More than 50 UFC athletes eat UFC Ignite on a weekly basis as part of their fight camp preparation. Developing an at-home meal delivery program that ensures macros, taste, and diverse flavors all work in unison to support a variety of health goals took 10 UFC Performance Institute nutritionists and chefs and 2+ years of trials, testing, and refinement.
Curious about what makes a meal program strong enough to support some of the toughest athletes in the world? Learn more about the 5 nutritional priorities the Performance Institute team considered when creating the program.
Protein
UFC Ignite meals have specific protein ranges for various wellness goals, with some of the larger meals offering up to 60g of protein per meal.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are responsible for many key areas of wellness, including:
- Muscle building and repair
- Recovery and adaption
- Hormones, enzymes, and immune health
- Satiety and weight management
- Focus and mental acuity
“While protein may be everywhere, the quality of protein is not discussed at large,” says Charles Stull, Senior Director of Performance Nutrition. “When creating UFC Ignite meals, we carefully considered what kind of protein and amino acids we were adding.”
Charles goes on to explain that the team took the leucine threshold into account. Leucine is an essential amino acid that the body can’t make on its own, so it has to come from a food source. When you hit the threshold, it tells muscles to start repairing and growing.
“So, even though there’s so many protein-enhanced options on shelves today, it doesn’t necessarily mean the item includes a complete amino acid, which means it may not correlate or support muscle growth and recovery,” Charles explains. “UFC Ignite meals were created with a focus on including complete amino acids, with some meals delivering up to 60g of protein per meal.”
Carbs
The question of carbs is one the Performance Institute is used to fielding, especially when it comes to cutting out carbs. However, the team has a clear stance on carbohydrate levels needed to support performance.
“It’s very easy to create an elimination diet to facilitate changes in body mass,” says Charles. “However, getting rid of carbs means you’re eliminating ⅓ of the essential macros your body needs.”
The UFC Performance Institute team believes that long term, sustainable change is based on a balance of macronutrient diversity. On the whole, eating a balance of the three macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats) will give you the best chances of sticking with a change in diet.
Carbs are important to satiety, energy levels, and post-workout recovery, which is why each UFC Ignite meal includes complex carbs, like whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables.
Fats
At a surface level, the role of fats as a macronutrient can easily be misunderstood. To understand the science behind fats in performance nutrition, let’s review the 3 main types:
- Unsaturated fats: often known as “healthy fats.” Unsaturated fats can reduce bad cholesterol levels and provide nutrients to support your body’s cells. They’re often found in lean meat, beans, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds.
- Saturated fats: typically found in dairy and meat. A diet high in saturated fats can raise “bad” cholesterol, which is why it’s recommended to limit saturated fat to around 120g per day, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
- Trans fats: typically found in fast food, processed snacks, and bakery goods. Trans fats raise “bad” cholesterol and lower “good” cholesterol.
The UFC Performance Institute team focused on adding Omega-3 fatty acid sources, like salmon, beans, and nuts to many of the meals to provide a healthy fat profile. Across the Cut, Maintain, and Build lines, UFC Ignite meals contain 0 trans fats. In the larger build meals, saturated fats are capped around 15g, so even if you ate 3 build meals over the course of the day, you’d still be at less than half of the recommended saturated fat limit.
“Fats are an essential macronutrient and calorie component,” says Heather Felt, UFC Performance Institute Nutrition Manager. “You’ll see fats included in most meals, but the Build meals are naturally higher in fats because of the higher calorie levels. Even so, they’re still pretty balanced from a macronutrient perspective.”
“Fats are also necessary to create the mouth feel and satiety of the meals,” adds Charles. “Flavor profile and enjoyment is a really important consideration when you’re looking to support long-term changes in body composition, physique, and strength through nutrition.”
Sodium
Sodium is another essential nutrient that your body needs to function. Sodium is a mineral that supports nervous system function, internal fluid balance, and helps muscles contract properly. The body doesn’t naturally produce sodium, and with a high-performance lifestyle, you constantly lose sodium via sweat.
On the whole, UFC Ignite meals are capped around 800mg of sodium, which is around ⅓ of the daily sodium recommendation. Given this range, the UFC Performance Institute isn’t concerned about the sodium content, especially for performance athletes who are looking to replenish themselves after a tough workout.
“One of the most popular supplements on the market is electrolytes. And what do electrolytes contain?” asks Charles. “Sodium! For active individuals, targeted sodium intake supports sustained performance.”
Fiber
Fiber supports a healthy gut and digestion system, but only about 5-7% of American adults meet the recommended daily intake of 25g for women and 38g for men.
The Performance Institute team has prioritized fiber in UFC Ignite meals since the beginning. Almost every lunch/dinner entree has a minimum of 5g of fiber, and the team takes pride in how fiber is creatively included in each meal. The Chicken Mac & Cheese is Heather’s personal favorite example. “It’s a sneaky fiber inclusion, because it doesn’t feel like you’re eating vegetables. It just tastes like a great mac & cheese!”
Another reason to include fiber? It makes the meals more filling. When the fiber count is higher, it helps you feel more satisfied. “Where most diets go wrong is when you’re highly motivated during the day, but hunger slowly creeps in. A diet high in protein and fiber can help modulate satiety and keep you on track,” says Charles.
UFC Ignite: A Science-backed Meal Program In Action
Today, the UFC Performance Institute doesn’t just support UFC Ignite meals for the general public; the nutrition team actually uses UFC Ignite meals in their nutrition programming for athletes in fight camp. By incorporating UFC Ignite into the athletes’ daily meal plans, the team can easily track athlete performance and increase or decrease macros based on weekly performance indicators.
You may not have your own team of sports dietitians tracking your macros week to week. But with UFC Ignite, you don't need one. The work’s already been done for you, meal by meal.
Ready to eat like a fighter?