Why Carbs Can be a Dancer’s Best Friend

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.
www.dancernutrition.com

Want better jump height, more endurance, improved brain function and better fat burning? Then carbohydrates can be your best friend.

Should I eat a high protein, low carb diet?

There always seems to be yet another new bestselling, yet unscientific diet trend that touts low carb, high protein eating. These diets are not good for anyone, but this is especially so for the type of activity that dancers do. Certainly adequate protein is important, but the body would prefer to spare it for important physiologic functions, not burn it as fuel. Carbs provide the type of fuel that the muscles need for dance. High protein diets can lead to lower bone mineral density and increased risk for long-term diseases. Plus, such diets have not consistently shown to help with weight management over the long term ^1,2,3.

Carbs can be found in wholegrain pasta, bread, rice, quinoa, barley, dairy, all vegetables and all fruits. Of course, you should avoid simple sugars in sweets, juices, soda, refined grains and baked goods. Sugar won’t give you enough energy to get through barre, but have a simple sandwich or pasta with veggies, and you’ll dance strong all the way through grande allegro. You won’t get that same level of sustained energy from a protein shake, or a big piece of meat before class.

Weight management and carbohydrates

The main reason people believe the hype about low-carb diets like Atkins, South Beach and Paleo diets is that they do aid in weight loss…. at first. For most people, much of the weight is gained back often with a few extra pounds to spare¹. Yo- yo dieting is not what dancers need, especially when it is at the expense of their health or performance. Quick weight loss, a hallmark of low-carb diets, can lead to loss of lean mass (muscle). Going on any very low-calorie diet and losing muscle means losing the most metabolically active tissue the body has. In addition to lowering the metabolic rate, the body adjusts to the restricted calories, setting one up for an endless cycle of gaining and losing. A better strategy would be to limit simple sugars and eat smaller more frequent meals and snacks with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes as the foundation.

Carbohydrates and performance

There is no better fuel for athletic performance and brain function than carbohydrates. Complex carbs in whole grains, vegetables and fruits give the muscles a prolonged source of energy. It has been found that giving athletes carb-based snack bars between meals results in better energy output and anaerobic power, while keeping weight the same and lowering body fat⁴.

In one study carbohydrate intake prior to exercise was shown to be as effective in improving repeated jump height as the supplement creatine ⁵. The carb group didn’t gain weight but the creatine group did⁵. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes get 55-60% of their total calories from carbohydrates, and whole grains are also important sources of fiber, B-vitamins, iron and folate.

How much, and when?

Here are a few real-life examples:   

Everyone is different, but if 2000 calories are needed then 55-60% should come from carbs. That is about 275-300 grams because carbs have 4 calories per gram. Carb needs can also be calculated based on grams per kilogram of body weight. In general, recommendations are 5-8 g/kg depending on intensity of activity. So a 120lb (54.5kg) female dancer would need at least 272 grams per day.

Examples:
1 piece of bread: 12-17 grams
1 apple: 25-30 grams
1 cup quinoa or brown rice: 39-45 grams
1 cup green beans 8 grams

Long, busy class and rehearsal days

Plan ahead so that carbs and protein are eaten within one hour post exercise the day before.  Carbs should be eaten in the range of 30-60 grams per hour during the rehearsal day.

Show or audition day

If a dancer is feeling nervous and doesn’t want food sitting on their stomach, then they should be well-fueled 3-4 hours prior to the show/ audition. Then an hour or so before, opt for easy to digest carbs like pretzels, crackers or a sports beverage. High-fat and high protein foods take a bit longer to digest, so eat these in moderation if you’re nervous. Re-fuel as needed if it is a long show.

Rest day

On well-deserved days off, a dancer still needs carbs but not in the same amount as a workday.  Cut back just a little bit, and eat lots of fruits and veggies.

The subject of carbohydrate intake is big, and can’t be covered in one article. Check out my earlier Dance Informa article on glycaemic index for additional information.

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

Sources:

1. Four-Year Follow-up after Two-Year Dietary Interventions N Engl J Med 2012; 367:1373-1374. October 4, 2012.
2. Campbell TC, Campbell TM. The China Study. 2006. Benbella Books
3. Rohrman S, et al. Meat consumption and mortality – results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. BMC Medicine, 2013.
4. Benardot D, et al. Between Meal Energy Intake Effects on Body Composition, Performance, and Total Caloric consumption in athletes. Medicine & Sci in Sports and Exercise V37. 2005.
5. Koenig C, Benardot D, Cody M, Thompson W. Comparison of creatine monohydrate and carbohydrate supplementation on repeated jump height performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2008;22

How much, what kind, and when?

