Athletes’ bodies are supposedly temples. So why do so many consume ultra-processed foods?

Even the most casual sports fan would have seen athletes gulping down sports drinks after a contest or even snacking on something like a protein ball or energy gel during a break.

There is a reason why they do this.

Athletes have special nutritional requirements to maximise their performance.

They need carbohydrates, protein, fluids and other nutrients such as electrolytes in the right amounts and at the right time to achieve their training, performance and recovery goals.

Sports dietitians promote a food-first approach, which focuses on using everyday foods to meet athletes’ energy and nutrient needs before considering sports foods.

However, sports foods are convenient alternatives to everyday foods to fuel performance. There are, however, some potential downsides to consuming them.

What are sports foods?

Sports foods are specially manufactured for athletes to provide the nutrients they may need during training or performance.

They include products like sports drinks, protein supplements, energy gels and protein bars. They are intended for sport-specific use – not to replace an everyday diet.

Why do athletes consume them?

Sports foods can be more convenient for athletes compared to everyday foods – they are easier to carry or take less time to prepare.

They can also provide safe alternatives where there are food intolerances or allergies.

Sports foods can be safe and hygienic alternatives where there’s limited availability or few storage options for food.

Pros and cons

There is strong scientific evidence that sports foods can improve performance by providing a readily available source of energy and nutrients. There is no evidence of a detrimental impact on performance.

However, there may be a detrimental impact on health due to the nature of their production and formulation. Sports foods are considered as ultra-processed foods (UPF) according to the NOVA system.

The NOVA system classifies foods into four groups based on the extent of their processing: unprocessed or minimally processed foods; processed culinary ingredients; processed foods or ultra-processed foods.

What are ultra-processed foods?

Ultra-processed foods are foods that cannot be made in a typical home kitchen because of the ingredients needed and processing techniques used. They include foods like mass-produced bread, ice-cream, lollies and ham.

They are often packaged attractively and marketed as convenient replacements for less processed foods. Many people consume ultra-processed foods in Western countries, comprising up to 60% of energy intake.

Emerging evidence has associated ultra-processed food intake with poor mental and physical health and higher rates of death.

Ultra-processed foods also have a greater impact on the environment than everyday foods, particularly through processing and packaging.

Given this, we studied how athletes felt about these products despite the recent evidence on their potential impact on health and the environment.

Our research with Australian athletes

We asked adult Australian athletes how often they trained and how often they consumed ultra-processed sports foods during the past year through an anonymous online survey.

We also asked the athletes why they chose to use sports foods (or not), what alternatives they consumed and whether they were concerned about ultra-processed foods.

One hundred and forty Australian adult athletes participating in recreational (55 athletes), local/regional (52 athletes), state (11 athletes), national (14 athletes) or international (nine athletes) sports completed the survey.

The majority identified as females (64%), who were training for individual events (64%) and trained between five and nine hours per week (49%).

What did we find?

Most of the athletes (95%) had consumed sports foods within the past year. Sports drinks were the most popular (73%), while protein supplements were used most frequently, with 40% of athletes consuming them at least once per week.

Athletes in individual sports who trained for longer periods were more likely to use sports foods.

Athletes told us everyday foods were more affordable, tasted better and there was less risk of them containing banned substances but many found them less convenient to prepare and carry while training, and with greater risk of spoilage than sports foods.

We then asked the athletes what everyday foods they use instead of ultra-processed foods. More than half of the options they listed (54%) as everyday foods were still classified as ultra-processed foods, such as lollies and muesli bars.

Half (51%) of the athletes told us they were worried about the health effects of ultra-processed foods. The half who were unconcerned said it was because they either only occasionally used sports foods, only ate them in small amounts, or used them only for training and competition.

Do we know if this impacts health or performance?

Unfortunately, there are few published studies in this space.

One small study showed high intake of ultra-processed foods compared to low intakes in athletes led to no difference in performance. However a high intake of ultra-processed foods affected their microbiome negatively.

Apart from this study, there have been no others that specifically looked at ultra-processed foods in athletes.

But what if I’m otherwise ‘healthy’?

Unfortunately, there are still possible downsides.

An umbrella review of all studies looking at eating ultra-processed foods has shown increased risk of death, heart disease, diabetes and poorer mental health with greater intakes of these foods.

And some studies have shown there are health risks from eating ultra-processed foods regardless of whether a person has an otherwise healthy diet. That means that eating ultra-processed foods may be risky even if you also eat lots of whole, fresh foods.

Although we are uncertain if all processed foods should be considered as ultra-processed, or if all of them are linked to poorer health, the consensus is generally, we should be eating less of them as part of an overall healthy dietary pattern.

Also, scientists believe the health risks of eating ultra-processed foods seem to remain regardless of how much exercise someone does. However, no one has specifically researched the role of exercise in lessening the impact of ultra-processed foods on health.

Some tips for athletes

1. Do your own meal preparation – start looking at recipes that are easy to make ahead of time, store well and can be taken with you as you train. Energy balls, muesli bars or sandwiches with jam or peanut butter are good options. The Sports Dietitians Australia website has some great suggestions.

2. Check in with your training buddies. Ask them what they eat for training and competition, and look to see what is available in your local food stores.

3. You can also let your local food outlets know you are interested in purchasing minimally processed alternatives.

4. If you need to have them for training, limit the amount of ultra-processed foods you eat for the rest of your day. Every little bit may make a difference.

5. Adhering to the recommendations of the Australian Dietary Guidelines is still important. These have been designed to reduce the risk of chronic diseases for healthy Australians, including athletes. This means eating a variety of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean meat and alternatives, and milk products and alternatives each day.

A visit with an accredited sports dietitian can help you develop a individualised food plan that includes minimally processed options to meet your personal needs and performance goals.