Proper sports nutrition is key for any athlete, but for soccer players, it's indispensable. The game demands efficiency, and fueling your body directly affects your stamina, endurance, and skills on the pitch. A well thought out nutrition routine can lead to better compliance and best support the needs of the athlete. Christiano Ronaldo confirmed this in his tweet, “Good nutrition is at the core of my success.”
This article will show you exactly what foods you should be eating to boost energy and dominate the field. You'll learn the best pre-and post-game meals to maximize your efforts, what to avoid that will slow you down, and how to stay hydrated so you're at the top of your game.
The Macronutrient Foundation
To perform at your peak, you need to fuel your body properly. Focus on eating macronutrients; these are the essential nutrients that your body requires in relatively large amounts to function properly and maintain overall health. The three primary macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
A balanced diet with lean proteins, high-quality carbs, and healthy fats will provide the energy you need to make a better soccer game.
Carbohydrates: The Primary Fuel Source
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred method of receiving food and turning it into energy. While many diets try to suggest restricting the intake of carbohydrates, it is actually an important source of food for the body and should make up 55 percent of your diet. The reason why people often try to reduce carbohydrate is because if the body does not use the energy it will transform the carbohydrate into fat to store for another day. However, soccer players live active lifestyles and should be eating well-balanced diets; therefore, this should never become an issue.
Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.
Nutrient-dense carbs are essential to improve your soccer performance and you can find them in:
- Foods like brown rice, sweet potato, pasta, and bread
- Fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, blueberries, and kiwis
- Fluids like chocolate milk
You should note that your ideal carbohydrate intake should comprise 50-70% of your diet. You can portion your intake as 1-1.5 grams of carbs for every kilogram of your body weight. This will help maintain your glycogen stores and promote recovery from muscle cramps.
When you eat carbohydrate rich food, the body goes to work breaking it down into easy to use energy (glucose). This glucose is absorbed by the body in the small intestine and then carried to the liver where it is changed to glycogen, which is the storage form of glucose. The liver can hold around 2,000 calories of glycogen, while the muscles can hold a small amount as well; however, anything above this will be stored as fat to be broken down later when needed.
Carbohydrate can be found in a lot of food that you eat, but it is really important to know the form of carbohydrate you are eating as it makes a difference. You may have heard carbohydrates referred to as “simple” or “complex” but it might be easier to consider them as “whole” or “refined” instead. A whole carbohydrate is something that has not gone through processing and is found in the natural environment and contains fiber (important for health and digestion), while refined carbohydrates have often been processed and have all the natural fiber taken out. The best approach is to stick to whole carbohydrate and avoid refined carbohydrates. If it is a single ingredient food it is probably a whole food and a good choice. A multi-ingredient food is often refined and is a bad choice.
Lastly, one myth you may hear is that you need to “carb load,” which is the idea of loading your body full of carbohydrate prior to a game or event.
Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run
Protein: The Muscle Builder and Repairer
A good amount of protein intake is important for you to play a good game. You can obtain this nutrient from sources like meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, soy, quinoa, and hummus. Be sure to add 3 to 5 ounces of animal-based proteins and 1 to 2 cups of plant-based proteins to your diet. These protein-rich foods will build and repair your muscles, and help you avoid injuries on the field.
Healthy Fats: The Sustained Energy Source
Healthy fats are found in dairy and animal products, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. They offer energy and help absorb the nutrients you consume. While fat is essential, you should choose healthy fats and watch your portion sizes. Cut back on saturated fats by being mindful of fried food, red meat, and full-fat dairy intake.
Foods to Avoid: Sabotaging Your Performance
Some foods provide fuel and nutrients to power you through practices and games, while others can slow you down and sap your energy.
- Fried foods
- Pastries
- Dishes with heavy cream
- Fast food burgers
These food items are packed with unhealthy fats and empty calories that won’t do your body or game any favors. These greasy options take a long time to digest and can make you feel sluggish on the field. Further, the high amounts of fat and dairy in these creamy concoctions can be hard for some people to break down and may upset their stomachs. You want to feel light and energized when playing, not weighed down by a heavy meal.
