Nutrition considerations for youth Rugby athletes…

Assess how much you need:

As a young athlete, I am supposed to tell you that you need somewhere between 2000 – 5000kcal a day, depending how active you are. I doubt that means much to you, and there is a 3000kcal difference between those figures anyway. Being aware of the calorific content of food is valuable, but I would encourage listening to your body instead of calorie counting. If you feel tired, ‘not up’ for training, or just generally run down, you may need to eat more…the demands of rugby on top of the energy needed to grow means you need a lot more food than your less active friends. So if you’re not eating enough, your taking away from your Rugby performance; you won’t be as strong or fast as you could be!

What do you need?

Macronutrients are very important in the diet of a young rugby player. A Macronutrient is a food that people need a big intake of everyday. Macronutrients include protein, carbohydrates, and fats;

It is recommended that about 12-15% of a young athlete’s everyday diet is protein, 60-70% is carbohydrate, and 20-30% is fat. Always source the highest quality macronutrients available to you.

Protein
Rugby players may need more protein than less-active youths, but most young athletes get plenty of protein through their normal diet. It’s a myth that athletes need a huge daily intake of protein to build big, strong muscles. Muscle growth comes from regular training and hard work. And taking in too much protein can actually harm the body, causing dehydration, calcium loss, and even kidney problems.

Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are an excellent source for energy when you play rugby. Not having enough carbs or the wrong carbohydrates can cause you to feel tired and worn out, which ultimately negatively affects your Rugby performance.

Sugary sources of carbohydrate such as sweets and fizzy drinks are less healthy for athletes because they don’t contain any of the other nutrients you need. In addition, eating mars bars or other sugary snacks just before practice or competition will give you a quick burst of energy (sugar rush) and then “crash” or run out of energy before the refs final whistle…

Fat
Fats may have a bad reputation with some people but everyone needs a certain amount of fat every day, and this is particularly true for young athletes. You need fats for long-lasting energy, and for your body to grow and function properly. Like carbs, not all fats are equal…your body will appreciate some avocado more than greasy chips! Choosing when to eat fats is also important for rugby players. Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it’s a good idea to avoid eating these foods for a few hours before a game.

Assess the sources:

You know you need a balance of protein, fats and carbs, but you also need to think where you’re getting your macronutrients from…As I have already touched on, there are different kinds, and different qualities of these. A simple rule to follow is the more natural, the less processed the food, the better for you. For example organic free range chicken is better for you than chicken McNuggets. Obviously.

Good sources of protein are fish, lean meats, eggs, dairy, nuts, and peanut butter.

Good sources of fats are olive oil, avocado, peanut butter (again) and whole milk.

Good sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, and grains. Choose whole grains (such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread) more often than their more processed counterparts like white rice and white bread. That’s because whole grains provide both the energy athletes need to perform and the fibre and other nutrients they need to be healthy.

Minerals and Vitamins
Calcium helps build the strong bones that rugby players depend on, and iron carries oxygen to your muscles. Some young people don’t get enough of these minerals, and as a young athlete, your needs may be even higher.

To get the iron you need, eat lean (not much fat) red meat, and the brown meat of chicken/turkey; green, leafy vegetables; and iron-fortified cereals. Calcium is found in spinach, broccoli, sardines and dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese.

In addition to calcium and iron, you need a load of other vitamins and minerals that do everything from help you access energy to keep you from getting sick. Eating a balanced diet, including lots of different fruits and veggies, should provide the vitamins and minerals needed for good health and sports performance.

Super foods for young athletes:
Foods for the ‘Edge’ 😉

Oats :slow release carbohydrate, rev metabolism, low fat

Turkey: muscle building lean protein

Beetroot: muscle endurance, very high vitamins

Avocado: one of the best sources of omega fats

Eggs: yolks- high in vitamins
whites- high protein, low fat

Hydration

Water is just as important to your performance as food. When you sweat during exercise, it’s easy to become overheated, headachy, and worn out — especially in hot or humid weather. Even mild dehydration can affect an athlete’s physical and mental performance.

Hydration starts way before match day, and you should try and get on top of it every day.

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for how much water to drink. How much fluid each person needs depends on the individual’s age, size, level of physical activity, and environmental temperature. Again, the skill of listening to your body becomes important.

It is recommended that rugby players drink before and after exercise as well as every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, because thirst is a sign that your body has needed liquids for a while. But don’t force yourself to drink – too much water in your stomach makes it hard to play well!

Avoid drinking carbonated drinks or juice because they could give you a stomachache while you’re competing.

Match Day

Your performance on game day will depend on the foods you’ve eaten over the past several days and weeks. But you can boost your performance even more by paying attention to the food you eat on game day. Match day diet should be rich in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat.

Here are some guidelines on what to eat and when:

Eat a meal 2 to 4 hours before the game or event: Choose a protein and carbohydrate meal (like a turkey or chicken sandwich, cereal and milk, chicken noodle soup and yogurt, or pasta with tomato sauce).
Eat a snack less than 2 hours before the game: If you haven’t had time to have a pre-game meal, be sure to have a light snack such as low-fibre fruits or vegetables, or peanut butter on toast.
Consider not eating anything for the hour before you compete or train because digestion requires energy — energy that you want to use to win. Also, eating too soon before any kind of activity can leave food in the stomach, making you feel full, bloated, crampy, and sick.

Everyone is different, so get to know what works best for you. You may want to experiment with meal timing and how much to eat on practice days so that you’re better prepared for game day…