Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life

body for an extended period, the damage done by free radicals can be significant; it has been linked to cancer and other serious diseases. Free radicals have also been shown to cause premature signs of aging when allowed to remain in the system. A reduction of stress through better nutrition is one way to combat free radical production. Specifically, antioxidants help rid the body of free radicals, by helping it excrete them in urine and sweat.
     
    Fructose Also known as fruit sugar, fructose is naturally occurring in most fruits. Since it is very sweet, it is often extracted from fruits to sweeten other foods.
     
    Glucose Glucose is a form of simple carbohydrate and is the primary sugar found in the blood.
     
    Best Thrive source: dates.
     
    Lignans Lignans are plant-derived compounds that combine with others to fabricate the cell wall of the plant. Lignans are regarded as one of the best compounds to help protect against cancer and reduce cholesterol levels. Upon consumption of lignan-rich foods, friendly bacteria convert lignans to mammalian lignan, releasing their therapeutic attributes in the body.
     
    Best Thrive sources: flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.
     
    Net gain Net gain is the term I use to refer to the usable nutrition the body is left with once food is digested and assimilated. The more the body must work to digest food, the more energy will be lost, mostly to heat, sometimes leaving the body with a net loss.
     
    Nutrient dense Also referred to as nutrient-rich, nutrient-dense foods are those that are unrefined and, as such, packed with nutrition. Some foods are inherently more nutrient dense than others; those with high levels of antioxidants and an abundance of vitamins and minerals are said to be nutrient dense.
     
    One-step nutrition One-step nutrition is a term I have assigned to foods that contain a form of nutrients that can be directly used by the body, without having to be broken down first. For example, simple carbohydrate found in fruit can be directly used by the body for energy, with a high rate of efficiency. Amino acids and essential fatty acids are other examples of one-step nutrition. Each time nutrients are altered by the body so that it can make use of them, energy is lost.
     
    Phytonutrient Also referred to as a phytochemical, a phytonutrient is a plant compound that, by boosting the immune system, offers health benefits independent of merely its nutritional value. Classified as a micronutrient, phytonutrients are not essential for life, but they can help improve vitality and, in turn, quality of life.
     
    Best Thrive sources: vegetables, seeds, fruit, nuts, green tea, yerba maté, rooibos.
     
    Primary-source foods Crops that have been grown for direct consumption are primary-source foods. Animals that are raised for food or for their products, such as milk or eggs, are secondary-source foods. They consume primary-source foods, and then humans eat them. An extra step is added when secondary rather than primary foods are consumed, requiring more energy to be used and lost.
     
    Probiotic Probiotic is a Greek word meaning “for life.” Known as “good” bacteria, probiotics support beneficial intestinal flora.
     
    Maintaining good intestinal flora will help the body digest, process, and utilize complex carbohydrates and protein. The regular consumption of probiotics increases the bioavailability of minerals, especially calcium.
     
    Recalibrate The altering of one or more of the body’s senses, recalibration is required when trying to reduce the amount of stimuli needed to gain energy. It is used to change the body’s “perception” of food. When stimulating food is eliminated from the diet, the body will be able to gain energy from natural, whole foods and therefore have no need for unhealthy stimulating foods.
     
    Simple carbohydrate Also known as simple sugar, simple carbohydrate is prevalent in most fruits. The body’s most usable and therefore first choice for fuel, simple carbohydrate is necessary for both mental and physical activity. If the body is not fed foods that contain simple carbohydrate, it will have to convert complex carbohydrates, but that takes extra work and so is not a good use of energy.
     
    Glucose and fructose, the primary components of simple carbohydrate, are the best fuel in that they are already in a form the body can utilize. Plus, digestive enzymes are able to break them down more efficiently than they can complex