Proper Nutrition of the Footballer

Edited by Dr. Davide Sganzerla

The third rule is to take a light amount of protein, as it is essential for the reconstruction of the muscle after the effort of the match. Furthermore, if taken together with carbohydrates, they have the ability to stabilize blood sugar, preventing excessive increases and avoiding the state of reactive hypoglycemia.

As already mentioned, a few slices of bresaola or raw ham carefully deprived of the white part (very high in fat), or a limited portion of very lean meat such as turkey or chicken breast, cooked without fat are recommended.

The fourth rule is to avoid incorrect combinations. Often two foods are combined which, due to the fact that they require different digestive processes, end up creating problems. It is for this reason that you shouldn't eat fruit at the end of a meal, especially when you want to have a quick digestion. Also the combination of a starchy dish (pasta or rice) with a high protein food (steak or other types of meat, eggs, cheeses ...) requires digestion times longer than those necessary to digest only one or the other dish. The same can be said for the combination of two protein foods (meat and cheese; meat and eggs; eggs and cheese; milk and meat; milk and eggs).

The fifth and final rule is to avoid drinking alcohol. Ethyl alcohol depresses some inhibitory functions of the brain and can give a feeling of euphoria; however this effect certainly does not help the player's performance. high temperature and / or humidity, and with considerable solar radiation; ethyl alcohol, in fact, worsens the functioning of the brain centers responsible for the correct regulation of body temperature; this effect is certainly disadvantageous, especially when the worst environmental conditions exist, for the purpose of removing heat from the body.

Some Examples of Pre-Game Feeding

MATCH IN THE MORNING

Wake up at least 3 and a half hours before the game;
Hearty breakfast 3 hours before pre-game warm-up;
Rusks or bread with jam or tart with jam;
Milk or Yogurt;
Orange juice;
Coffee.

MATCH IN THE AFTERNOON

Breakfast with rusks or bread with jam, milk or yogurt and coffee;
Mid-morning snack with seasonal fruit or orange juice;
Lunch 3 hours before pre-game warm-up;
Cooked vegetables (spinach, boiled potatoes and carrots);
Pasta with or without tomato or white rice;
Bresaola or raw defatted with a little parmesan cheese;
Tart with jam;
Coffee.

MATCH IN THE AFTERNOON BUT WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY TO HAVE LUNCH 3 HOURS BEFORE

Hearty breakfast with rusks or bread with jam or honey, milk or yogurt, orange juice and coffee;
Snack at least 3 hours before the start of the game with a sandwich with bresaola or defatted raw ham;
No lunch but it is recommended to keep an energy bar at hand.

PRE-MATCH MEAL AT THE BAR

Eat a lot in the meal before this;
Sandwich with bresaola or defatted raw ham;
Tart with jam (avoid cream and creams);
Coffee.

MATCH IN THE EVENING

Breakfast with rusks or bread with jam, milk or yogurt and coffee;
Lunch with cooked vegetables (spinach, boiled potatoes and carrots), pasta with or without tomato or parmesan rice, turkey or chicken steak;
Snack at least 3 hours before pre-game heating with 2 slices of bresaola or raw defatted, apple tart and orange juice.

Power during the match

The purpose of feeding during the game is to replenish much of the water and salts lost in the form of sweat. The loss by the body of considerable quantities of water (dehydration) and mineral salts can cause a decrease in physical efficiency, with the possible onset of cramps and sometimes - as a result of the increase in body temperature - a decrease in cerebral efficiency. To avoid this, it is useful for the player to pre-hydrate, ie drink very abundantly immediately before entering the field, therefore after the warm-up and the appeal of the players. In addition to this, it is good that the player drinks a lot in the interval and if possible also during the match, especially during breaks caused by injuries (taking advantage of the bottles brought to the field by the masseur or going to take them directly to the bench).

ADVICE ON "DIET DURING THE GAME

Pure water may not be enough; the ideal would be to add to it the special mineral salts sold in sachets both in pharmacies and supermarkets or directly consume the energy drinks for sportsmen on the market;
Make sure that the water or drink is fresh, but not frozen;
In the winter period it is usually sufficient to take small quantities of this drink, but when the climate causes a very profuse sweating it is better to drink a few glasses;
When you sweat profusely and are very thirsty, you shouldn't make the mistake of drinking large amounts in one moment; this could cause severe digestive upset, so it is advisable to sip the maximum amount of fluids that, based on experience , it can be taken any time without any problems.