Essential Nutrients for Children to Excel in Sports & Studies

Tips by India’s Top Athletes / Sports Nutritionist & Dietician Avni Kaul

When you have a budding cricketer, footballer, basketballer, tennis player or a sprinter in your home, you must be aware that an effective diet plan and daily nutrition intake is important for the kid to excel in sports and studies.

According to India’s leading Sports Nutritionist & Dietician Avni Kaul, for children to excel in sports along with their studies, parents must ensure that their child’s daily diet chart and nutrition intake should address the following three important areas: –

1. Good physical development (growth of muscles and strong bones).
2. The growth of their physical stamina.
3. The growth of their brain functioning like – better concentration, fast reflexes, enhanced reasoning etc.

In this article, Sports Nutritionist Avni Kaul share the key diet and nutrition insight that will help Indian kids to achieve the above mentioned physical and mental growth.

1. The Two Key Nutrients

Every athlete needs two essential nutrients to perform well in sports- carbohydrates, and protein. Carbohydrates are essential to produce energy and stamina while protein is important for building and repairing muscles.

Add whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat bread and vegetables such as peppers and carrots to your child’s daily diet. For protein, give your child fish, meat, dairy products, beans, nuts, and soy.
However, after a game or practice, the child’s aim should be to replenish the carbohydrates that were burnt off during the play. This is particularly important if the child is playing again in 12 hours. Foods like banana, chocolate milk, and oats, poha, veg sandwich, Paneer sandwich can be given.

2. Brain Development of food

Matches are not won just by muscles and strength but it also needs skills and brain power.  To make sure your child athlete is having sufficient brain development give them the following nutrients every day:-

·         Omega-3s: Omega-3 fatty acids are important for improving kid’s brain functioning.  In fact, research demonstrates that a special fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supports better concentration level and good analytic power. Hence,  give your child a variety of omega-3 rich food like Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds, Soybeans, walnuts, Spinach and sprouts

·         Antioxidant and Vitamins: Foods with antioxidants , vitamins and minerals are essential to protect the body against oxidative stress and its resultant damage to the brain. Scientific research demonstrates that antioxidant deficiencies in kids may weaken their brain’s cognitive powers. To meet your child’s daily requirements for antioxidants give them vegetables and whole fruits like Lemon, oranges, guava, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach and cauliflower.  

·         Folate: A lack of Folate in the body may increase blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that’s been linked with brain functioning. Give your child dark green vegetables for folate, like leafy greens, broccoli, sprouts, beans, peas and lentils. 

·         Water: Drinking sufficient water, daily, is essential for athletes.  Remember 75% of the weight of the human brain is water!  Hence if your child does not take enough water – as in the case of dehydration – slight mental impairment can occur. 

3. Good Eating Habits

Not just good food intake but kids must eat on a regular schedule. Every day , kids must start their day a well-balanced breakfast (ex: low-sugar cereal, milk, and a banana, dal chela, vegetable poha, vegetable Dalia ).  As well as kids must restrict junk food intake.

4. Seek an Expert

Every child’s bio composition (weight, height, fat composition) is different and so is their medical history, hence parents should consult a sports nutrition and diet expert to develop a personal diet chart for your child.