{"id":15363,"date":"2026-01-27T16:14:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T16:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/sport-and-nutrition-the-role-of-grains\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T17:58:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T17:58:36","slug":"nutrition-and-sport-grains-sportsman-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/nutrition-and-sport-grains-sportsman-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"SPORT and nutrition: the role of GRAINS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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A true elixir for our health, playing sports habitually has always been at the top of the new year\u2019s resolution list for many of us, knowing well how important sport is not only to get rid of excess weight, but also to maintain optimal health in the short and long term, both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n

So, you have decided to stop being lazy and finally join a gym or that tennis club you\u2019ve been procrastinating over for a long time, and you feel charged and motivated not to give up. That\u2019s great, but remember, adequate physical activity alone, even though fundamental, is not enough to achieve your set objectives.<\/p>\n

Sports and nutrition\u00a0<\/strong>are tied very closely together and are both worthy of attention: in order not to frustrate our efforts and make the most of our training, along with physical activity we must also follow a\u00a0correct and balanced diet<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Having already explored the importance of\u00a0pulses as allies in sport<\/strong><\/a>, let\u2019s now take a look at the fundamental role that grains play in athletes diets.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The role of grains in sports nutrition<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Extraordinary and complete\u00a0source of energy<\/strong>,\u00a0grains<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0should be central to our diet. Grains are a food that, after having been overshadowed by high-protein diets popular in recent years, has returned to be highly recommended by nutritionists for its valuable content in\u00a0carbohydrates<\/strong>, a macro nutrient from which about\u00a050% of the calories\u00a0<\/strong>needed for us to carry out our normal daily activities come from.1<\/sup><\/p>\n

Carbohydrates are essential especially for those who do physical activity: they are the main nutrients that provide\u00a0energy supply to muscles<\/strong>, and the intake of carbohydrates in a\u00a0pre-workout diet<\/strong>\u00a0has a strong impact on performance.\u00a0Slow-release energy\u00a0<\/strong>supply from carbohydrates is what athletes need most, and their consumption (preferably in the form of whole-grain carbohydrates), combined with\u00a0protein\u00a0<\/strong>and a\u00a0modest amount of fats<\/strong>\u00a0(such as nuts and oil seeds) in a single meal actually avoids the sudden increase in blood sugar levels (so-called\u00a0glycaemic peaks<\/em>), guaranteeing a better distribution of energy during sports activity.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The best grains for athletes<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In addition to carbohydrates, grains are an important source of energy due to their high content of\u00a0fibre, vitamins<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0minerals<\/strong>. Their habitual consumption offers a goldmine of benefits\u00a0even after training\u00a0<\/strong>for those who regularly engage in aerobic-type physical activity, as well as those who practice endurance sports.<\/p>\n

Here are the\u00a0most recommended grains in sports nutrition<\/strong>3<\/sup><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Barley<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 with beneficial effects on the liver, it is responsible for the elasticity of our muscles and the good functioning of ligaments. It helps to\u00a0combat fatigue<\/strong>\u00a0after training and to\u00a0prevent inflammation<\/strong>\u00a0caused by intense efforts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Spelt<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 considered the \u201cwheat of health\u201d, thanks to its richness in fibre and nutrients such as sodium, potassium and iron, it provides a lot of energy and is ideal for\u00a0increasing muscle mass<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Buckwheat<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 thanks to its high protein content, it helps maintain high immune defences and guarantees\u00a0excellent performance<\/strong>, as well as improving the functionality of the kidneys, the true \u201cbatteries\u201d of our body.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Quinoa<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 the pseudo grain related to spinach, it is much loved by sportsmen for its\u00a0energising effect<\/strong>\u00a0due to its good share of minerals and vitamins (magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin E).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Millet\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 highly recommended to athletes for its\u00a0anti-inflammatory\u00a0<\/strong>and alkalising\u00a0properties<\/strong>, it relaxes the spleen and the pancreas thus helping to\u00a0loosen the muscles<\/strong>\u00a0of the whole body and\u00a0give strength to legs and arms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Well aware of how adequate exercise, combined with a healthy diet, is the right way to achieve and maintain psychophysical well-being, we at\u00a0Pedon\u00a0<\/strong>have tried to encourage the consumption of grains by making them\u00a0enticing and easily available\u00a0<\/strong>even for those who practice physical activity.<\/p>\n

Our\u00a0I Salvaminuti<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0range, with its supply of complex carbohydrates, fibres and minerals, is an excellent solution to allow those who practice sports to have a fast, varied and nutritious meal based on\u00a0grains\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0grains and pulses.<\/strong>\u00a0From\u00a0classic grains\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 such as\u00a0Spelt\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Barley\u00a0<\/em>\u2013 to\u00a0Soups and Minestrone<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 such as\u00a0Grains<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Lentils<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 from fun\u00a0Mixes for Salad<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 such as those with\u00a0Bulgur, Quinoa\u00a0<\/em>or the\u00a0Spelt Mix<\/em>\u00a0enriched with\u00a0pumpkin seeds<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 to super imaginative\u00a0Alternative Risottos<\/strong>\u00a0(called like this as they are prepared like a risotto even without rice!) such as\u00a0Grains and Peas\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0Millet and Lentils<\/em>. Even the\u00a0Gluten Free<\/strong>\u00a0range, with its\u00a0Ancient<\/em>\u00a0Grains\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0Corn and Quinoa\u00a0<\/em>options, is perfect for staying in shape \u2013 as well as the enriched grains from the\u00a0Rich In<\/strong>\u00a0line, which includes highly beneficial\u00a0Whole Wheat Spelt.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bibliography<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  1. \u201cI carboidrati negli alimenti: tabelle nutrizionali\u201d Scienzavegetariana.it da Fonte: Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione, Tabelle di Composizione degli Alimenti, Source\u00a0scienzavegetariana.it<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. \u201cI cereali che non devono mancare sulla tavola degli sportivi\u201d-\u00a0 David Lloyd Blog di Fitness Nutrizione Famiglia,\u00a0 Source\u00a0blog.davidlloyd.it<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. \u201cI cereali degli sportivi\u201d Macrolibrarsi\u00a0 Alternativa Naturale \u2013 Michela Montagner diplomata Guida alla Terapia Alimentare presso l\u2019Accademia Italiana Fitness in Nutrizione per lo sport, Source\u00a0macrolibrarsi.it<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A true elixir for our health, playing sports habitually has always been at the top of the new year\u2019s resolution list for many of us, knowing well how important sport is not only to get rid of excess weight, but also to maintain optimal health in the short and long term, both physically and mentally. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-we-win-you-over-every-day"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15363"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15364,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15363\/revisions\/15364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pedon.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}