Protein help the muscle grow and gain strength while carbohydrates fuel the body for long hours of exercise ahead. Although an athlete can get protein and carbohydrates through his daily diet, he can get the large amount he needs by drinking protein shakes or eating a protein bar. There are also carbohydrates supplements in powder and bar form. As much as possible, they will avoid any food that will increase fat in their diet. In fact, if you will look at their refrigerator, all you will see are food with less fat, and sometimes, even zero fat. Despite all the concern of dieters about having fat in diet, our body needs healthy oils and fats to function properly. These foods should provide 12-15 percent of your daily calorie intake. And this is where the challenge lies -- how to extract the needed percentage from this food without consuming the excess bulk becomes a problem. This is exactly the reason why sports nutrition protein was formulated. But why take protein? Protein supplies as much as fifteen percent of calories in the body. To determine the amount of protein needed by an athlete, the following factors should be considered: his fitness level, the type of exercise along with its duration and intensity, and his overall carb and calorie intake. The last fuel source that is important for natural sports nutrition is fats. Products range from herbal dietary supplements, actual food components in dosage form such as capsules or tablets to beverages fortified with vitamins and genetically engineered designer foods, functional foods, processed foods such as cereal, soup and beverages. Functional foods, the most popular term among consumers are modifieds food or food ingredients that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains. Sports nutrition supplements need not be complicated. In the first place, health must be within reach and never difficult. However, it should not be seen as mere swallowing of pills or tablets. Sports nutrition supplements are simple in a way that they generally mean three things. First, smart training must be done in whatever sport one is in.