by Alison Anton
A poor diet on game day can make the difference not only between winning and losing, but also in your child's self esteem and ability to perform off the field and behave in class and at home. Balanced, whole food nutrition on a daily basis (even in the off season) is the only way to ensure kids are strong and well nourished. The best ways to increase strength and endurance for sporty kids is for the parents or school to provide a meal plan that includes quality protein, good fats and complex carbohydrates every day.
Protein - A variety of good quality proteins should be eaten throughout the day. If your family eats an omnivore diet, 1-2 organic animal proteins should be considered each day (i.e. 1 serving yogurt and 1 serving fish or lean meat). Protein can also be found in blue-green algae, soy, legumes (beans) and whole grains. Protein powders are secondary to whole food protein sources, but a daily protein smoothie with whey, hemp or soy powder, and a teaspoon of algae such as spirulina will help meet protein needs and help your child have durable, focused energy on game day. I recommend staying away from protein bars, as the first or second ingredient is often sugar in one form or another. The protein used in energy bars is not organic and and can be highly processed.
Highly active kids who are involved in a couple of different sports might need more protein than the average Joey. According to Ed Bauman, PhD, Director of Bauman College Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts, active, growing kids need at least 50 grams of protein for each 100 pounds of body weight. To make it easy, Dr. Bauman advises dividing the 50 grams into four portions (12.5 grams) and serving that amount at each meal, including a snack. An adult palm-sized portion of meat, a cup of yogurt, a half cup of quinoa, or a cup of beans and brown rice all equal about 15 grams of protein.
Good fats - Active kids need good, healthy fats for brain and nerve function and endurance energy. Good choices are nuts and seeds (particularly walnuts, pumpkin seeds and flax for their high omega-3 content), nut butters, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, whole milk and yogurt. If you can find a local, raw, unpasteurized, organic dairy source, this is ideal. Active children should not be on a low fat diet, even when overweight. Rather, they will improve their metabolism by having three servings a day of fresh, whole fats. A serving is 1-2 tablespoons nuts or seeds, a couple slices of avocado, or one tablespoon olive oil, coconut oil or organic butter.
Complex Carbohydrates - Simple carbohydrates, like white bread, cereal, pancakes, crackers, pasta and pastries will only give your child short-term energy, and will lead to a quick drop in the field. This is no fun for any kid who needs to be alert and energized for at least an hour on game day or practice days. Unfortunately, simple carbohydrates are what most kids are being fed for breakfast and after school snacks. Whole food choices, like fresh vegetables, seasonal fruit and whole grains as cereals or crackers with a dip, such as hummus or nut butter are the best choices.
On game day, food choices shouldn't be too different than the regular diet, with the exception of a bit less fat and more complex carbohydrates for energy. Kids should be fed at least two hours from the activity to ensure the food has been digested and ready to be utilized. I don't recommend sport's drinks, as these are loaded with sugar, stimulants and food coloring. A good replacement is coconut water, which is high in minerals, particularly potassium, a mineral-electrolyte that replenishes energy and vitality almost immediately. Coconut water can be found in the refrigerated drinks section at natural foods stores.
After the game, make sure your child gets a wholesome, colorful, well-rounded meal. Your child's body will be rebuilding muscle tissue for hours after the game, so adequate protein, fat, carbohydrates and fluids are key in the post-game hours where the body is recovering from the activity, building new muscle and restoring nutrients to joints, muscles, nerves and endocrine glands.
©2008 Copyright Alison Anton - All rights reserved.