All growing children need to consume healthy meals and follow a balanced diet, but does this balanced diet change in the case of children who work out or participate in sports?
Kids need to eat a certain mix of foods to support their athletic lifestyle, but that mix may not be so different from a regular balanced diet, making it an extension of eating for a healthy lifestyle.
Children who are involved in sports or prolonged competitions that require strenuous endurance level like rowing, cross-country running, or competitive swimming that require them to put in more than one and a half-hour of activity at a time, in particular, will require to up their food intake in order to keep up with the increased demand for energy.
Besides nutrients such as manganese, zinc, and calcium which are vital for your kids’ growth and development, athletic children also need a good amount of protein to replenish their energy. Consuming health drinks like Gritzo Super Milk is a step towards ensuring that your kids protein requirements are met.
Let us understand how health drinks help in supplying additional protein to support your child’s athletic activity.
Protein Requirements Of Athletic Kids
Based on their athletic goals, training regimes and type of sport, young athletes are required to consume anywhere from half to one gram of protein per pound of their body weight. It is advisable to consult a sports dietician to help determine the right quantity of protein that your kid’s protein levels are at a maximum.
Benefits Of Protein
Adding a healthy source of protein to your child’s daily regime can be beneficial in several ways, such as:
- Protein Makes You Feel Full: Protein helps in satiating hunger pangs and reducing the body's cravings for sugars and carbs by making you feel full for an extended period of time, Consumption of protein is also helpful for reducing appetite, making it an ideal solution of those interested in weight loss.
- Boosts Metabolism: Protein exudes a significantly bigger thermic effect than carbs and fats, requiring the body to burn more calories to digest, causing athletes who consume protein to experience boosts in their metabolism.
- Aids muscle maintenance: Protein is also a primary source of amino acids- a group of essential chemicals that act as the building blocks for our body’s growth and development. These amino acids are linked with repairing damaged muscles and improving tissue connectivity - which has been linked to better physical performance.
- Promotes growth and recovery: Protein is a good source of leucine, a block-chained amino acid. Leucine helps in the growth and recovery of muscle tissue, especially after prolonged periods of strength or endurance training.
- Aids overall development: Protein aids the formation and growth of bones, regulating oxygen levels and boosting the immune system - especially in children. This is why it is considered an essential building block of the body that aids our overall growth and development.
Sources Of Protein
According to research, younger athletes are expected to consume a minimum of five to six balanced meals and snacks per day, with an interval of three hours between every meal. It is important to ensure that every meal contains a balanced input of complex carbs, lean protein, healthy fat, fruits and vegetables. Athletes must also ensure that their snacks constitute a combination of several macronutrients.
Young athletes can meet their daily protein needs by ensuring the inclusion of healthy and natural sources of kids protein, such as:
- Plain Greek Yoghurt: A single, six-ounce serving of plain Greek yoghurt contains about 125 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 20 grams of lean protein, Consumption of greek yoghurt is essential for building muscle mass, lowering blood pressure, and improving gut health by promoting the growth of healthy bacteria.
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese: Commonly known as paneer, half a cup of cottage cheese has only 50 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and almost 13 grams of lean protein. Consumption of paneer is essential for aiding the growth and development of bones. It is also linked with preventing the development of cardiovascular diseases by lowering triglyceride levels in the body.
- Beans, Peas, and Lentils: Legumes such as beans and peas contain 100 calories, 5 grams of fat, and about 10-15 grams of protein in a single-serve on an average. They are also a good source of zinc, potassium, Vitamin A, and are extremely rich in fibre, which aids digestion. Consumption of legumes is beneficial in lowering bad cholesterol, regulating intestinal health, and boosting the immune system.
- Fish: A single, three-ounce serving of white-fleshed fish such as cod or mackerel contains almost 20-25 grams of protein, 125 calories and under 3 grams of fat, making it one of the richest sources of kids protein. Consumption of fish is good for regulating cholesterol, improving cognitive activity and regulating blood pressure.
- Peanut Butter: Two tablespoons of regular peanut butter contains 190 calories, 6 grams of fat, and around 8 grams of protein.
- Protein Supplements: Consumed in combination with other nutritional foods as a part of a healthy and balanced diet, protein supplements like Gritzo Super Milk are highly beneficial to the body and help fulfil your kids’ protein requirements in a single goal. Protein supplements are very easily absorbed by the body and pose as a viable alternative for athletes who follow specific diets such as vegetarianism or veganism.
It is also important to note that these protein supplements and health drinks could never possibly replace actual meals, and are only meant to aid the protein gap that most athletes experience. The best way to ensure that your child meets their daily nutritional requirements would be to constitute a healthy balanced diet where they consume various sources of these essential vitamins - and supplement it with Gritzo Super Milk the best source of your kids’ protein so that they can get the most out of their food.
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