It is also advisable to reduce the junk food if you want to play at the top of your game. Remember that food is functional, and it serves a purpose. The nutritionist also mentions that the two most important foods to avoid, which Messi now does, are: sugar and refined flour. Ronaldo often consumes lean protein, fish and eggs, and an occasional steak, as his main protein sources. Sugar and alcohol only find their way into this soccer player’s diet on the rare occasion.
Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution
The Pre-Game Meal: Fueling Up for Success
Preparation for matchday involves many things, but one common aspect that might be overlooked by some athletes is planning pre-game fuel. Your decisions regarding what and when to eat and drink prior to a game can truly make or break your ability to perform once you hit the pitch. The pre-game meal is crucial for fueling up and providing the energy you need to perform at your best. You should aim to eat 3 to 4 hours before kickoff and focus on equally portioning (1/3 ratio) your carbohydrate, protein, and vegetable intake.
Some options include:
- Grilled chicken, veggies, and a baked potato
- Rice and beans with salsa and avocado
- Oatmeal topped with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit
Although carbs are prioritized during your pre-match meal, you also need protein and colorful fruits and vegetables. Protein along with the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are essential for muscle recovery. A moderate amount of protein helps provide your muscles with the building blocks (amino acids) needed for recovery and repair prior to the game. Be sure to choose lower fiber fruits and vegetables to ensure quicker digestion and absorption of the nutrients on your plate, and to avoid potential digestive discomfort before and during the match. Low fiber, easy-to-digest carbs will help fuel your muscles throughout your game, making it more likely you can last the full 90 minutes.
For athletes with nervous stomachs, liquid nutrition can be an easy alternative. In general, you will want to choose familiar, simple foods that you have eaten before and that you know are safe for you. Listen to your body and take note of how you feel as you countdown to kickoff and the 90th minute. Ultimately, you want to eat whatever gives you the most energy and makes you feel good.
The Pre-Match Snack: Top Off Your Energy Stores
Your pre-match snack serves as your source of fuel to top off your energy stores about one hour before kickoff. Be sure to start with hydration via a sports drink containing both carbs and electrolytes (don’t forget sodium!). This provides both fuel (carbs/sugar) and fluids/electrolytes (hydration) to help you perform your best on the pitch. You also want to obtain 30-60 grams of simple, easy-to-digest carbohydrates to maximize your available energy prior to the game. Common choices are carb-rich chews, gels, bananas, salted crackers (has sodium for extra electrolytes!), and granola bars.
Many athletes add a caffeine source to their pre-game ritual. Caffeine can be beneficial when taken 15-60 minutes prior to a soccer game to potentially increase vertical jump height, repeated sprint ability, running distance, and improve passing accuracy. It is important to know both how caffeine affects you and what your personal optimal dosage is before trialing caffeine on a gameday. Caffeine is best to trial gradually on training days so you know how much you can tolerate without experiencing any unwanted side effects.
Foods to Avoid Before a Match
Overall, you will want to avoid foods high in either fat or fiber prior to a match. This is because these foods take longer to digest. Spicy or acidic foods can also cause digestive issues, including heartburn or indigestion, if consumed too close to a game. As alluded to above, you also want to avoid new foods or new places to obtain your food from prior to a game. Sticking to trusted foods that you know make you energized and feel good allows you to take some unwanted additional stress out of your gameday, because it is one less variable to worry about. Leave trying a new restaurant for after gameday. Methods of preparation, ingredients, and food sourcing vary between restaurants.
The Post-Game Meal: Refueling and Recovery
After the final whistle blows, it's time to refuel your body. You should replenish what you lost during your match by taking proteins to repair muscles and carbs to restore depleted energy stores. Nevertheless, keep your meal balanced and avoid excessive glucose, fat, or salt.
Some good post-game meal options include:
- Grilled chicken, fish, or lean meat with rice and roasted veggies
- Pasta with meat sauce, a salad, and a piece of fruit
- Black bean burritos or tacos with salsa and guacamole
If right after the game, a high-nutrient meal isn’t feasible, go for a snack: Nut butter and crackers, Greek yogurt with granola and fruit, pancake with eggs and peanut butter, a trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, or a smoothie made with protein powder, fruit, and nut milk.
Staying Hydrated: The Fluid Foundation
Hydration is also central to pre-match nutrition. Without adequate hydration, an athlete can become dehydrated quickly during a game, leading to less optimal performance on the pitch due to fatigue and cramping. Choose water and sports drinks (with carbs and electrolytes) to ensure sufficient hydration status prior to your game.
