Food for the Female Footballer

A footballer could have the best skills in the world, however without the correct nutritional support the player will not be able to sustain a hard training programme over a long period of time and improvement would therefore be limited. Good nutritional practices are also necessary to ensure optimal performance in competition, and changes in the diet can lead to substantial improvements in performance. The difference between winning and losing is small and, where things are equal, attention to diet can be the difference between the team at the top of the league and the others. A good diet will make sure that you compete to the best of your ability throughout the whole match because:

• Energy stores will be high enough to last the whole match
• Concentration will be better
• There will be less chance of getting injured

How tired you are depends not only on your fitness level but also what foods and fluid you have consumed. Scientific studies have shown that players who eat a good diet, in relation to quantity (number of calories) and quality (composition of the key nutrients, carbohydrate, fat and protein), run longer, sprint more, keep their concentration longer, are more successful with passing/crossing accuracy, and are less likely to get injured.

How you perform during a match and training will depend on what you eat/drink BEFORE, DURING and AFTER each game/session. By eating and drinking the right foods and fluids your performance and collectively the teams peformance will IMPROVE.

Look out for more information coming soon.

Reproduced from the booklet
'Nutrition Guide For the Female Footballer'
Produced by the Football Assocition
Medical and Exercise Science Dept.
Copies available on request.

Food for thought Here’s a fact: young footballers can have all the skills in the world but without the proper nutritional support, they won’t be as fit as they could be and their performances will suffer.

They won’t be able to train as hard or as long, so won’t improve their play, and during games run the risk of getting tired. How they perform during games and training depends on what they eat and drink before, during and after each match or session. If they eat and drink the right stuff, they will improve.

Follow our advice and they’ll be a bundle of energy out on the pitch! First off, let’s look at the essential nutrients young footballers need to be eating, and the foods they’re found in.

Nutrient found in

* Simple carbohydrates: Sweets, cakes, soft drinks, jam

* Complex carbohydrates: Rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals, fruit

* Saturated fats: Butter, margarine, cheese, pasties

* Unsaturated fats: Sunflower oil, salmon, nuts

* Protein: Milk, chicken, eggs, fish, yoghurt

* Vitamins and minerals: Fruit, vegetables, dairy products

* Fibre: Seeds, peas, beans

* Water: Foods, drinks, formulated sports drinks

Footballers need increased energy to gain that extra edge, and that’s most commonly found in carbohydrate 

Now, in a healthy diet, 55-60% of it should come from carbohydrate, but for footballers, it’s even higher - as much as 70%! Of course, players need other nutrients too and it’s not easy to get the perfect intake of carbohydrate from eating a regular three meals a day. The way to do it is by snacking - snacks play a crucial role in a player’s diet, especially if eaten immediately after training or a match.

That’s when the energy stores in the muscles which have just been working are best refuelled. Snack Attack! These snacks are high in carbohydrate but low in fat

* Banana, jam or honey sandwiches

* Muesli bars or sweetened popcorn

* Fruit cake, currant buns, scones, American muffins

* Crumpets, bagels, English muffins, scotch pancakes

* Pop Tarts, rusks and cereal

* Jelly cubes

* Jaffa cakes, wine gums, jelly babies

* Low fat rice pudding, bread pudding

* Yoghurts and milkshakes

* Fruit and dried fruit