As an athlete, your nutritional needs are unique and require careful consideration to optimize performance, recovery, and overall health. Nutrient-dense foods like dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables offer vitamins and minerals essential to keeping athletes healthy. Dairy is a superfood, boasting 13 essential nutrients including whey protein, a protein exclusive to dairy. Check out some of these recipes below to learn how we stay on top of our game with diet.
What We’re Fueling up with!
Your body doesn’t produce calcium naturally, so it’s essential to obtain it through your diet. Calcium is crucial for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. It also plays a vital role in nerve function, muscle contraction (including maintaining a steady heart rhythm), and blood clotting. Dairy products offer the highest concentration of absorbable calcium per serving. Vitamin D is equally important as it enhances calcium absorption and promotes bone mineralization. Without sufficient Vitamin D, your calcium intake would not be as effective. Here are some flavorful recipes to help ensure you meet your calcium and vitamin D needs.
- Lucky Spinach Quiche
- Linguine with Pancetta and Prawns in Saffron Cream
- Green Bean Casserole Melt
- Campfire Queso
Every cell in your body requires protein in order to carry out its job. Protein helps build and repair muscle tissue and bones and is an excellent source of energy. Milk contains two separate proteins–whey and casein, exclusively found in dairy products. There are many benefits to consuming whey protein like weight management, healing properties for burns and sustained wounds, and lowered risk of developing allergies. Instead of reaching for your typical protein shake, try one of these easy and mouth watering post-game snacks.
Hydration keeps your body temperatures low, lubricates your joints, helps deliver nutrients to cells, improves brain function and so much more. Not only does dairy contain 13 essential nutrients, but milk is made up of 85% water, making it an incredibly hydrating pre-game and post-game beverage. If you’re looking for fun ways to increase your hydration, try these mouthwatering recipes:
Consuming foods higher in carbohydrates has been shown to enhance overall athletic performance by boosting your body’s ability to utilize glycogen for short and high-intensity workouts. Dairy is an excellent source of healthy carbohydrates to keep you at the top of your game. Try some of these carb-powered recipes the evening before your game day or the day of.
Milk is Nature’s Sports Drink!
Whether you consider yourself a culinary artist or are hoping for a quick nutritious bite on the go, we’ve got you covered! Milk is nature’s sports drink making it the quickest and easiest way to ensure you get all the nutrients you need on game day. Within an 8 oz glass of milk, you’ll find 13 essential nutrients, 8g of protein, a healthy source of carbohydrates and water. To learn more about milk’s nutritional benefits, click here.
