Clean Nutrition For Sports And Health
We are organic beings who need fuel for energy to grow and live. We know what good food is: natural, from the earth, not packaged in a box or foil. Children can usually eat what they want based on their preference and typically grow during their first decade of life without any health issues or dietary challenges. Our children deserve clean fuel to maintain clean bodies for sports and health.
Parents and guardians must be more vigilant than ever before in what we serve our athletes to eat and drink. If they are very physically active as child athletes, obesity and other chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure or prediabetes, are not concerns. However, as our food supplies continue to change, otherwise healthy, physically active children who may not have been at risk for obesity may be affected by advertisements targeting children and increased food processing.
Here are FIVE things to keep in mind as you support your child athlete's nutrition and health through what they eat:
1. Be aware of addictive fast foods.
Fast foods are preserved with high trans fats, additives, salts, sugars, and tastants. Because of these potent preservatives, these foods become addictive to our body's cells and avoid natural organic breakdown. Just as there are no shortcuts to success, there are no shortcuts to proper nutrition. Parents and guardians play an integral role in nurturing, disciplining, and modeling for our children and must teach healthy food habits. Protect them by actively preventing fast food consumption and drug addiction to these high-calorie foods. Let's work not to pass down this addiction and obesity to our children.
2. Quality of food over quantity: avoid overconsumption of excess food.
Excess and unhealthy foods are being consumed in larger quantities due to the big portion sizes of addictive fast and packaged foods. We know that we need to eat carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to fuel our bodies, but it doesn't have to come from addictive foods. Watch what and how much your athlete consumes on average. Have your child athlete eat enough quality food to live, not live to eat, and increase their risk of obesity.
3. Limit or avoid ultraprocessed energy snacks and drinks.
Athletes are often the target of newly launched energy foodstuffs and beverages that promise enhanced performance or energy durability through more protein, artificial sweeteners, or other energy boosters. Know that artificial sweeteners and additives are linked to health problems in adults and increase the risk of diabetes, thyroid disease, and early puberty changes. Your child athlete will likely not get the edge in sports from drinking a beverage or eating a bar. True edge and success will come from physical training, endurance training, and eating natural foods that will provide your athlete with clean energy.
4. Debunk advertisements of fast food and beverages using young, successful athlete role models.
We have all seen the TV and digital platform ads that show successful male and female athletes in advertisements for fast food, sugary cereals, and sodas. Parents mustn't dismiss these messages, especially if they influence our child athletes to request such foods and drinks. The unhealthy food and beverage choices marketed to our children are astounding, and it is critical that a child athlete understand the dangers of such foods if they want to rise to greatness.
5. Establish a community of healthy eating to support your child athlete's development and to prevent disease.
Children will not understand what good food is if we do not teach them and serve them. If nutrition isn't your strong suit or you're unsure what to serve your athlete, don't hesitate to ask for help. Seek out resources or organizations that support healthy food systems, including sustainable farming or non-processed food distributors. The home or food environment that feeds your athlete sets the expectation for what healthy eating is and how much your athlete can adhere to it.
