TrueSport: July 2020

Teaching your young athlete what healthy snacks look like -- and ditching that reliance on fast food or ultra-processed snacks -- isn’t just important for their athletic endeavors, it also impacts their overall health. For adolescents, research has shown that snacks, even when necessary, tend to detract from overall diet quality. But that doesn’t have to be the case with nutritious, balanced snack options.

When it comes to the best type of snack to fuel your athlete for long school days and practices, lead with a protein source and add carbohydrates to create a well-rounded recovery snack. Check out these simple options that you can pack for your athlete to eat before or after practice to fuel and recharge them throughout the day.

Scrambled egg rice bars

For game day or right before a hard practice, topping off your athlete’s carbohydrate stores is key. Using sticky sushi rice, these bars are carb-focused, and by adding scrambled eggs (and some optional mix-ins according to your athlete’s preferences), you can add a small amount of fat and protein for more long-term fuel without impacting digestion. Bonus: Eggs have recently been shown to aid in children’s growth and development.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sticky rice
• 4 eggs
• Optional: low-sodium soy sauce, chopped shallots, shredded cheese

Directions:

• Use a rice cooker or cook sushi rice on stovetop according to directions
• Scramble eggs in a frying pan, adding in any additions like shallots that need to be sautéed
• Mix eggs, rice and add-ons together in a big bowl
• Spread evenly about 1-inch thick on a baking sheet covered in wax paper
• Refrigerate
• When cool, cut blocks (around 3x3 inches) and individually wrap
• Keep refrigerated -- these should be eaten within three days

Half of a PB+J sandwich

For a harder practice, like a longer cross-country run or drill-intensive soccer session, a more substantial snack may be required to fuel your athlete through the afternoon.

Elevate the traditional PB&J by swapping peanut butter for almond butter, slicing real strawberries onto the jam to add more real fruit, and choosing a bakery-fresh whole grain bread versus the white stuff. (Most parents opt for white bread thinking kids will reject whole grain, but studies have shown kids are just as happy with whole wheat!)

Making this sandwich with high-quality ingredients provides the right blend of macronutrients for your athlete and is easy to eat quickly.

Ingredients:

• Natural almond butter (look for a label that just lists almonds and salt, with no added sugars)
• Jam (brands like Smuckers now offer honey-sweetened, no-sugar, and reduced-sugar options, opt for one of those over the sugar-packed generic brand)
• Whole wheat bread (fresh from the bakery, or a bread like Rudi’s Sprouted Multigrain Bread, which can be found in the freezer section)

Greek yogurt with dried fruit and honey

Protein-packed Greek yogurt gives your child the longer-term energy he or she needs, while dried fruit provides faster-burning sugars to kickstart practice time or speed recovery afterwards. Opt for a low or no-fat plain Greek yogurt: while Greek yogurt’s higher fat content isn’t a problem for a breakfast option, it can lead to some gut distress if eaten ahead of practice and it won’t help refuel post-workout. Pick plain yogurt to avoid added sugars and remember that most store-bought flavored yogurts are packed with more sugar than most nutrition guidelines recommend. Adding honey allows you to monitor how sweet the yogurt is, and fresh berries are a better flavor burst.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (look for 2% fat content for higher protein with fewer harder-to-digest fats)

· 1 cup mixed berries (opt for what’s in season)

· 1-2 tablespoons honey or real maple syrup

Build-your-own trail mix

For a longer, less explosive effort, like a long run day for a cross-country runner or an extended practice for a hockey player – trail mix is an easy option for before, during, or after to refuel with a mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Skip the store-bought sodium and sugar-laden trail mixes in favor of one that you make yourself. This way, you avoid added sodium and even sugars that can end up on roasted nuts (or sneak into ‘mountain trail mix’ in the form of M&Ms!). You can buy items separately in bulk, or you can even consider dehydrating fruits at home. Mix and match some of the trail mix classics and add a few new options for a unique, nutrient-dense mix.

Add more dried fruit for longer endurance efforts or keep the mix 50:50 for when shorter bursts of energy are needed and your athlete will be sitting around waiting for the bell to sound.

