In an era where everything is more technological, even nutrition is no exception. And professional cycling, as we've learned, not only keeps pace but often leads the way. Erica Lombardi, dietitian on the team Astana-Premier Tech, let's talk about meat and more precisely let's try to make a comparison between white and red meat.
«This distinction between white meat and red meat is above all commercial if not gastronomic – Lombardi begins – I'd talk more about butchered meat and farmyard meat. The former include cattle, sheep, horses, and pigs. The latter include chickens, turkeys, rabbits, and so on. What determines the different color is the amount of hemoglobin and myoglobin, which contain a greater amount of a type of iron called "heme." All meats contain so-called "noble proteins" compared to, for example, plant-based proteins, as they have a more complete amino acid complement.
Better red or white?
«White meat is more digestible as it has shorter and thinner fibres. Contrary to popular belief, white meat is preferable before intense exercise. The night before a big stage, I don't give my athletes a cut of meat, which might make them sleep even worse. While red meat is fine for recovery, if it takes them a little longer to digest, it's not a problem. There's also a third option, for intermediate efforts, which is to eat some meat. young veal, whose composition is a cross between red and white meat.
"The quantity? It depends on individual needs and what needs to be done. Usually the average of meat In a single meal, it could be around 200 grams raw, but you have to be careful not to ingest an excessive total quantity of proteins coming from other foods as well. If we eat 100 grams of pasta, we're also ingesting proteins—not noble ones, but proteins nonetheless. It's very easy to exceed our daily protein requirement."
The importance of cutting
Lombardi then discusses cuts. For the Tuscan dietitian, these are very important and present significant differences. Offal, for example, is the best in terms of vitamins and minerals, but on the other hand, it also contains the most fat.
«Generally – explains Lombardi – the rule says that the thinner the cuts, the more digestible they are. Generally speaking, lean cuts (fillet, breast, etc.) are always good... But then another factor comes into play: cooking. I've had athletes, even strong ones, who wanted meat 3-4 hours before a race. Of course, I gave them white meat. For breakfast, they ate chicken. Which is fine, since it's just a matter of digestibility.
«Proteins must be preserved and basically the less you cook them, the more intact they remain. For this reason, cooking for too long is not recommended for protein preservation purposes. Grilling, which is usually done with red meat, tends to significantly alter the meat's properties. The black color that forms is oxidation, which is unhealthy. Cooking in a nonstick pan is better.
"And the same goes for processing. Think about cold cuts: the further they are from their origin, the more altered they are. Maybe not so much in terms of proteins, but in everything else: preservatives, additives, fewer vitamins..."
Top absorption
It is then important to be able to take in the maximum amount of nutrients that foods offer. In the case of meat, we think about protein, but there are not only those.
Caffeine, fiber… could limit iron absorption. In this sense, cooking and food preparation are very important. If I make chicken with butter, increasing the fat could limit protein absorption. It's better to make it with lemon. And speaking of lemon: there is a diet called Tredici-Icoponi and Arcelli (which is done for a limited period of time) in which proteins and foods rich in vitamin C are combined away from all other meals. Basically, for breakfast I get up and eat bresaola and juice. Two hours later, I eat the rest.
«If it's cold, all digestive processes could be slowed down and in my opinion, even if it may seem like a paradox, it's better to prefer lean proteins. Because it's true that in cold weather, fats would theoretically be needed to maintain body temperature, but in that case, it's better to choose lean cuts and combine them with non-saturated fats. Then it is better to make combinations like egg white and avocado, turkey breast and almonds."
