Sport is certainly good for you. Moderate, but constant physical exercise combined with a balanced diet, should guarantee a healthy life. Despite this, there are couch lovers that spend most of the weekends on the couch or sport fanatics that dedicate all their free time to getting fit. Similarly, there are people that eat anything regardless of the nutritional value and there are diet maniacs that see “demon food” everywhere. Moderate physical exercise, without exceeding, is good not only for your body but also for your spirit: it has been proved that tissue oxygenation following regular physical exercise, benefits the brain as well as your mood; it helps to reduce anxiety and stress, improve self-esteem and favours the elimination of negative thoughts. All this happens thanks to endorphins, enzymes released during physical activity, which are similar to those found in many antidepressants. In addition, the exhilarating effect that sport gives is conducive to learning and socialising. In other words sport not only tones your body, making it slimmer and stronger, but it also “tones” your mind.
It should be said however that playing sport requires a careful and balanced diet; an optimal diet is necessary to sustain physical exercise, improve performance and fast recovery after exercising.
High-protein foods, such as meat, are recommended as they help an athlete to fight fatigue during competitions and training. Meat is rich in certain nutrients, such as amino acids, creatine and carnitine, therefore it is essential for a healthy body. These elements are also present in charcuterie products, which can therefore be included among the types of food suitable for sports people.
Charcuterie products have four fundamental characteristics: they are balanced and contain organic and bioavailable elements that carry out their action simultaneously. A detailed explanation is given below: the balance of meat depends on the fact that amino acids meet the metabolic needs of the body; therefore there is no danger of nutritional imbalances or the need for food supplements. The elements that make up charcuterie products are of the organic type, in particular the minerals, because 20-30% of the elements are entirely used by the body; they are bioavailable, as they are quickly absorbed and act simultaneously, in other words they become available only when needed by the body. In particular, cured charcuterie products such as bresaola and cured ham contain the protective elements as the special curing process does not deteriorate the active organic ingredients.
In addition, charcuterie products are rich in important minerals such as iron, which has a high bioavailability, guaranteeing a far superior assimilation than any vegetable. Other important minerals are present in good quantities including copper, zinc, selenium and chromium. The products also contain vitamins, including vitamin B1, B2, PP, B12 and E.
Among these, the most important one is certainly vitamin B12, not present in vegetables, but necessary for the formation of red blood cells, normal functioning of the nervous system and prevention of arteriosclerosis; in addition, its deficiency causes impaired cognitive function in adolescents.
