Read more: 鈥�Olympic extremes: The winning formulas for London 2012鈥�
THE first modern Olympic Games were held in in 1896. Athletes鈥� diets were based on cultural norms 鈥� lots of red meat washed down with wine. Looking back, it wasn鈥檛 the healthiest option, says , sports dietician at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 have much of an idea of the link between food and fluid intake and performance back then,鈥� she says.
1896: Athens, Greece
Athletes stayed in local hotels and schools. On race morning, marathon runners were offered:
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- Breakfast: eggs, cheese, olives
- Drink: red wine
- Snack: oranges
While a high-protein diet is still recommended for sportspeople looking to boost their muscle, wine, unsurprisingly, has no benefits at all. Water was not available to runners during the race, but oranges were. They acted as the first version of a sports drink, says Pelly. 鈥淚t was the first time carbohydrates were introduced into athletes鈥� diets, which would have been important for endurance.鈥�
1904: St Louis, Missouri
Keen to avoid water from the local well, Thomas Hicks, who won the men鈥檚 marathon, swore by this reviving cocktail:
- Brandy
- Egg white
- Strychnine
Egg whites are a great source of protein, but beyond that, Hicks鈥檚 cocktail would probably cause more harm than good. 鈥淚 really can鈥檛 understand how he did so well on it,鈥� says Pelly. The alcohol and poisonous strychnine would have interfered with Hicks鈥檚 concentration and coordination, and the mixture would have sat in his stomach and caused digestive problems. Perhaps not surprisingly, Hicks collapsed after crossing the finish line. 鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly not something we would recommend,鈥� says Pelly. In any case, strychnine is now forbidden under anti-doping rules.
1932: Los Angeles, California
The 1932 games were the first to house athletes in an Olympic village.
- Breakfast: sausages, eggs, waffles, cheese, fruit
- Lunch and dinner: beef, fish, vegetables
By this time, an American-style diet was becoming popular, says Pelly. 鈥淭he focus was on hot meals that included meat and vegetables, with little attention on snacks.鈥� Protein was still thought to be the most important component of an athlete鈥檚 diet.
Around this time, the importance of hydration was being recognised. Following recommendations issued by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, the 1936 games ensured athletes competing in long-distance events were offered drinks every 3 kilometres.
1972: Munich, Germany
The first .
- Breakfast: fruit, cereal, meat
- Lunch and dinner: meat, rice or pasta, vegetables
By the late 1960s, athletes were beginning to tweak their diets based on scientific findings. The most important change was a rise in the popularity of carbohydrate-rich foods, since they had been shown to improve performance. Carbs provide a lot of energy without using up too much oxygen, which is just what an endurance athlete needs.
2000: Sydney, Australia
The move away from a protein-rich to carb-rich diet continued to optimise sports performance, with carbs consumed at every mealtime.
- Breakfast: whole-grain cereal, reduced fat milk, eggs, bacon
- Lunch and dinner: pizza, pasta, rice
In the run up to the games, dieticians what they actually wanted to eat. The answer was low-fat, carbohydrate-rich foods, along with steamed vegetables and dairy products. The team used their feedback to put together a menu, which was then assessed by the Australian Institutes of Sport.
At subsequent games, dieticians have become more involved in the provision of food in Olympic villages. They have also promoted food labelling; athletes in London will know exactly how much protein, carbohydrate and fat they are eating.
