Soccer training nutrition is an important aspect of a soccer player's preparation for a game or practice. A player must eat a healthy diet to maximize the positive impact of soccer training. Hydration is also a crucial element of soccer nutrition. In addition to a healthy soccer diet a player must take on fluid before, during and after a soccer game or practice.
History
Modern sports science has helped coaches and players gain a greater understanding of soccer nutrition. Anecdotal tales exist of professional clubs asking players to eat only steak and vegetables in the days before a game, or encouraging youngsters to drink Guinness to "fill them out" and increase muscle. This limited nutritional knowledge is long dead, and many professional teams now employ a full time nutritionist to develop the best soccer diet.
Types of Food
A soccer player should consume a healthy and balanced diet that is rich in carbohydrates. Good carbohydrate sources include baked potato, rice pudding and whole meal bread. A soccer player should avoid fats and oils as well as sugary foods. Fats and oils take longer for the body to digest. Sugary foods provide an instant energy supply, but can also lead to swings in blood sugar level. A soccer diet should include a good level of hydration with water or a sports drink. Sports drinks are designed to replenish the body with electrolytes and minerals lost through sweat during soccer training.
Benefits
A soccer diet rich in carbohydrates increases the muscle stores of glycogen and glucose. Glycogen is the primary energy source of the body during a soccer game or practice. Fatigue will be delayed by an adequate glycogen supply, something that will help a soccer player in the second half of a soccer game. Keeping the body fully hydrated also increases performance during a soccer game. A fully hydrated body is able to perform to maximum capacity, and has a delayed onset of fatigue.
Time Frame
Robert Reber, a nutrition professor at the University of Illinois, states that an athlete should eat a meal rich in carbohydrates at least three hours before competition. This amount of time will allow a soccer player the time to fully digest the food and convert it to energy sources. A soccer diet should limit fats and oils as they take a longer time for the body to digest.
Expert Insight
The Six Pack Now website ran a feature on the diet of Portuguese World Cup soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo. The likes of Ronaldo eat between 2,400 and 3,000 calories per day from carbohydrates. It is also important for carbohydrates to be taken on during competition. A glucose-based sports drink is a popular method of refueling during halftime of a soccer game.
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