Ingredients:

• Almonds – Even a few almonds a day have been shown to improve overall diet quality, possibly thanks to their high fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E content.
• Walnuts – Children who eat nuts are actually less likely to be overweight, studies have shown, and walnuts provide a high dose of the much needed Omega-3 fatty acids often missing in a young person's diet.
• Dried blueberries – An uncommon addition to trail mix, blueberries boost fiber, vitamins, minerals, fructose and antioxidants.
• Dried tart cherries – Packed with antioxidants and they have even been linked to increased recovery for athletes.
• Pumpkin seeds – Get a unique blend of protein, fiber, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus by adding these seeds.
• Banana chips – For a more endurance-based trail mix, banana chips add a hefty dose of carbohydrates.

Hard-boiled eggs with apple slices or a banana

For a shorter or easier effort, your athlete may not need a hefty snack, and this simple option provides healthy protein, fat, and carbohydrates without overdoing it. Eggs are an easy option, since each one boasts seven grams of satiating protein plus fats. For carbohydrates, apple slices provide natural sugars in the form of fructose for a little energy boost without overdoing it, or a banana can boost the amount of carbohydrates if you have a hungry athlete.

A stash of healthier quick options

If you don’t have time to pack homemade options for your young athlete, have a few easy choices on hand for those busy days when dinner is coming soon, but they’re hungry immediately after practice:

GoGo Squeez Organic Fruit and Vegetable pouches: These 60-calorie pouches are made up of apple, peach, and sweet potato puree, and contain two grams of fiber per serving for a quick carb boost without a cookie.

Clif Z Bar Protein: Clif’s Z bars are designed to be child-friendly portions at only 130 calories per serving, and the protein-boosted versions add five grams of protein to the whole grain bar.

Organic Valley 1% Chocolate Milk: Shelf-stable organic milk provides seven grams of protein per serving, while the chocolate brings the carbohydrate count to 20 grams. The 130-calorie serving is a quick-hit for pre or post-practice to tide an athlete over if dinner is happening soon.

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Remember to keep these quick and simple healthy snacks readily available for your athlete because if they aren’t provided healthy options, children are more likely to eat unhealthy treats, even if they’re not hungry.

Deciding when to use a sports drink, electrolyte-infused water, or plain water is important to your athlete’s performance, but it can also be confusing. Luckily, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, has six simple tips about when and how to help your child incorporate electrolytes.

1) What your athlete needs will vary

Essentially, electrolytes are what controls your heart beating and your muscles contracting, Ziesmer explains. “If your athlete is just chugging water, they will eventually flush out their system, especially if they’re sweating out the electrolytes at the same time. Athletes need to be taking electrolytes back in so that their muscles can contract. Without a balance of electrolytes, the body just can't perform its normal functions.”

For young athletes, there are two primary determinants for deciding on water or a sports drink that contains electrolytes, says Ziesmer. First, consider practice duration. If they are training for more than an hour, even if it’s mostly easy, they will still want some electrolytes to replace those lost through sweat. Second, consider the temperature outside. Is your athlete in hot weather where they’ll be working up a sweat? If yes, they need electrolytes, though if the practice isn’t hard or long, they may not need added calories with those electrolytes.

2) Electrolytes can come in many forms

According to Ziesmer, there are three primary options when it comes to ensuring that your child has the electrolytes they need to perform at their best. A sports drink is the most common option and it will also contain sugar. The second option is electrolytes that are added to plain water, which may range from tablets that contain a range of electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium to a simple pinch of sea salt for just sodium. The final alternative is having your athlete drink plain water and eat foods that contain electrolytes, like a salty pretzel.

Your choice should depend on what kind of activity your athlete is taking part in, and how easy it will be for them to snack on a pretzel versus sip a sports drink. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that, when possible, plain water combined with regular foods like pretzels is the best option for young athletes, but it will depend on what’s easy for your athlete to ingest during practice.

3) Focus on sodium

Technically, there are several different critical electrolytes, including magnesium and potassium, but Ziesmer says that for young athletes who eat a balanced, healthy diet, the primary one to focus on during play is sodium. “For an adult, you would aim for around 500 milligrams per hour,” she says. “But for a child, I would recommend starting with around 250 milligrams per hour, which is about 20 mini pretzels.” This isn’t a lot of salt, and she cautions that it is easy to go overboard, so be judicious in how much you add to water or how much you water down a pre-made sports drink to reach that level.

4) Check the label

If you’re new to the world of sports drinks, start being label-conscious and checking ingredients before grabbing what’s on the shelf at the local convenience store. Sports drinks will typically contain both carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Also, be sure to steer clear of energy drinks that are packed with caffeine and other ‘energy enhancing’ substances, and keep in mind that the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against children consuming energy drinks. Watch out for products that promise ‘instant energy,’ as well as electrolyte drinks that are packed with fake sugars like sorbitol, which can cause gut distress.

