[Part 5] A Winning Body is Built Through Diet - Nutrition Strategy for High School Baseball Players - Chapter 2: Nutritional Strategy for Building the Body "Protein - The Building Blocks of the Body"
Last time, we organized the relationship between the five major nutrients and energy. Excluding water and fat, the human body is made almost entirely of protein.
Not only muscles, but also
• Internal organs
• Blood
• Hormones
• Enzymes
• Immune cells
and all other cells in the human body rely on protein as a major structural and functional element. In other words, building a bigger, stronger body is also a question of how you consume protein.
When people hear about foods high in protein, many might think of "chicken breast." While chicken breast is indeed a high-protein food, in reality,
• Tuna
• Bonito
• Sardines
and other fish contain as much, if not more, protein than meat. Furthermore, the fats found in fish include beneficial fatty acids like EPA and DHA. Therefore, it is important to get protein from a variety of foods, including both meat and fish.
There is one important thing to note here. Meat and fish contain about 20% protein. This means that even if you eat 100g of meat or fish, you only get about 20g of protein. Because of this, it is surprisingly difficult to meet your daily requirements using only meat and fish. This is where building up protein intake through side dishes becomes important.
For example,
• Adding tofu to miso soup
• Adding natto
• Adding edamame to salads
• Consuming dairy products
These small additions can significantly change your total daily protein intake. Take milk, for example. Drinking 1L of milk provides about 40g of protein.
So, how much do you actually need to consume? The daily guideline for high school baseball players is
"Body weight (kg) x 2-3g"
.
For example, if you weigh 70kg,
"140-210g"
.
There is some data that can serve as a reference here. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average protein intake for Japanese people is about 1g per kg of body weight. This means that if you are eating regular home-cooked meals, you can assume you are getting about 1g per kg. Therefore, the key for high school baseball players is how to get that additional 1-2g/kg.
For example,
foods that can easily supplement protein include:
• Canned tuna: approx. 12.6g
• Canned mackerel: approx. 31.5g
• Fish sausage: approx. 8g
• Chikuwa (fish cake): approx. 8g
• One pack of natto: approx. 8g
• One pack of tofu: approx. 7.5g
By combining these foods effectively, you can build up your protein intake.
For example, it is said that Shohei Ohtani, who plays in Major League Baseball, eats nine hard-boiled eggs a day. One egg contains about 6-7g of protein. This means he is getting about 60g of protein from hard-boiled eggs alone. Of course, this is just part of his diet, and meat, fish, and dairy products are added to this. The important thing is not to copy him exactly, but
to understand the "standard" that top athletes naturally consume such amounts.
If you cannot get enough from meals alone, you can also use protein powder. Protein powder is a nutritional supplement made from ingredients like milk or soybeans. In other words, you can think of it as protein extracted from food.
While domestic products often have relatively simple ingredients, some overseas protein powders contain additives like artificial sweeteners. While many overseas products may taste better, it is important to understand these characteristics and choose according to your goals. Protein powder is not a magic food. It should be used strictly as a "nutritional supplement."
There is one more important thing. Protein is essential, but more is not necessarily better. Generally, an intake of 2-3g per kg of body weight is considered safe. On the other hand, extreme intake of 3.5-4g/kg or more should be avoided. Research has reported that an intake of about 3g per kg of body weight does not cause harmful changes to kidney function. The key is not quantity, but appropriateness.
And finally, there is one more important point. Muscles are not built by consuming protein alone. If energy is insufficient, the body will use protein as energy. This means your muscles will be broken down. That is why carbohydrates are so important.
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Next time, we will organize information on carbohydrates, which are the most important energy source for baseball players.
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In body building, diet is "effort that surpasses talent."
Your body is built by the accumulation of your daily choices.
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*I support athletes' body building through on-site nutrition seminars.