Nutrition Of The Athletic Child

Nutrition Of The Athletic Child, It is noticeable that in the recent period, many parents have become more aware of the importance of sports in the lives of their children. Because it has many benefits on children’s physical and psychological health.

And as we all know that sport and building a healthy body for a child requires healthy, balanced nutrition in order for sport to bear the desired fruits for the child.

Let’s learn together about the benefits of sports for a child and how to feed an athletic child.

Why should a child exercise?

As we mentioned before, sports have many benefits for the health of the child, including:

Stimulating the blood circulation of the child.
Reduces the chance of a child being overweight.
Improve communication skills.
Building the muscles of the body and strengthening the bones of the child.
Developing the spirit of cooperation, leadership skills, and increasing the child’s self-confidence.

In order to obtain these important benefits for the health of the child, the mother must follow some healthy habits, such as:

Proper nutrition of the athletic child.
Regulating baby sleep.
The child goes to exercises regularly.

What is the importance of properly feeding a sports child?

Proper nutrition for an athletic child plays an important role as it provides him with the necessary energy he needs during exercise. Prevents disease, maintains a healthy weight for the child.

In order for the athletic child to be properly fed, there are some foods that must be focused on in his diet.

What are the most important nutrients needed to properly nourish an athletic child?

vegetables and fruits

It is known the importance of vegetables and fruits for human health in general. Its importance in the nutrition of the sports child lies in the fact that it provides the child’s body with vitamins and minerals needed for him while playing sports.

Protein

An athletic child needs protein in large quantities; As it plays a big role in building the muscles of the body, supplying the body with energy. Examples of proteins needed to feed an athletic child include: eggs, red meat, dairy products, chicken, and fish.

Carbohydrates

The importance of carbohydrates is that they provide the body with the glucose it needs for energy. Among the most important carbohydrates for proper nutrition of the athletic child: oats, quinoa, milk, yogurt.

Healthy fats

Healthy fats help the body absorb vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Examples of healthy fats are nuts, red meat, fish, avocados, and olive oil.

Are there minerals and vitamins that a particularly athletic child needs in his diet?

An athletic child needs some vitamins and minerals, such as:

Calcium, which helps build strong bones for a child, is found in dairy products, spinach, broccoli, cheese and yogurt.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium effectively and its most important sources: sunlight, milk.
Iron, as iron transfers oxygen to the different cells of the body, thus stimulating blood circulation. Iron is available in: green leafy vegetables, red meat.

If a child is properly fed, he will get all these elements from his diet. And why this is not done, he may need to take these minerals and vitamins from external sources, which are nutritional supplements.

What foods and drinks should be avoided in a child athlete’s diet?

Food and drinks that contain sugars, such as soda and energy drinks.
Fast food.

What is the importance of drinking water for an athletic child?

Water plays an important role in keeping the athletic child’s body from dehydration. As the lack of drinking water can greatly affect the performance of the child during exercise.

How many servings per day are needed to effectively feed an athletic child?

A sports child needs about 5 to 6 meals a day, which vary between main meals and snacks, and the time between one meal and the other must be at least 3 hours. Whether it is a main meal or a snack between meals, the meal must be varied and balanced containing carbohydrates, protein, vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats.

What meals does a sports child need before and after exercise?

Before exercise

The child should eat at least three hours before exercise so that his stomach can digest the food well. The meal should contain carbohydrates such as pasta, fruits and vegetables, as well as low-fat protein.

After the training

The child must eat within 30 minutes of finishing the exercise; So his body can recover its energy and build muscle. And the meal after exercise should contain a large amount of protein found in chicken or eggs with an amount of carbohydrates such as whole grain bread or rice.

How can parents convince the athletic child to eat healthy?

The family is interested in feeding the athletic child properly so that he performs well in the game, but how can the child be encouraged to eat this healthy food and stay away from food that is harmful to his health? This is what we will know.

First: As we know, children imitate what they see in front of them, so if the whole family eats healthy food and loves it, then the child will love it and get used to it.

Second: Determine a specific time and place in which the whole family gathers together to eat this food, while talking about its benefits and importance to their health and the health of the child.

Third: Providing healthy food in a distinctive way, and permanent change in the forms of food offered to the child.

Finally, not banning unhealthy foods at once; So that the child does not become stubborn and insist on it more, we can offer it to the child once a week.

In conclusion, as we all know that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, therefore, feeding the athletic child well helps him build a healthy body and thus his mind is healthy, which qualifies him for success in his sports life, as well as his academic life, and this is what we, fathers and mothers, wish for all of our children.

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