5) You can make your own

If you prefer to keep your athlete’s diet as natural as possible, you can simply add a bit of flavor-enhancement and natural sugar (like a splash of grape, orange, or apple juice) to regular water, along with a few shakes of salt. The fruit juice makes the water more palatable, while the sugar also helps your athlete better absorb and utilize the sodium, explains Ziesmer. Add some ice to your child’s water bottle on hot days as well: Studies have shown that young athletes cool down better with cold water than with room temperature.

Ziesmer’s favorite recipe is simple:

• 3.5 cups water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2.5 tablespoons of honey
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

6) It’s not just about the game or practice

Don’t let sports drinks take the place of drinking water most of the time, says Ziesmer. Letting your child guzzle sports drinks regularly sends a message that supplements and ultra-processed foods are the best option for performance, she warns.

Research has also shown that excessive amounts of sugar -- found in most sports drinks -- contributes to obesity, tooth decay, and even hyperactivity. Ultimately, a sports drink is only healthy when it’s in the context of a sweaty sporting event, not a casual afternoon at home.

Takeaway

Hydrating properly, which often means deciding what athletes should drink, is critical to their performance and well-being during sport. These tips will help you decide when and what athletes should be consuming to stay hydrated.

Flavored water might seem like a simple, healthy choice to pick when compared to soda, juice and carbohydrate-loaded sports drinks. But flavored water, which shouldn’t be confused with sparkling water, carbonated water, or water with fruit essence, from your local convenience store or made from a powder at home might not be the healthiest pick for your young athlete.

TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, explains what you need to know to pick or make a flavored water that’s healthier for your athlete.

Don't: Fall for fake sugar

Fake sugar is significantly sweeter than regular sugar, so it can actually make regular sugar start tasting less sweet in comparison, which can be bad news for young athletes who love sweet treats, warns Ziesmer. “Because artificial sweeteners are significantly sweeter than the real stuff, it actually makes you crave real sugar more,” she says. “Sucralose has also been shown to lower the number of healthy bacteria in your gut, which is not good from a digestive standpoint.”

Do: Read the label critically

Beyond fake sugars, you should be on the lookout for chemical preservatives and artificial flavoring and coloring, says Ziesmer. While most of these add-ins likely won’t be harmful for your young athlete, it’s better to encourage a whole and real-food approach to nutrition rather than reaching for artificial flavoring.

“There's no true definition around the word natural in food and drink manufacturing. You can’t just read the front of the package and assume the best. You always have to look at the back of the package and look at the ingredients to see what's in there,” she adds. “For example, even though Stevia comes from a plant, it’s usually cut with something else to make it mix better, but that isn’t mentioned on the front of the package.”

Don’t: Assume it’s better than fruit juice

Flavor-enhanced water isn’t automatically zero or low-calorie water: “Sometimes there will be brown rice syrup or other different types of ‘natural’ sugars, at which point your athlete might as well just have fruit juice because then at least they're getting some vitamins and minerals,” Ziesmer says.

Depending on the situation, you might be better off giving your child straight or diluted fruit juice instead of that flavor-enhanced water, she adds. If your athlete is hydrating before or during practice, for instance, they might benefit from the added calories and sugar in a mix of half water, half juice.

Do: Make it yourself

Save money and stress over ingredients by simply making flavored water at home. “I love using actual cut up fruit in my water,” says Ziesmer. “There are even water bottles with a core where you can stick the fruit in, so it’s really easy to do. Or you can use a little packet of dehydrated citrus fruit like lemon, lime, or grapefruit sprinkled in your water. Those are much better options compared to buying a bottle of water packed with chemicals.”

In the summer, flavor-infused ice cubes are another simple way to cool down a water bottle while adding fun flavors, so consider making a tray of ice with a few drops of lemon or lime juice (or another flavor) in each cube.

Lastly, if you want to make it even more interesting, consider investing in a Soda Stream to add fizz to your water. Making your own blends at home is also eco-friendly, since you’ll skip single-use bottles and extra packaging!

Takeaway

While the name water implies that a product is healthy, the reality is that flavored water is often more than it appears due to fake sugars and artificial ingredients. It’s important to do you due diligence when evaluating products, and sometimes, making your own flavored water might be the best option.