Fluid intake is key to improving athletic performance. As a soccer player, you should aim for about half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If your weight is 150 pounds, aim to consume approximately 75 ounces or roughly 9-10 glasses of water daily. Have two glasses as soon as you wake up, and then another every 1.5 to 2 hours afterward.
Sports drinks can supplement your hydration plan, but water is best. Only have sports drinks during intense training or games when you need to replenish electrolytes. Otherwise, stick to water which has zero calories and sugar. Sports drinks are full of extra calories and sugar which you don’t need regularly. Enhancing palatability of the ingested fluid will help to promote fluid consumption. Athletes must be aware their sweat rates. Salty foods and drinks may help retaining ingested water. Small sips or rinsing of sports drinks.
Rehydration will give you more energy, help you think clearly, and allow your body to perform at its best.
- The water you drink makes up the blood that your heart pumps throughout your body. Without enough water, your heart must work harder to transport the fuel these muscles need to perform.
- Dehydration can impair brain function, leading to dulled concentration-a crucial component of competitive sports.
- Sufficient water intake aids digestion.
To prevent dehydration, sip on water throughout the day. It’s important to remember that everyone needs different amounts of water, so it’s important to gauge it for yourself. According to Mayo Clinic, thirst is not a reliable indicator of dehydration. There are others: dry mouth, listlessness, fatigue, dark-coloured urine and less frequent urination.
The importance of rehydrating after a game cannot be emphasized enough. During a 90-minute match, your body loses a great deal of water through sweat and heavy breathing. For this reason, it’s important to replenish the lost reserves by drinking a full water bottle immediately following the game.
Electrolytes: Maintaining the Balance
You may have noticed that when you sweat, sometimes the sweat dripping off you tastes salty. Electrolytes are compounds that help the brain communicate with our muscles by carrying signals through our nerves. Sodium and potassium are just two of these. Generally speaking, most athletes who compete in sporting activities that last less than 2 hours will not lose enough electrolytes to noticeably affect their ability. As always, there are exceptions. If you feel that you over-exerted your body by playing in oppressive conditions and sweat much more than usual, only then should you consider drinking a sports drink to replenish those electrolytes. Even then, try to dilute the given sports drink with water. In other words, fill up half of your bottle with the sports drink and half with water. Otherwise you’ll be ingesting too much sugar.
The Importance of Micronutrients
You may hear the word nutrient used to describe food and its content. The term nutrient is a way of describing a substance that provides nourishment essential for the growth and maintenance of life. There are six categories of nutrients that are essential to keep us alive that we must take in from food because the body does not have the ability to produce them on its own.
Micro-Nutrients
A micro-nutrient is something the body requires in smaller amounts for maintaining health, growth and development of all its functions. While small in quantity, these are essential for living a healthy active life.
Macro-Nutrients
A macro-nutrient is something the body requires in large quantity to provide all the energy needed to function.
Addressing Nutritional Gaps with Supplements
An individual’s nutritional needs are as unique as his or her fingerprints, so understanding what causes nutritional needs to be different can help a person choose the best combination of foods and supplements to best meet his or her needs.Factors influencing energy needs include exercise, recovery, illness, and metabolism, all of which can impact an individual’s calorie prescription. Stress levels, hormone fluctuations, and even environmental pollutants can all alter one’s specific nutrition needs.Paying careful attention to the nutrient density of daily calories can help identify gaps in nutrient intake, and in these cases, nutritional supplements can be used to complement the diet.Additionally, there are subsets of athletes that may require supplementation to meet needs that are inadequate for reasons such as health conditions and allergies, religious guidelines, or dietary practices.The timing and pace of certain sports make in-competition fueling with whole foods to be impossible or improbable; supplemental electrolytes and fuel sources may be preferable in these situations. Other nutrients, such as Vitamin D, are not easily obtained through the diet in adequate amounts. Consequently, taste and food behaviors of athletes tend to make probiotics and fish oil a convenient, and thus more highly acquired source of nutrients than eating adequate amounts of yogurt and omega-3 containing foods.Due to the state of the current food supply and because very few Americans eat the recommended five daily servings of health-giving fruits and vegetables, many nutrition experts agree that a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement taken daily could help fill the nutrition gap.
