SPORT SCIENCE & MEDICINE TEAM

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

NUTRITION FOR PERFORMANCE HOCKEY

This chapter on nutritional issues covers the following:

  1. Overview
  2. What’s a balanced diet?
  3. Carbohydrate
  4. Protein
  5. Fat
  6. What to eat before a match
  7. What to eat after training/competition
  8. Fluids and hydration
  9. BOA statement on Creatine
  10. BOA statement on use of supplements

OVERVIEW

All great athletes plan their diet as diligently as they plan their training regimen. Neglecting to fuel the body correctly and provide all of the essential nutrients it needs may contribute to a sub optimal performance in training and competition. As an elite athlete it is important that you have a good understanding of the types of foods and fluids you should be taking on board to enable you to perform at your best.

What fuel?

Hockey is a sport that consists of a variety of exercise intensities ranging from sprinting to standing still. Fuel for the bursts of intense activity is provided predominantly by carbohydrate and fat is used during the less intense parts of the game.

Research shows that muscle glycogen is the most important fuel in team sports.

One of the major causes of fatigue during Hockey is depletion of muscle glycogen. Studies have shown that the use of glycogen is more pronounced in the first than the second half of the game. Furthermore it is found that players with initially low glycogen stores cover a shorter distance and sprint significantly less, particularly in the second half than those players with normal muscle glycogen levels prior to the match.

If blood glucose levels drop during the game this may also lead to a loss of concentration and tactical skills, and a deterioration of team interactions.

So carbohydrate clearly plays an important part in the diet of an elite Hockey player, but it is also essential to remember that the body needs a total of approximately 40 nutrients for good health so the balance of the diet as a whole must be carefully considered.

What’s a balanced diet?

A balanced diet will provide you with enough energy and nutrients to stay healthy, feel good and perform well in training and competition. Athletes have different requirements to the general population but essentially the diet should still be made up of the five basic food groups with greater proportions from some groups due to increased requirements of specific nutrients e.g. carbohydrate and protein

The main nutrients provided by the diet are carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

A good training diet should contain approximately:

  • 60-70% energy from carbohydrate
  • 12-15% energy from protein
  • <30% energy from fat

The daily diet should be made up of a selection of foods from each of the five food groups pictured below to ensure you consume the correct balance of nutrients required for the body to function.

A brief guide to the five food groups

Bread, other cereals and potatoes

  • This group includes bread, potatoes, pasta and noodles, rice and breakfast cereals. It also includes other cereal grains such as oats, maize, millet and cornmeal and other starchy vegetables such as yam and plantain.
  • Beans and pulses can also be counted as part of this group
  • Main nutrients provided by this group include carbohydrate, fibre, some calcium and iron plus B vitamins
  • To increase fibre intake it is useful to eat wholemeal, wholegrain or high fibre versions of these foods where possible

Fruit and vegetables

  • These include fresh, frozen and canned. Dried fruits and fruit juice are also included
  • Main nutrients provided include the antioxidant vitamins, C, E and carotene, as well as folate, fibre and some carbohydrate.
  • Fruits and vegetables also contain other compounds called phytochemicals such as flavonoids (widely distributed in fruits and vegetables), phytoestrogens (Soya is a good source) and glucosinolates (found in broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and mustard). These compounds may help protect us against common diseases.
  • Five portions or more of fruit/vegetables should be eaten per day
  • Beans, pulses and juices can be counted as part of this group

Milk and dairy foods

  • This group includes milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais, but not butter, eggs and cream
  • Main nutrients provided include calcium, protein, vitamin B12 and vitamins A and D. Vitamins A and D are not present in very low fat varieties.
  • 2-3 portions of these foods should be eaten daily
  • Lower fat versions should be chosen where possible e.g. skimmed or semi skimmed milk and lower fat yoghurts and cheeses

