ABSTRACT
The links between food and performance have always held the interest of sportsmen and sportswomen (collectively called athletes). All too frequently, it is the influence of supplements on performance, rather than commonly available foods, which have attracted the attention of sportsmen and women. Many sports have a ‘food culture’ of their own and pass on perceived wisdom from generation to generation almost untouched by the advances in nutritional sciences. The tenacity with which strength athletes cling to their belief that training is only effective when it is accompanied by a high protein diet is one such example.
