The secret to making kids good sportspersons

Parents raising kids on a vegetarian diet often find themselves involved in debates on the kinds of protein needed for enhanced performance for sporting activities. When Alka Sharma came to me to address her needs and ended up talking about her son Sacchitt, who was at that time was preparing to represent India in wimbledon under-14, I couldn’t help but give her some tips that would also help him. Alka was very clear that she needed to keep him on a plant-based (vegan) diet. His coach and peers, having being fed information on supplements and performance enhancers, were certainly not happy. Alka’s decision though eventually helped her son win the UK under-14 wimbledon title.

Parents, please be cautious of the advice that comes your way. I see that most parents have no qualms in allowing their children to use supplements to perform better on the field. Most supplements are high on caffeine and sugar. Children perform better for that particular moment, but experience an energy crash later.

Two components make up an athlete’s life: training and recovery. In the recovery phase, parents and health practitioners need to work on reducing body stress and enhance the quality of the rest phase. A better diet with more natural foods ensures better recovery and lesser stress on the body.

A simple plant-based approach is not enough. You also need to add high-quality, alkaline-forming, easily-digestible and nutrient-dense foods. Children need a diet that can improve productivity, increase strength and endurance, help with faster recovery, improve the mental state, sleep, productivity, reduce sugar cravings, reduce body fat and help maintain lean muscle.

Include more leafy greens, fibrous and colourful vegetables. Next, emphasise on starchy vegetables such as turnips, squash, and sweet potatoes. Also add legumes and sprouts, all kinds of fruits seeds and nuts, and grains such as brown rice and amaranth.

Recipe

An energy snack to get you started
Ingredients
Bananas: 2
Dates: ½ cup
Ground chia seeds: ¼ cup
Cocoa: ¼ cup
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
sea salt (process till smooth): ¼ tsp
Method:
Process all the ingredients in a blender for a nice energy pudding.

(Shonali Sabherwal is a macrobiotic nutritionist, chef, and instructor)

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