Meat, fish and alternatives

  • This group includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses
  • Main nutrients provided includes iron, protein, zinc, magnesium and the B vitamins especially B12
  • Include 2-3 portions of this food group per day.
  • Lean meats should be chosen and skin removed from chicken to decrease fat intake
  • Pulses and beans are good alternatives to meat and are naturally lower in fat and also contain carbohydrate and fibre
  • Oily fish is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids which can help protect against heart disease and optimise mental functioning
  • Aim for a minimum of 2 portions of fish per week of which at least one should be oily fish. Oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, pilchards, swordfish, herring, kipper, eel, and whitebait. These fish count as oily whether they are canned fresh or frozen. Only fresh tuna counts as an oily fish, as canned tuna has less omega 3 oils, but is still a good protein source. Men can have up to 4 portions oily fish per week (one portion is 140g), women 2 portions per week. Women who aren’t planning to be pregnant in the future can also have up to 4 portions per week.

Foods containing fat, foods containing sugar

  • Foods containing fat include margarine, butter, other spreading fats and low fat spreads, cooking oils, oil based salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastries, cake, puddings, ice cream, rich sauces and gravies
  • Foods containing sugar include soft drinks, sweets, jam and sugar as well as foods such as cake, puddings, biscuits, pastries and ice cream
  • Foods containing fat do contain important nutrients including essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins especially the antioxidant vitamin E and so a small amount is needed in the diet
  • Generally, high fat foods should be limited as they are high in energy and eating large quantities can lead to excessive gains in body fat
  • A high intake of saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels
  • Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat should be chosen instead where possible.
  • Look out for products with less than 3g fat per 100g as these are low fat
  • Foods containing a lot of sugar can be useful to top up carbohydrate requirements but should not be included in large quantities

The food group ‘bread, other cereals and potatoes’ should make up a substantial part of a hockey players diet because of the greater need for carbohydrate. Fruit and dairy foods are also a useful source of carbohydrate.

CARBOHYDRATE

Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for the working muscle and is essential for any form of exercise. It is also an essential energy source for the brain and central nervous system and so plays a vital role in hockey where precision, quick decision making skills, dexterity and coordination are required.

Carbohydrate is stored in the body as glycogen in the muscle and liver. These stores are quite small and so a regular intake of carbohydrate is needed to keep these stores topped up.

Low glycogen stores will result in poor performance and increase the risk of injury.

Research shows that low carbohydrate diets can result in lower levels of muscle glyogen and higher rates of perceived exertion, reduced tolerance for training and fatigue. It is therefore essential to pay attention to the amount of carbohydrate you eat on a regular basis.

Good sources of carbohydrate to include regularly in your diet include:

  • Breakfast cereals – All types but try to include some wholegrain varieties such as porridge, weetabix, shredded wheat, branflakes, muesli, sultana bran etc
  • Bread – all types wholemeal, granary, white, pitta, muffins, crumpets, bagels, chapattis
  • Pasta and noodles
  • Rice
  • Cous cous, polenta, bulgar wheat, millet and other grain products
  • Potatoes and sweet potatoes
  • Pizza bases (opt for deep pan thicker bases) the topping can be high in fat so choose lower fat toppings such as ham and pineapple, vegetarian or ham and tomato. Avoid too much cheese or salami type toppings
  • Crispbread, oatcakes, rice cakes, crackers
  • Beans (baked, red kidney etc), peas and lentils
  • Root vegetables such as carrots swede, parsnip, swede beetroot
  • Sweetcorn and popcorn (buttered popcorn has a high fat content)
  • Fruit (fresh, dried and canned) and fruit juice
  • Milk and yoghurt

These sources of carbohydrate also provide a variety of other nutrients and so are good choices.

Make sure you have a large portion of carbohydrate with each meal and base snacks on carbohydrate rich foods.

There are other sources of carbohydrate that can be included in the diet to increase overall intake of carbohydrate but they are not as rich in other nutrients and some may contain higher amounts of fat.

These include:

  • Cereal bars (fat content can be high, so check the label)
  • Biscuits – rich tea, fig rolls, plain digestives, ginger nuts, and jaffa cakes are lower in fat than many other biscuits
  • Cakes – again be aware that many cakes have a high fat content. Lower fat alternatives include malt loaf, hot cross buns, and fruit loaf.
  • Jam, marmalade, honey, syrup and treacle
  • Sweetened soft drinks
  • Sport drinks
  • Sugar confectionary e.g. jelly baby’s, wine gums etc

Carbohydrate - How much is enough?

