Good fats Vs Bad fats – why those fish and chips are doing you more damage than you realise! By Kimberly Taylor, nutritionalist.

Are you typically ‘rewarding yourself’ for all that hard work with a greasy meal? You are not alone. Many people decide to treat themselves with something they know is not the best food for athletic performance.

But do you know the real damage those greasies are doing? Some fats are healing for the body while other fats leave us tired, fatigued, sick and aging fast!

Fat is a broad nutritional category – some people avoid it like the plague, some people eat far too much. Love it or hate it, fat is one of those fuels that the human body cannot live without.

Ultimately good quality fat lubricates the body to function smoothly, our brain mops it up, as do all our joints and hormones! But the type of fat we feed the body is the key to ultimate health.

Omega-3 fats are part of a category called essentially fatty acids – these are an ‘essential’ part of our diet as the body cannot produce these fats alone, therefore eating them is the only way we can get enough.

Cyclists needs Omega -3 fats

Good quality omega-3 fats are essential for health but cyclists specifically require omega-3 fatty acids for:

• Energy production – Omega-3 is a critical link between oxygen and electron transport, ultimately increasing energy production.

• Oxygen transfer – Essential fatty acids pull oxygen from our lungs into our blood stream like a magnet.

• Recovery from fatigue – omega-3 fats substantially shorten the time required for fatigued muscles to recover after exercise as they facilitate the conversion of lactic acid to water and carbon dioxide.

• Healing of tissue injuries, sprains and bruises – Omega-3’s have potent anti-inflammatory properties and progress the tissue healing process faster and more effectively.

So what is a ‘bad fat’ and what makes it so bad?

Roughly speaking, a ‘bad fat’ is any fat or oil that has been processed, altered, fried, deep-fried, hydrogenated, or is rancid/old.

These fats basically poison our cells, decreasing cell (and athletic) performance. They inhibit cell respiration, significantly reduce energy levels, interfere with digestive processes, reduce absorption of nutrients, irritate the bowel, and increase allergy reactions.

Above all, the body uses up an enormous amount of energy to process this kind of fat, leaving far less energy for muscles and athletic performance. These fats also negatively impact on cardiovascular health, reproductive health, mental performance and aging.

So what should I choose?

To maximise energy production cyclists need to use good quality omega-3 fatty acids from fish (especially salmon, tuna, sardines…) and shellfish (mussels, oysters, scallops and so on).

Vegetarian sources include flaxseed oil or freshly ground linseeds, avocado, cold-pressed vegetable oils (ie. safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, sesame), walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and good quality tahini paste. Remember not to use the above vegetable oils for cooking as they lose their health-giving benefits when heated.

Athletes who use high-dose good quality omega-3 fatty acids report increased stamina (ie. longer performance before fatigue sets in). They reach higher performance plateaus and recover from fatigue faster after exercise more quickly than they did before taking omega-3’s.

In my clinic, clients who regularly use high quality fish oil notice better joint movements, hormone production, less inflammation and muscular pain, and general body resilience than previously.

Maximising energy production without creating toxic side effects widens the competitive edge in sport. Optimum health and optimum energy production are fundamental assets for athletes at any level of competition. Competitors who squander these assets win fewer races, suffer more injuries and take longer to heal and recover.

Don’t let poor nutrition push you out of the race.

October,09.

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About Kimberly Taylor

Kimberly is a Clinical Nutritionist and a Naturopath. She is based in Wellington and works with cyclists and endurance athletes using high performance nutrition to boost their general health and performance. She is also specialised in working with women's health, fertility and hormonal issues.

With a life-long interest in nutrition, food and cooking, Kimberly started her naturopathic studies in London. After nearly four years overseas, she headed back to New Zealand to complete her qualifications in naturopathy, herbal medicine and clinical nutrition. Kimberly also holds a bachelor of Commerce and Arts from Otago University.

To book an appointment with Kimberly, contact Zest Natural Health within City Osteopaths on 04) 499 1439 or 021 421 380. Alternatively email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.zestnaturalhealth.co.nz (site currently under construction)