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD

Do dancers need extra protein? Do they need to use powders, drinks, shakes or amino acid supplements or should they just eat more?  In the wake of the highly misguided “low carb” craze and in light of all the recent headlines about how  eating too much meat and dairy can increase risk for long term diseases…what is a dancer to do?  How much is enough, what kind of protein is best, and does timing matter?

How Much?

Yes, dancers need more protein than the average non-athletic person, particularly if they are still growing adolescents.   However, it is important that we get away from this incorrect idea that most of our food should be protein and that we should avoid carbohydrates. Protein is important, but too much protein is actually harmful to the body.  Everyone is a little different, but it is recommended for athletes that 12-15% of total calories should come from protein.

What does that mean exactly?

Everyone’s caloric needs vary, but if a dancer needs approximately 2000 calories a day, then they need about 60-75 grams of protein in their diet. (This is an average and not intended to be the amount for all).  

Here are examples:

A 52 kg female dancer needs about 60-78 grams of protein each day.
A 77 kg male dancer needs about 90-108 grams
There’s a range, because different dancers have different activity levels and therefore need more calories.

Real food examples of protein content:  

What Kind?

Unless a dancer is dieting or restricting calories (which I generally don’t recommend), they can easily meet their protein needs through food alone. Supplemental protein is expensive and unnecessary. In general, people in Western society, including athletes, get far more protein than they need. It is a myth that you need to load up on protein powders, drinks, or bars or that it should form the bulk of your food intake. Carbs are actually far more important fuel for working dancers. Protein drinks and bars can be convenient for busy dancers, but it is always better to get nutrients through real food. Research shows that the risk for long-term disease such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer is significantly decreased when the majority of protein consumption comes from plant-based foods. Some examples are beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, grains, and of course vegetables.  Whey protein (isolated from cow’s milk) has been in the news lately as good for recovery.  Some whey protein supplements, such as in a recovery beverage, might help dancers bounce back on a heavy show weekend, but there can always be too much of a good thing. 

When?

The body is better able to utilize protein when it is eaten in moderate regular doses throughout the day and also post workout.

Try to divide up total daily dietary protein into regular meals and snacks. For example, a professional level dancer would need to eat a little protein (10-20 grams) every 2-3 hours during the work day.  Aim for at least 6 small meals/ snacks per day.

Try to eat 10-20 grams of protein with a balanced meal within 1 hour post-exercise. However, some studies show that the body’s muscle building/repair response will still occur if the protein is eaten within 24 hours of exercise.  

According to K. Tipton PhD “there is a limit to the amount of protein that will effectively increase the anabolic response”. Essentially, when an athlete eats up to approximately 20 grams of protein at one sitting then it may be used to build muscle, but there is no difference in muscle response when given 20-40 grams at a time. So it seems that protein loading doesn’t do any good. When total dietary protein is ingested in small, frequent amounts throughout the day then the body responds much better and can utilize it for what protein is meant for.  Eating beyond the body’s capacity to use it, means it gets stored as fat or used as fuel. And the body doesn’t really like to use protein as a fuel source.  

Excess protein…what’s the problem with eating too much?

When protein is used as fuel, particularly when there is not enough carb or fat in the diet, it is hard on the body and can actually do more harm than good. Here’s why:

• The body doesn’t like to use protein as fuel or energy. The body wants to spare valuable protein for muscle building, making hormones, enzymes, controlling fluid balance, etc.
• Excess protein means excess nitrogen, a part of protein (amino acids) that must be removed. This can be hard on the kidneys. More importantly water gets excreted in this process and can lead to dehydration. 
• High protein diets can lead to more calcium being lost from the bones, a big problem for dancers who are at higher than average risk for stress fractures.  Protein overload = weaker bones.

Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD 
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies.  Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles.   She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com   www.dancernutrition.com

Resources:
- Joint Position Statement American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise. 2009;41(3):709-731. 
- Kevin D. Tipton.  Protein Nutrition and Exercise: What is the latest?  SCAN’s Pulse spring 2011, vol. 30, no2.
- T. Colin Campbell. The China Study. Benbella Books Inc. Dallas, TX 2006
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard reference.  www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

Photos: Dreamstime