The amount of carbohydrate you need to eat each day depends on the amount of training you do on a daily basis. The following table is a guide to the amount you should be eating.

On average, Hockey players would require 5-8g carbohydrate per kg body weight.

Daily recovery/fuel needs for moderate duration(< I hour per day) /low intensity training / 5-7g carbohydrate per kg body weight per day
Daily recovery/fuel needs for moderate to heavy endurance training (1-3 hours per day) / 7-12g carbohydrate per kg body weight per day
Daily recovery/fuel needs if undertaking an extreme exercise program (i.e. 4-6 + hours per day) / 10-12g carbohydrate per kg body weight per day

(Ref: J sports sciences vol. 22, No. 1, Jan 2004)

To give you an idea of the carbohydrate content of different foods, the items below show the portion sizes of foods that will provide 50g carbohydrate.

Bakery Products

2 slices bread from large thick cut loaf

3 slices bread from large medium sliced loaf

1 large bap

2 rolls

1 bagel

1 large pitta bread

2 crumpets/English muffins

2 currant buns/hot cross buns

2-3 slices malt loaf

3 scotch pancakes

4 pikelets

Breakfast Cereals

1 large bowl breakfast cereal

3 weetabix or shredded wheat

11/2 bowls porridge made with milk

Grains And Cereals

8 tablespoons cooked pasta

4 tablespoons cooked rice

1 large tin spaghetti in tomato sauce

Potatoes

1 medium jacket potato with skin

5 scoops mashed potato

5 small egg sized potatoes

Fruit

2 large bananas

4 apples

2 large mangoes

large bunch grapes

1 pint fruit juice

2 tablespoons raisins/sultanas

14 dried apricots

5 dried figs

400ml fruit smoothie

Dairy Foods

2 cartons yoghurt

2 pints milk

500ml milkshake

Cereal Bars

2 Jordans frusli bars

1 ½ Nutrigrain elevenses

2 Kellogg’s nutrigrain bars

2 Geobars

2 Alpen bars

Biscuits

4-5 Fig rolls

6 jaffa cakes

6 gingernuts

5 digestives

Drinks

80ml Ribena diluted with 500ml water

PROTEIN

Protein is an important nutrient required for the growth and maintenance of body tissues including muscle and the production of hormones and enzymes. It can also be used as an energy source when carbohydrate is in short supply.

Strength and endurance training increase the requirements for protein. Requirements increase when participating in endurance training because of the adaptive changes that occur during this kind of exercise and because it can be used as an energy source when carbohydrate is depleted.

During strength training additional protein is required for muscle growth and development.

Many carbohydrate foods also provide small amounts of protein and so as you increase your carbohydrate intake you will automatically obtain extra protein from these foods. It is therefore unnecessary to eat extra large portions of traditional protein rich foods or to take a protein supplement. All that is necessary is to ensure you eat moderate portions of a protein rich food at 2-3 meals each day such as chicken, meat, fish, beans, lentils etc. Also remember to include a protein source in post training snacks, particularly when doing strength training.

Animal protein sources include meat, chicken, fish, milk, cheese, and yoghurt.

Vegetables protein sources include pulses (beans, peas, and lentils), tofu, quorn, and textured vegetable protein, nuts and seeds

Animal sources of protein can be high in fat and so it is important to remove fat from meat, skin from chicken and choose low fat dairy foods.

How much protein do you need?

Hockey is a power sport and requires both strength and endurance. As a consequence your protein requirements are 1.4 -1.7g protein per kg body weight. If performing more strength training in your program aim for the upper end of the range i.e. 1.7g protein/kg.

