Now that it’s fall and there’s a few months of school under our
belts, many children and their parents are back into the swing of school
sports. My cousin, being one of these parents, recently texted me to
ask about hydration for her 8 year old son who plays baseball in the
Florida heat. She said that many of the other parents were sending sports
drinks to practice with their kids, and she wasn’t sure that this was
appropriate. Being the awesome cousin that she is, she reached out to a
knowledgeable Registered Dietitian (that’s me!) for guidance. Not only did I
help, but I decided to write a 101 on child sports nutrition:
·
Eating a healthful diet
is the priority for your growing athlete.
Although children are playing sports and burning a ton of calories, that
doesn’t give them a license to eat whatever they want. Growing children need several
key nutrients, like calcium for bone health, Vitamin C for immune system
development, iron for growth, and protein for muscle growth and repair. These
nutrients are only found in healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and proteins. Child athletes put their bodies through more wear and
tear than less active children, so they need to be even more diligent about
eating healthy foods for growth and development.
·
Fluids should be the priority. Hydration is so incredibly important for child athletes.
Children get hotter faster than adults because they have a greater body surface
area for their body weight, so they gain heat faster from the environment than
adults. They need to drink very frequently during exercise and cold water is
the perfect refresher. A good rule of thumb is that children need about 4
ounces (or ½ cup) of water for every 20 minutes of play. Make sure you
teach your children about the importance of hydration, or they might just
forget to drink all together! Fresh fruit is also high in water, and orange
slice breaks during practice should be encouraged!
·
Sport drinks are not
necessary. Let’s face it–kids love
sport drinks because they are sweet. If you provide them, they will drink
them. I’ve read a lot about this and the verdict on whether or not they are
needed is mixed. One thing I can tell you is that sport drinks are ONLY needed
for intense activity lasting longer than an hour. You can read all about sport drinks here, but my overall opinion is that kids don’t need them. For
exercise lasting longer than an hour, you can replace salt losses with a salty
snack like pretzels or saltines.
·
Carbohydrates are the
best energy source. Basically, carbs are what
make athletes “go”. They are the fuel for the car. A child athlete’s diet
should be balanced and consist of healthy carbs, like fruit and veggie
sticks and whole grain crackers, breads, and cereals. Healthy carbs should be
consumed 2-3 hours before practice to maintain energy.
·
Lean protein repairs
muscles. Because children are
growing, their muscles are still developing. Sports cause muscle breakdown, and
proteins aid in muscle repair. While it’s an emerging trend among kids to take
protein supplements, this should definitely be discouraged. There are so many
healthful protein food choices that kids can eat and enjoy, such as peanut
butter, low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese sticks, chicken, turkey, and fish.
A turkey sandwich after practice is the perfect amount of protein to
repair worn out muscles!
Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD is a Registered
Dietitian in New York City. Natalie believes that healthy food should be
tasty food, and she is passionate about living an active lifestyle.
Natalie is a writer for many nutrition publications, and she enjoys sharing her
favorite recipes and nutrition knowledge on her blog, Nutrition ála Natalie.
Follow Natalie on Twitter @nutritionalanat.
