Clinical sports nutritionist Sally O’Neil says that from her own experience developing a sports food company called Fit Mixes, a Nutrition Facts Panel (NIP) can be done in a few minutes. minutes “with a high degree of human error and/or manipulation”.
To create a NIP, a company must enter individual ingredients and the number of grams of that ingredient for ‘one serving’ before the computer will issue an authorized table on the package, she adds.
It means that even educated customers can be fooled. “I’ve spent most of my career asking customers to understand food labels, so they can make informed choices about what they’re fueling, but right away,” says O’Neil. Even then, the food industry is letting them down.
A spokesman for the Australian Association of Dietitians and sports nutritionist for the Newcastle Knights rugby team, Trent Watson, said the findings were not surprising.
“It’s more about the dollar than the benefits offered,” he said. “It’s not going to take away from companies adding ads and making those claims because they sell products.”
And although he says some athletes use sports foods, mainly because they train for many hours a day and struggle to get enough energy, they are used sparingly and under the guidance of a nutritionist.
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For those who go to the gym three days a week for an hour, Chapple says, you can get enough protein by including chicken breast, tuna, eggs and chickpeas in your diet. The addition of sports foods is often just unnecessary calories, often a bunch of additives and sugar substitutes (researchers have identified 19 different commonly used sweeteners). . All for a premium.
O’Neil adds: “Aim to get no less than 80% of your daily nutritional needs from whole foods. “When a supplement is needed, look for stand-alone products, such as 100% creatine monohydrate, rather than a blend of ingredients. That way, you can greatly limit the chances of the nutrition boards going wrong.”
Not only very wrong but also Rarely healthier than candy bars.
“I think there’s a perception that they’re somehow healthier,” says Chapple. “And that they have some magical properties. But ultimately, this is a super-processed food.”
A spokesperson for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) said they are currently reviewing Sports Food Formula Supplement and expect the findings to be published in 2024: “Review to ensure that the regulation in the code relating to sports supplements is clearly formulated, works well, and considers the possibility of change.” new in the future. It will consider all elements of the regulation including definitions, ingredients and labeling requirements.”
“FSANZ sets the standards in the code but does not interpret or enforce them – this is the responsibility of the jurisdiction food agency in the states and territories.”
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