To give you an idea of the protein content of different foods, the tables below show the portion sizes of foods that will provide 20g protein (animal sources) and 10g protein (vegetable sources)

Food portions containing approximately 20g animal protein

Protein source / Approximate weight / Handy measure
Beef, lamb, pork / 75g / 2 medium slices
Turkey, chicken / 75g / 1small breast
Liver / 100g / 2 slices
Fish / 100g / 1 small fillet
Fish fingers / 135g / 5 fingers
Canned salmon/tuna / 100g / 1 small can
Prawns / 100g / Approx. 30 prawns
Cockles / 170g / Approx. 40 cockles
Eggs / 3 medium
Cheddar cheese / 75g / 2 matchbox sizes
Edam cheese / 75g / 2 matchbox sizes
Brie / 100g
Cottage cheese / 150g / 4 tablespoons
Milk – skimmed/semi skimmed / 600ml / 1 pint
Yoghurt- low fat / 450ml / 3 cartons

Food portions containing approximately 10g vegetable protein

Protein source / Approximate weight / Handy measure
Nuts (e.g. peanuts, cashews etc) / 50g / 1 medium packet
Seeds (e.g. sunflower, sesame) / 50g / 4 tablespoons
Baked beans / 200g / 5 tablespoons
Kidney beans/split peas / 150g / 4 tablespoons
Lentils / 150g / 4 tablespoons
Quorn / 100g
Tofu, steamed / 125g / ½ packet
Soya milk / 350ml / Approx ½ pint
Hummus / 125g / 4 tablespoons
Peanut butter / 50g / Thickly spread on 2 slices bread
Bread / 125g / 3 medium slices
Pasta/noodles / 250g / 8 tablespoons
Rice / 450g / 11 tablespoons
Bran flakes / 100g / 11/2 large bowls

FAT

Fats provide a highly concentrated form of energy as well as fat soluble vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

Fat is essential for the production of hormones and prostaglandins, is a structural component of brain tissue and creates a protective blanket around essential organs.

Unlike glycogen, which can only be stored in limited amounts, there is always sufficient fat available as fuel for exercise. Fat should provide no more than 30% of the energy intake

There are 3 main types of fat in the diet:

Saturated: found in animal products (butter, cheese, fat on meat) coconut oil, palm oil, hydrogenated fats, cakes, biscuits, pastry. A diet high in saturated fat can lead to an increase in cholesterol levels, a risk factor for heart disease.

Monounsaturated: found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans and avocado. Monounsaturated fats do not increase cholesterol levels when substituted for saturates.

Polyunsaturated: found in fish oil, sunflower, corn and safflower oils, linseed and soybean. Polyunsaturated fats whilst not increasing cholesterol, do decrease the HDL component and so are less beneficial to health than monounsaturates.

Essential fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fats provide the essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega 6) and alpha linolenic (omega 3), which cannot be produced by the body.

Omega 6 fatty acids regulate the actions of many cells.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for brain and retina (eye) function and can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Good sources of omega 3 fatty acids include oily fish (sardines, mackerel, salmon, tuna, trout, swordfish, pilchards, whitebait), linseeds, rapeseed oil, soya and Omega 3 enriched eggs.

Fat intake, particularly saturated fat should be reduced overall whilst maintaining an adequate intake of the essential fatty acids. Excess fat in the diet is stored very efficiently as body fat and so if fat loss is an aim, fat intake should be significantly reduced.

To reduce fat intake:

  • Use a reduced fat spread instead of butter or margarine. Choose monounsaturated or polyunsaturated based spreads
  • Remove visible fat from meat and skin from poultry.
  • Use skimmed/semi-skimmed milk and low fat yoghurts/fromage frais instead of full fat versions.
  • Choose reduced fat cheeses or choose medium fat cheeses such as edam, gouda, camembert, brie, goats cheese, mozzarella, feta and ricotta. Cottage cheese is very low fat
  • Use minimal amounts of fat for cooking – choose olive or rapeseed oil.
  • Avoid fried foods and avoid adding fats to cooked foods e.g. butter on vegetables etc.
  • Have potatoes as jacket, boiled or mashed more often than chips. If you do have chips go for thick cut oven chips (contain 7.6g fat per medium portion compared to 35g for fine cut chips fried in sunflower oil)
  • Keep hidden sources of fat to a minimum including foods such as pastry, pies, biscuits, cakes, crisps, chocolate and meat products.

Look at food labels and compare to the guide below: