shown that vegetarians and vegans who eat salt are more susceptible to a certain type of stroke than meat eaters. I also feel there is no need to add oil to recipes; at 120 calories per tablespoon it is very easy to add excessive calories to our daily intake. If a person were to eat 2 tablespoons of olive oil a day, which many do thinking olive oil is healthy, would add 87,000 calories a year of pure fat. I also feel recipes should leave out all added salt.

So if you want more energy at the beach go with more fruits, vegetables and beans and small amounts of nuts and seeds in your daily diet and cut back on the grains.
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Article by Dr Joel Fuhrman
As you well know by now, to eat healthfully, fruits and vegetables should form the base of your food pyramid. That means that grains should be consumed in a much smaller amount than you were most likely eating before you began this plan. Grains simply do not contain enough nutrients per calorie to form a substantial part of your diet.

Many scientific studies show a strong association between the consumption of white flour products, such as pasta and bread, with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.1 Refined carbohydrates are also linked to enlargement of the prostate.2 These results continue to show that eating white flour and sweeteners is nutritional suicide that will undermine your health. Whole grains are the least nutrient-dense food of the seed family, and they do not show the powerful protection against disease that is apparent in the scientific studies of fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, raw nuts, or seeds. Just because a food is called “whole grain” or “organic” does not make it a good food. Many whole-grain cold cereals are so processed and overly cooked that they have lost most of their nutritional value. Because these foods were dry-baked to make them crisp, they are also generally high in acrylamides and other toxic compounds. Soaking, sprouting, or cooking grains in water, instead of eating pre-cooked breakfast cereals, is a much healthier and more nutritious way to eat them. Some of the healthier grains to consume include barley, buckwheat (kasha), millet, oats, quinoa, and wild rice. As a minor part of your diet, they can be water-cooked and used as a breakfast cereal with fruits and nuts or a dinner side dish.

White potato is also not a high-nutrient food, and many studies reveal an association between a diet high in white potato and obesity and diabetes.3 Granted these studies may be biased by the way potatoes are consumed, often fried or loaded with butter or sour cream, but, nevertheless, because of their relatively low-nutrient density and their high glycemic index they should play a minor role in your diet. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and peas are much healthier options.