COMMON VITAMIN AND MINERAL DEFICIENCIES IN THE UNITED STATES
A recent report from the CDC revealed some shocking statistics about the nutrient status of Americans.
The Supplement Checklist
- Check Your Foundation: Before anything else, basic human needs must be met. Are you meeting your energy (calories), hydration, and essential vitamin and mineral needs? Take time to assess your total calorie needs and whether your current food choices meet your baseline nutrient needs.
- Check Your Habits: Are you omitting large food groups from your diet, such as meat, dairy, vegetables, nuts, or grains? Identify which nutrients the missing group contains and then identify other sources of these nutrients.
- Check Your Gut: “You are what you eat” can be modified to, “ You are what you eat - and what you can absorb.” Support healthy digestion with “good bacteria” from food or probiotics and enzymes that aid in the break down of food.
- Check Your Activity: As activity increases, the demand for energy and certain nutrients increase.
- Check Your Head: The brain requires a lot of energy and nutrients to perform the tasks required of it. Supporting the brain and the nervous system with the necessary nutrients to perform and recover is often overlooked.
- Check Your Stress Level: Stress comes in many forms - physical (training), environmental (chaotic or loud work environments), metabolic, or emotional. Be aware of sources of stress, the demands it places on your body, how your body responds, and what you can do about it.
- Check Your Sleep: With a busy schedule, sleep is often suboptimal as a result of poor time management. Travel to and from competition can disrupt normal sleep patterns. While reliance on sleep aids and sedatives is not recommended, science supports strategies to help promote normal sleep and night time recovery.
Navigating the Supplement World
When food choices or behavior change is not possible, supplements are a solution to fill a nutritional gap, there are several factors to consider. It has become obvious the last few years that the quality control of nutrition supplements is sometimes very poor and a consumer may therefore not always get everything for which they think they are paying. For those players who compete at a level where drug testing is involved, there is another risk to consider when taking supplements: a positive test due to supplement contamination. We believe non-drug tested athletes should also have access to supplements free of banned substances. Taking all this information into account, a careful, cost-benefit analysis needs to be performed by anyone taking a supplement.
- Be Aware of Pseudo-Science: Companies often use phrases - such as “clinically proven” - that imply there’s science behind their product. Many of these claims are not always backed by actual research. Be cautious of products claiming ancient formulas, cutting-edge science, miracle cures, or guarantees. A reputable and honest company will have contact information you can use to request further information for the research behind their claims.
- Take the Lead from Sports: Be aware of ingredients banned in sports by agencies like the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency. While these ingredients are not always prohibited for general consumption, these organizations see a problem with the ingredients, which should be a red flag to you as a regular consumer. Do your research to see if you should ban these ingredients from your nutritional game plan.
- Watch Out for Warnings: Be wary of supplements with a long list of warnings or contraindications listed on the product label. Any serious adverse effects reported to a supplement company must be reported to the FDA by the supplement company.
- Be an Educated Consumer: Registered dietitians are trained to evaluate the need for, the effectiveness of, and safety of nutritional supplements. Always consult a health-care practitioner before starting a supplement regimen. The National Institutes of Health and the United States Anti-Doping Agency offer resources to help educate you on the supplement before using them.
- Third Party Testing: Nutritional supplement brands can, and should, retain outside, independent companies to audit their manufacturing processes and test their products to ensure the FDA’s cGMP’s are being complied with, thus ensuring that the company’s products contain the ingredients listed on the label in the amounts listed and don’t contain any harmful ingredients. Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMPs) are a set of regulations that are enforced by the US Food and Drug Administration and provide guidelines that assure proper design, monitoring, and control of supplement manufacturing processes and the facilities they are made in.
- NSF Certification: NSF International has created an advanced certification program for supplements geared toward elite athletes. NSF International’s Certified for Sport® program tests products for more than 200 substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency. A supplement product that bears the Certified for Sport seal ensures that the product contains exactly what the label claims it does, in the amounts listed, and nothing else.
- Realize There is No Cure-All: It is illegal for a supplement company to claim that any of its products prevent, cure, or treat any medical condition. Supplements are intended to complement the diet and to support overall health and well-being.