Issue 20 - Footy Fever!

Nutrition E-Bites Edition 20 March 2010

It’s Football Fever this month!

While the AFL train is starting to gather momentum for the 2010 season, the world of football (soccer, that is) is almost at its climax with the A-League season in its finals stages and Asian Champions League campaign about to begin. Good eating patterns are essential especially when games and recovery are back-to-back. We often forget how long it can take to refuel those all-important glycogen stores, but a recent review of a study published by Jacobs et al in 1982 showed that the recovery of glycogen stores after a competitive soccer match can be slow, as much as 48hrs after the game. (See figure 1 below)

Figure 1: Recovery of muscle glycogen after a competitive match¹.

Given the lack of drinking opportunities in the game, hydration is another important issue of a soccer player’s agenda, with one fairly recent study (Maughan et al. 2005) reporting that while most players managed to drink ~ 1L of fluids during a game, the average sweat loss was ~ 2L in that time². That is a 50% rehydration rate (our aim is for 80% during a game).

Are you putting the best fuel in? Do you know what your average sweat rate is? Click here to download the soccer fact sheet with tips on fuelling and hydration for soccer, and for specialist tips on staying hydrated, click here.

1. Jacobs, I. et al. Muscle glycogen and diet in elite soccer players. European Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol. 48, Number 3, April 1982.

2. Maughan RJ et al. Fluid and electrolyte balance in elite male football (soccer) players training in a cool environment. J Sports Sci. 2005 Jan;23(1):73-9.

Don’t run on empty! Stay well-fuelled with this tasty dish!

Mixed mushroom risotto

Olive or canola oil spray

1 leek, halved lengthways, sliced
500 g mixed mushrooms (e.g. button, swiss, shitake), sliced
2 cups arborio rice
1½ litres MAGGI All Natural Chicken or Vegetable Liquid Stock
100 g enoki mushrooms
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 spring onions, thinly sliced on diagonal

Spray a large saucepan with oil and heat. Add leek and all mushrooms except enoki and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add stock, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until liquid is almost all absorbed. Add enoki mushrooms and cheese and stir well to combine - it should look slightly creamy. Garnish with spring onion and serve with steamed greens or salad. Season to taste.

ANALYSIS per serve	4	6
Energy kJ (Cal)	1940 (468)	1307 (312)
Carbohydrate (g)	87	58
Protein (g)	19	12
Fat (g)	5	3

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Source: Courtesy of the Survival from the Fittest cookbook, AIS Sports Nutrition. Go tohttp://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/recipes for more performance fuel ideas.

Do you need a Sports Dietitian in your local area?

Did you know that you can search to find a qualified Sports Dietitian in your local area? Sports Dietitians can provide advice on issues such as:

maximizing energy for sport and health
eating to optimise growth and development
what to eat before competition
recovery nutrition techniques
best fluid choices for exercise and staying hydrated
maintaining appropriate body fat levels, and;
education on food choices and tips while travelling

Make sure you get your accurate and up-to-date sports nutrition information from the professionals for sound science and a proven track record.

Click here to find a Sports Dietitian in your local area for individual consultations and/or group education sessions.