Nutritional Needs & Guidelines

If you become concerned about the adequacy of your child's diet, you should consider nutritional counseling to identify any problems that may be hindering his performance. The title "nutritionist" can be used by anyone, regardless of training. The chances are better than 50/50 that such a person will have phony credentials or deliver inaccurate information. If you want individual nutritional counseling, consult a registered dietician (one with an "R.D." after their name).

Nutrition plays an important role in recovery from a sports injury. No change in diet is necessary when a quick recovery is expected. A long-term injury will likely require a reduced diet with a focus on maintaining protein intake and eating nutrient-dense foods.

There are a surprisingly large number of myths about nutrition. Here are some myths and facts about sugar:

An easy way to assess whether your child is getting adequate, but not
excessive, protein in his/her daily diet is to use this rule of thumb:
consume daily 16 ounces (2 cups, or 480 ml) of milk or yogurt plus a
moderate serving of protein-rich foods at two meals a day.  This, along
with with the small amounts of protein in grains and vegetables, will
likely meet your child's daily protein requirement.  Of course, your
child will need to eat other foods to round her calorie and nutritional
requirements, and those foods will offer a little more protein, as well.

Do you know how many grams of protein are in the foods you serve your family? Here's a list.

Food fulfills three basic needs: (1) to provide energy; (2) to support new tissue growth and tissue repair; and (3) to help regulate metabolism. These three requirements are met by components of foods called "nutrients", which consist of six classes: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Foods that are "nutrient dense" supply a significant amount of these nutrients for their calories. A high-performance diet emphasizes nutrient-dense carbohydrates necessary to maintain muscle glycogen - the primary fuel for most sports.

Studies have shown that adequate dietary carbohydrates must be consumed on a daily basis, especially after exercise, to restore levels of carbohydrates (glycogen) which, as the preferred fuel for most types of exercise, is required for peak athletic performance. So what foods are rich in carbohydrates? Check out our list.

What counts as a single "serving" of foods in the major food groups in the USDA's food guidance system.

A list of nutrition tips for active children to meet their energy and hydration needs.

When you or your child athlete thinks of food, think about carbohydrates, such as the whole-grain products, vegetables, and fruits that make up three-fourths of the FDA's new MyPlate food guidance system.