School lunch fuels success for spring sports
ARA
Springtime packs a punch for students. Between tests, papers, school trips, extracurricular performances and jobs, finding the energy for spring's after-school sports is often a challenge. Time and energy are at a premium. Eating well can help ease the crush.
While breakfast is often tapped as the most important meal of the day, lunch is arguably just as critical for all-day performance, says Sue Moores, a registered dietitian in St. Paul, Minn. "What kids eat during lunch at school should help them stay focused and concentrate for afternoon classes, plus help to carry them through their after-school activities."
According to Moores, the best school lunch contains foods rich in protein and wholesome carbohydrates, plus foods filled with vitamins and minerals, and some good old-fashioned fiber. This mix of foods provides energy for the brain and muscles that can last for several hours.
Missing out on lunch means missing out in class and on the field. Skipping lunch, or choosing a lunch of chips, cookies and a sugary drink - two options school food service directors say they see far too often at the middle and high school age - is detrimental to school performance and athletic endeavors.
"We know that eating poorly affects a student's physical and concentration capabilities, so we work hard in our program to make sure we provide good options - foods students like to eat, such as teriyaki chicken stir-fry and whole-grain, reduced-fat pizza, that are created to be more healthful and wholesome," says Amy Herrold, child nutrition supervisor, Edmond, Okla.
What makes a good lunch? Herrold suggests these options from the lunch line:
- Salad bar that includes romaine lettuce, shredded or diced vegetables, cottage cheese or hard-boiled eggs, a drizzle of dressing, plus whole-grain breadsticks, fruit and a low-fat milk.
- Roast beef or ham sandwich on whole-wheat bread, accompanied by an orange, carrot sticks with dip and a low-fat milk.
- Tony's LiveSmart Schools whole-grain crust pizza, with carrot and celery sticks, grapes and water.
- Quesadillas or a flatbread sandwich with a mixed lettuce salad, melon and a low-fat milk.
- Turkey/veggie wrap with pineapple and mandarin oranges, pretzel sticks and a low-fat chocolate milk.
- Baked potato with broccoli and low-fat cheese sauce, orange wedges, whole-wheat roll and a low-fat milk.
A good lunch equals better results after school
"On any given day, I can tell you within minutes which kids have eaten a healthy lunch and will be productive during practice or in a tournament, and which ones haven't," says Jeff Doherty, golf coach at Edmond North High School, Edmond, Okla., who was recently named one of just 20 National Coaches of the Year for 2011 by the National Federation of State High School Associations. "Food is so closely tied to sports performance. More kids today are realizing just how important what they eat is to how they'll practice or play in the game that afternoon."
"Athletes who want to get the most out of themselves and rise to the top pay attention to food," says Moores. "There's an undeniable connection between food and performance whether it's on the golf course, the soccer field, the stage or as first chair in the trombone section."
Lunch provides the energy and endurance for afternoon activities. A nutrient-rich lunch leaves the stomach within four hours and is in the muscles ready for release come afternoon, when the student really needs it, says Moores. No lunch means no energy. The chips-cookie-and-sugary-drink-meal may offer a surge of "liveliness" but, as Moores explains, is quickly followed by a significant dip in it.
Doherty appreciates the work being done by Edmond Public Schools to provide the best options for students. "The increased attention being paid to nutrition throughout our district and at schools across the country is a benefit to all student athletes," says Doherty. "We want to help kids understand they're putting fuel in to run a machine - their body," continues Doherty. "When you eat good food, it allows you to have better results, and I can tell you, the results are noticeable, immediate and lasting."
+ Top Story
Many women know that getting a Pap test regularly from their health care provider is a good way to check for signs of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide. What they might not know is that a “normal” Pap result does not necessarily mean they are cancer-free.
When you’re done with spring cleaning, you may assume you’ve eliminated any allergy triggers that were lurking in your home. But the truth is, if you don’t clean the right way, you might be making the problem worse.
Sixty Temple physicians have been named to Philadelphia magazine’s annual “Top Doctors” list. Nominated by their professional peers, the physicians on the list practice at Temple University Hospital, Fox Chase Cancer Center and Jeanes Hospital.
Managing diabetes just got a little bit easier. For the first time in history J.D. Power and Associates, the premier market research firm, has reviewed blood glucose meters based on feedback and insights from nearly 3,000 people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Don’t take the cinnamon challenge. That’s the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.
The Grammy Award-winning singer met with women who are part of an HIV program at United Medical Center in the nation’s capital Monday to discuss their experiences with the virus, including the fear and stigma associated with the disease.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) also known as "Obama Care," an estimated 47 million women are gaining access to all FDA-approved methods of birth control free of charge. This new law provides access to birth control methods that may have been too expensive for many women...
Going out with co-workers or friends after work is a great way to relax, but when you host a happy hour at home, you have full control over the guest list, atmosphere, music and, most importantly, the menu. Use these simple tips to entertain your friends, and your home may...