EAT MORE FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Boost performance by adding color
Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables can enhance athletic performance and help the body recover. Eating well increases energy, endurance, and the ability to concentrate, both on and off the field. Players that eat and drink properly have an edge over their competition, especially in the second half of the game, the second game of the day, or the second half of the season. Food, fuel, and rest are essential for peak mind and body performance.
BENEFITS
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Eating a variety of food, including fruits and vegetables, will help you achieve the energy you need as an athlete.
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Fruits and vegetables can be a great source of carbohydrates (potatoes, fruits, carrots), calcium (brocooli, kale, cabbage, collard greens), iron (dark-green leafy vegetables, drired fruits)
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A diet including fruits and vegetables helps provide the micronutrients that provide energy, support bone health and assist in the repair of muscle during recovery and injury from exercise. (example bananas, oranges, and potatoes provide potassium)
GOALS
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Try a new vegetable or fruit every week
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Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
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Select and help prepare 1 new recipe using fruits or vegetables
What are some common mistakes that you see athletes make in their diets?
Skipping breakfast. Inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables. Inadequate fluid intake. Recovery after training and competition is not taken seriously.
Randy Bird, director of Sports Nutrition for all UVA teams. March 30th, 2016; Cville.
Smoothies:
Incorporating veggies into the family diet in subtle ways can help expand the palate and cultivate a taste for vegetables. Smoothies use the natural sweetness of fruit as the perfect disguise. Pineapple, orange, and grapes are particularly good smoothie ingredients to marry with vegetables. Apples can offset greens with a slight “bite” such as spinach. Cucumber adds a crisp finish without taking center stage
Books: