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From:
USDA Children’ Research Center BCM
Teaching
young athletes about good nutrition should be as important
as teaching them the skills of the game.
"Sometimes
coaches and parents overlook this important part of the
training process," said Becky Gorham, a registered dietitian
and research nutritionist at the CNRC. "It's up to parents
and coaches to learn and teach kids what is good for the
body."
Knowing
how much to feed young athletes, what to feed them, and
when to feed them is important. "Foods high in carbohydrates
will provide athletes with the energy their muscles need,"
said Gorham. High carbohydrate snacks are recommended to
meet the energy needs of young athletes.
Weight-bearing
exercises can strengthen bones, but only if there is enough
calcium in the diet. "Young athletes should also be encouraged
to eat at least four servings a day of calcium-rich foods
like milk, cheese, and yogurts," said Gorham.
Few
things hamper performance faster than dehydration. "Children
should drink three to eight ounces of water every 15 minutes
of practice to avoid dehydration," said Gorham. "Children
need to be taught, and reminded during workouts, to drink
water even when they are not thirsty, because thirst is
not an accurate measure of hydration."
Contrary
to popular belief, vitamin supplements will not provide
a direct source of energy for young athletes. If the child
is following the guidelines from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid,
vitamins are not necessary.
"Providing
young athletes with healthy food choices is one of the keys
to helping them reach their full athletic potential," said
Gorham. "'And in most cases, these healthy food choices
will stay with them for the rest of their lives."
Healthy
high-carbohydrate snacks for young athletes:
- Whole-grain
ready-to-eat cereal with low-fat or skim milk
- Low-fat
fruit flavored yogurt
- Peanut
butter on whole wheat toast and 1/2 apple
- Lean
meat on pita bread with ½ cup orange juice
- Graham
or animal crackers and a box of raisins
- Low-fat
frozen yogurt and 100% grape juice
- Oatmeal
raisin cookie and low fat milk
- Low-fat
pudding Bagel and 100% apple juice
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