NUTRITION OF THE FOOTBALL PLAYER, BEFORE AND DURING THE MATCH

The pre-game meal at the Bar

While professional players eat their last meal (s) all together, usually in top-tier restaurants, many of the lower leagues always (or almost always) eat at home. Sometimes it happens that some of them they have to eat something at a bar, that of a station, that of a grill or the one closest to the playing field. In these cases what should they choose? breakfast if the game is played in the afternoon) is eaten with a certain abundance. Taking into account, then, what has been said above, one can think of advising to consume a small amount of food at the bar, for example: a sandwich, preferably with bresaola or raw ham without the fat part or a slice of tart or a dessert (but without cream or creams) with a tea.

Immediately before the game

In the past it was called "waiting ration" what was taken between the last main meal (consumed at least three hours before the match) and the start of the match, in practice in the tens of minutes preceding it. Today we tend to think that you do not need to take anything, except water with sugars and salts (both always well diluted, as will be discussed later); in the winter a few sips may be enough, in the summer it will be good to drink at least a couple of glasses There are two exceptions: one concerns carbohydrates for those who - for whatever reason - have not eaten anything for at least six to seven hours; the other concerns liquids, when you will find yourself playing in really difficult climatic conditions, in which (due to the high values of temperature, humidity and solar radiation) a high amount of sweat will be produced. In the first case it will be useful for the player to eat foods that have these two characteristics at the same time: rapid assimilation and low glycemic index (that is, which do not cause sudden changes in blood sugar). A sugar, when it causes a rapid rise in blood sugar, involves the release of a considerable amount of insulin into the circulation, causing a "reactive hypoglycemia". The first reason suggests that it is preferable to choose simple sugars or maltodextrins; the second excludes the glucose and sucrose (cooking sugar), especially if in quantities greater than a few tens of grams, and instead makes fructose preferable. let's just remember that the consequent loss of water ("dehydration") and salts determines a decrease in physical efficiency, the possibility of experiencing cramps and sometimes - as a consequence of an increase in body temperature - also a decrease in efficiency To avoid this, it is useful for the player to pre-hydrate, that is - immediately before entering the field, therefore after the warm-up and the appeal of the players - drink abundantly.

During the game

For years, players have been drinking during the interval; more recently they have begun to drink - when the climatic situations require it - even during the game. Only a few years ago some scholars began to support the usefulness of a contribution not only water , but also energetic during the game.

The importance of drinking during the game

It has already been said how harmful - for the purposes of athletic efficiency - the loss of large quantities of water and salts in the form of sweat can be. The player, therefore, will have to try to replenish a good part of these losses through two simple indications:

-drink abundantly in the interval; pure water may not be enough: it would be good if the appropriate salts were added to it, which are sold in sachets, considering that the temperature of the water or drink is cool, but not frozen; in the period in winter it is usually sufficient to take small quantities, while when the weather causes a very abundant sweating, it is better to drink a few glasses, starting immediately after the end of the first half;
-evaluate if it is necessary to pre-hydrate; in certain environmental conditions, in fact, it is possible to produce for every minute a quantity of sweat much higher than the quantity of water that - even in ideal situations - can be recovered through drinks; it is therefore possible that the first time is already sufficient to determine a consistent degree of dehydration.