This is the second in this three part series dealing with the diets of active kids. If you missed the first post you can read it here.
Eating enough
A very active child like your son will have higher nutritional requirements than a sedentary child has, and will need to eat more food to meet these requirements.
If a child is not getting in what they need, they may become tired, which affects sports performance and enjoyment and can make concentrating at school and during homework time difficult. If you do find that your child is struggling with tiredness, one of the possible causes could be nutrient deficiencies – where a child is not getting in enough energy from food, and not eating the correct foods after exercise to promote recovery.
Carbohydrates
The most important foods needed for energy are carbohydrates. A child’s diet should include mostly higher-fibre carbohydrates like whole wheat breads, pastas and brown rice. Carbohydrates which are more quickly absorbed, which have a lower fibre content, may be needed during exercise as they can be digested and used quickly when they are needed. It is a good idea to spread carbohydrate intake over the day, so that a child is having frequent carbohydrate snacks to keep energy levels up.
Hydration
Being even slightly dehydrated can also make your child feel tired, so encourage him or her to drink sips of water throughout the day to keep energy levels up. Eating small meals regularly will also help to keep energy levels up, as it helps to prevent blood sugar dropping which causes tiredness.
Foods that help recovery after exercise
Examples of complete, appropriate snacks are:
- Wholewheat crackers or bread with peanut butter, cheese (hard cheese or cottage cheese), chicken or tuna
- Yogurt with fruit and granola
- Muffins containing nuts and seeds
- Ricecakes or pitas with hummus and salad vegetables
Another alternative to providing a post-exercise snack would be adding a scoop of protein powder to a smoothie. This can be a real help for busy moms so that they can still ensure that their child gets what he needs after exercise to promote recovery and muscle health.
While some supplements that many people call “protein supplements” are certainly not recommended for children because they contain hormones, stimulants and other harmful ingredients, adding a small amount of a high-quality, pure protein product which does not contain these harmful substances can help a young athlete to meet their high nutritional requirements.
An example of a complete post-exercise snack for your son, which includes protein and carbohydrates, is as follows: add 1 scoop of pure whey protein (examples of good products include Evox 100% Whey, SSN 100% Whey and Body Logix Natural Whey) to 1 cup of milk and add some fruit such as a banana, apple or pear. Whizz it up in a blender and you have an easy snack to pop into your son’s tog bag.
We know that during exercise, protein (in muscle) is broken down – and if protein intake is insufficient, muscle isn’t replaced and our bodies don’t recover adequately. Therefore, the general expert consensus is that protein intake after exercise is important. This is when our muscles are most sensitive to the protein in the food we eat, and therefore this will boost muscle and body recovery.
Glycogen is the storage form of glucose (the most important carbohydrate used to fuel exercise) and is found in the liver and muscles. In a young athlete, capacity to store glucose as glycogen is more limited than in adults, which means that young athletes especially need to consume carbohydrates throughout the day to maintain good glycogen stores.
This means that taking in enough carbohydrates before, during and after exercise is important. Just as important is eating a protein-containing food after exercise, to promote muscle health.
Very active children may need nutrients during exercise so packing in appropriate snacks and drinks is recommended so that your child has what he needs during sport.
It is recommended that these carbohydrates are combined with protein so that your son has a post-exercise recovery meal that will both replenish his glycogen stores and ensure healthy muscles.
Stimulants
It is best to avoid foods or drinks containing stimulants like caffeine as these are not healthy for a child’s growing body.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics
Today’s Dietitian Magazine
American Dietetics Association
