Soccer Nutrition

Soccer players need to understand and implement the proper nutrition program for them to achieve better performance through ongoing energy. People that play sports have greater energy requirements to carry out daily tasks as well as sports activities.

Soccer is undoubtedly the biggest sport in the world with millions of players and supporters all over the world. However, not much is known about good nutrition for soccer players. You will run 5-6 miles in a match, accelerate 30-40 times, sprint for about 700 yards on average and change direction quite often. This seems quite different to what marathon runners do – constant running but all that running and sprinting and accelerating will deplete your glycogen stores.

soccer nutrition properly to achieve better performance through ongoing energy

A soccer player not performing well may mean ‘not being fit enough’ or simply ‘running out of energy’. It is said that long distance marathon runners and soccer players’ are not so different in terms of their diet requirements.

You need to eat a proper meal 3 hours before the match and enough carbohydrates after the match to replace the fluid you have lost during the match. Do not eat too close to kick off as this may leave you feeling nauseous and sick.

Choose lower glycemic index foods before the match and high glycemic index foods after the match as they quickly release sugar into the blood stream. GI is a good guide in choosing pre- and post match meals.

Main elements of soccer nutrition are carbohydrates, water, iron, calcium, protein and fat:

Soccer is undoubtedly the biggest sport in the world with millions of players and supporters all over the world. However, not much is known about good nutrition

Carbohydrates:

You will feel tired soon and your recovery will take much longer if you don’t eat enough carbs. Glycogen is produced from the carbs you eat. More than half of your calories should be from the carbs you eat: pasta, breads, sugar, cereals, honey, vegetables and fruits.

If you eat a healthy carb-rich diet, you will have enough glycogen stored to help the performance and activity. The more carbohydrates you eat, the more endurance you will have. You will be able to run faster and longer if you consumed sufficient amount of carbohydrates. Try and have a carbohydrate rich meal 3 hours prior to your match.

Water:

Your body is mainly made up of water and will lose a lot of water during training or match, especially in hot weather. Dehydration can cause major problems to your health and performance. Water is the best drink to have and It is important to drink in sufficient amounts and before you feel thirsty, especially when playing in hot weather.

Many soft drinks have caffein in them and they will make you dehydrated after a little while and they won’t help with keeping your fluid levels high. Sports drinks are usually full of simple carbohydrates and will give your blood glucose a sudden spike, they are not recommended for achieving maximum performance. Therefore stick to your varied and balanced soccer nutrition plan and have sports drinks when you don’t have enough time to eat.

Iron:

Iron is the supplier of oxygen for your working muscles, you may not have enough stamina for activity if your iron level is low. Animal products- meats as well as green leafy vegetables, some breads, cereals and beans contain iron.

Iron is the supplier of oxygen for your working muscles, you may not have enough stamina for activity if your iron level is low.

Calcium:

Calcium is needed for muscle function and strong bones. Calcium is found in dairy products, sardines, salmon and okra contain calcium as well as tofu, bread and orange juice fortified with calcium.

Protein:

Protein will boost your immune system and will help build your muscles. It is not the greatest source of energy like carbohydrates and will not give you a boost of energy. Best sources of protein are: Fish, lean chicken and turkey, milk, yogurt and cottage cheese. You need about 1.5 grams of protein per kg of your body weight- approximately 0.7g per pound of body weight.

Fat:

Saturated and trans fats should be minimized. Glycogen fuel is mainly found in carbs and fats are not the best source of energy. However you do need to eat some fat every day and this should be mainly mono and polyunsaturated fats found in oily fish, olive oil, flax seed and different types of nuts.

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References:

The Soccer Nutrition Guide: www.soccercoachinginternational.com.

http://fiwebelize.com/ risingstars/?p=35.

Soccer Fitness & Nutrition Guide : http://www.soccer-training-info.com/ fitness_and_nutrition_guide.asp.

Soccer Nutrition: http://www.soccer-fans-info.com/ soccer-nutrition.html.

Nutrition For Soccer – Eating & Drinking For Peak Performance : http://www.total-soccer-fitness.com/ nutrition-for-soccer.html.