Written By Sam Henselijn
How to Choose Healthy Snacks for Soccer Teams! We’ve all been there, waiting tentatively for the team to score while cheering them on from the sidelines…knowing that halftime is coming up, that the team will need that all important energy boost that will get them through the next session. What does the team eat? Oranges. Is this substantial enough for sportsmen and women who are out there fighting to win? In this article we will attempt to explain why oranges simply aren’t a good enough healthy snack for soccer teams mid-game, then we will take a look at some healthier alternatives that will really pack a nutrient punch!
The tradition of oranges on the field
The tradition of oranges in the game field hails from uncertain origins, but we can guess that it was a tradition starting around the same time as oranges were originally ‘discovered’ and brought back to Britain. At that time they were hailed as a super-fruit, and many consider them the ideal mid-game healthy snack to this day. But we think there are a few holes in that argument.
Oranges are mostly sugar, water, citric acid and vitamin C. It is believed that the Vitamin C and sugar will give you a good energy boost that will get you through till the next break – but this is simply wrong. Sugar gives only a very short-term energy boost and although vitamin C might prolong it a little it is not a slow-releasing provider of energy. For that, you want protein and carbohydrate of which the humble orange has very little.
While full of vitamins, the orange does provide a good hydration boost for hungry players and we won’t argue with that. What we will say is that the best hydration of all comes from water and that players do have plenty of access to fresh water during breaks. We believe it would be much wiser to stock up on nutrients through the foods that soccer teams snack on and leave the water to do the hydrating. That way, a player can get the best of both worlds.
What should Soccer Teams be eating?
Team players can snack on healthy things that are filled with Omega 3 for a natural energy boost that won’t rely on the short-term high of sugars. B vitamins are also essential for making sure the body makes the most of its energy and is able to release it for a longer time. Iron, Copper, and Zinc will also help you to metabolize energy from the foods you eat, So soccer teams should be looking at healthy snacks that contain these ingredients.
Healthy snacks for soccer teams
So we took a look at some nutrient-rich sources of energy and found that a soccer player will get the most nutritional benefit mid-game by eating a mixture of dried fruit and nuts. Trail mix was literally invented to be eaten in just such situations, and if you include just a hint of salt in the mixture it will replace those vital salts lost through sweating while simultaneously making them want to drink more water. It’s a plus, plus.
Without further ado then, let’s take a look at some healthy snack foods for soccer teams that might make an interesting (and better) alternative to the long worshiped orange.
How to Choose Healthy Snacks for Soccer Teams!
Walnuts
Walnuts contain a full quarter of the iron and magnesium needed by the body on a daily basis. They also harbor dietary fiber, calcium, and potassium, have no sodium and only healthy fatty acids that will help those players keep going for the whole match. Walnuts make an excellent halftime healthy snack because they are full of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.
Peanuts
Among other nuts that contain both Iron and essential Omega fatty acids are peanuts and almonds. While the almond is widely recognized as a very healthy powerhouse of minerals, the peanut often gets a bad reputation. It is not the peanut that tends to be bad for you, but the coating that they come in. Plain peanuts at halftime rival fruit in terms of antioxidants and carry a powerful boost of energy to get those players over the halftime hump.
Dried Apples
Dried apples will have a little sugar that will give an instant energy boost, but since it has been dried it has lost much of the fruit’s original sweetness. Dried Apples contain B Vitamins 1, 2 and 6, and are rich in Vitamin A, to boot. They also contain Vitamin C just like the orange – but with almost none of the acidity. They have that little bit more folic acid too, which means your team might well be stronger in the second half.
Dried Pineapples
As an afterthought, if you are truly committed to that natural sugar perking up your players, then try switching to some dried pineapple. It packs a vitamin punch and retains much more sweetness than any orange can. Just a thought…
So those are a few healthy snacks for soccer teams that are easy to make up and that you can try yourself to see the benefits of! Soccer teams around the world unite! It’s time to drop that orange and turn to something tastier, healthier, and that will give you enough energy to start working all over again! Nuts, fruit blends, and trail mixes are the way forward into the future…and we know where you can get some of the very finest quality.
L’Orenta’s Gourmet Nuts provide only the best in premium grade nuts, trail mixes, fruit blends and other healthy snacks that are not only good for you – but that is also divinely tasty. Don’t believe us? Head on over and find out for yourself. Their dazzling array of brilliantly healthy snacks foods are fit for any soccer team and will make your players love matches even more. Shop now and new customers can even spin to win a discount!
For the very best nuts for the very best players; make it L’Orenta’s, because health food doesn’t have to be boring.
Sam Henselijn Author’s Biography – Meet L’Orenta Nuts CEO
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