Food for thought“Here’s a fact: young footballers can have all the skills in the world but without the proper nutritional support, they won’t be as fit as they could be and their performances will suffer.” The FASimple fact is they:
Won’t be able to train as hard or as long
Won’t improve their play,
Increases risk of tiredness
Increased risk of injury
Ensuring peak performance on the pitch and training depends on what you consume as fuel before, during and after every match or session. If you can get into the habit of eating and drinking the right stuff, you will improve and improve your energy levels out on the pitch!
A footballer’s ability to maintain a high work rate can decrease by as much as 5% during the second half of a game compared to the first. This is irrespective of playing standard, position or fitness level*
* J Sports Medicine 2005; 23 (6) 593-599
Here’s a list of the essential nutrients young footballers need to be eating, and the foods they’re found in.
Nutrients are found in>> Simple carbohydrates: Sweets, cakes, soft drinks, jam
>> Complex carbohydrates: Pasta, Rice, potatoes, Bread, cereals, fruit
>> Saturated fats: Butter, margarine, cheese, pasties
>> Unsaturated fats: Sunflower oil, salmon, nuts
>> Proteins: Milk, chicken, eggs, fish, yoghurt
>> Vitamins and minerals: Fruit, vegetables, dairy products
>> Fibre: Seeds, peas, beans
>> Water: Foods, drinks, formulated sports drinks
Sports fanatics need increased energy to gain that extra edge, and that’s most commonly found in carbohydrate. Now, in a healthy diet, 55-60% of it should come from carbohydrate, but for footballers, it can be much higher – sometimes approaching as much as much as 65/70%!
Players need a balanced diet and that includes other nutrients too so it isn’t always that simple to get a perfect intake of carbohydrate from eating a regular three meals a day. The way to do it is by snacking - snacks play a crucial role in a player’s diet, especially if eaten immediately after training or a match. That’s when the energy stores in the muscles which have just been working are best refuelled.
Consume these preferably prior to a match and afterwards:
Banana, jam or honey sandwiches
Muesli bars or sweetened popcorn
Fruit cake, currant buns, scones, American muffins
Crumpets, bagels, English muffins, scotch pancakes
Pop Tarts, rusks and cereal
Jelly cubes
Lucozade glucose tablets
Low fat rice pudding, bread pudding
Yoghurts and milkshakes
Fruit and dried fruit
Jaffa cakes, wine gums, jelly babies, Haribo jelly sweets are excellent for energy replacement after a match or training session.
Fluid replacement is vital to achieving peak success as well as preventing and reducing dehydration.
Water loss through from the body during sweating needs to be replaced to stop you getting tired quickly, and also speed up the recovery process – that means feeling fitter and sharper afterwards a lot sooner as well as preventing injuries.
These checks will help players:
• Weight – 1kg of weight lost during a training session is equal to 1 litre of fluid lost.
• The ‘pee test’ – If your urine is dark coloured, it means you need to have a drink. Lots of trips to the toilet, producing lots of clear coloured urine, shows you’ve taken on enough fluid.
• Thirst – Being thirsty is an unreliable indicator of when you need to have a drink. If you’re thirsty, you’re actually already partly dehydrated so if you finish a training session and you’re gasping it’s a giveaway you haven’t taken enough fluid on board.
What's best to drink? For footballers, one of the best drinks for rapid fluid replacement, retention and energy and is a diluted carbohydrate/electrolyte solution. For example energy drinks like Lucozade and Gatorade.
When should I drink? Ideally, it’s best to drink some just before, and then sips during and after a training session, as well as drinking frequently during a match.
How much should I drink? Only a little – but often. If you drink too much too quickly, you run the risk of getting a stomach upset.
Additional information
The official FA Guide to Fitness for Football
Rated 8/10 “This book is essential reading for anyone who participates in football at any level, as well as coaches, teachers and parents. “
A straightforward, lively and practical guide, this book includes detailed information on basic physiology and nutrition, plus the components of fitness and how to assess fitness for football. It includes chapters devoted to preparation and recovery, how to monitor your progress and the important differences between adults and children.
The Lucozade Academy
Excellent resource
http://www.thelssa.co.uk/lssa/home/home.asp Official Lucozade Site
http://www.lucozade.com/ Official Gatorade Site
http://www.gatorade.com/ I hope you found this brief article of use – what do you eat and drink before matches? Do you have a favourite sports drink? How important really is diet and nutrition in young players? Discuss this and much more in the forums!
Dr Suess
