Fiber-rich plant-based foods offer beneficial gut-health benefits that translate into overall health benefits
The gut, also called the intestinal tract, includes the stomach, intestines, and colon. An amazing number of life-sustaining and performance-enhancing events happen in the gut, including—but not limited to—digestion of the food we eat and absorption of nutrients that provide energy.
While those of us with well-functioning “cast iron stomachs” are unlikely to think twice before eating any food that crosses our path, soccer players with gastrointestinal issues (irritable bowel, diarrhea, reflux) are more cautious about what they eat.
Soccer Player Nutrition: Good Gut Health Is Important
Collection of dried fruits isolated on white background with clipping path 
For soccer players who want to feel good, perform optimally, and recover quickly from hard exercise, here are some suggestions about how to eat to optimize your gut health. Figure out how to easily include more fruits and veggies in your daily diet. Suggestions:
- Combine fruit with protein, such as banana + peanut butter or apple and cheese. For many soccer players, this carb-protein combo is more appealing—and likely to be consumed—than just a piece of fruit.
- Snack on dried fruit for a sweet treat (instead of candy).
- Buy frozen veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, etc.) and eat a pile at dinner, not just a serving. Freezing retains nutrients, so frozen veggies can be more nutrient-rich than fresh veggies that lose nutrients during shipment from, let’s say, California to New England. Frozen veggies are also easier to incorporate into a busy athlete’s sports diet. No prep— and they cost less. Cook extra veggies, for leftovers to add to the next day’s breakfast omelet or lunchtime soup.
- Redefine your afternoon “snack” as a “second lunch” with quality fiber-rich food (peanut butter & banana sandwich on whole wheat bread) instead of snacky foods (chips, sweets). Fiber-rich foods leave you feeling nicely satiated with sustained energy and less evening hunger.
- Boost your intake of fiber-rich grains (bran cereal, oatmeal, Dave’s Killer Bread, popcorn, brown rice), beans (hummus, burritos with refried beans, bean dip), and nuts and seeds (nut butters, almonds, sunflower seeds).
- Note: Not all fruits and veggies are fiber-rich. The best options have seeds (raspberries, blackberries, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes) and edible skins (apples, pears, potatoes).
- Enjoy more fermented foods. Snack on yogurt; make a smoothie with kefir. Learn to like kombucha.
Nutrition for Soccer Players: Easing Exercise-Related GI Distress
GI complaints are common among athletes and can vary according to sport. Cyclists in a bent-over position might suffer from heartburn or reflux. Runners with lots of intestinal jostling might experience “runners trots.”
Gymnasts and ballet dancers fear being bloated with a bulging stomach. You are not alone if you exercise with GI distress! The following tips might help resolve current gut issues and reduce future digestive problems that could impact your sports performance.
Train your gut (not just your heart, lungs, and muscles). Being afraid to eat before you play because you fear experiencing nausea, stomach cramps, or diarrhea is a questionable excuse for avoiding pre-soccer food (particularly for players who train more than 60 to 90 minutes a day).
THE GUT IS TRAINABLE AND CAN LEARN TO TOLERATE FUEL CONSUMED BEFORE AND DURING EXERCISE.
You should at least try to fuel your body appropriately for the work that you will be doing. Training on empty will do nothing to help you compete against a better-fueled soccer player…
Instead of simply insisting you can’t eat before you exercise, be curious. What bad happens if you nibble on 25 to 50 calories of a simple, low-fiber grain, such as a pretzel, Vanilla wafer, or half-slice of white toast? Likely nothing! Next, build up to 50 to 75 calories, then 75 to 100. The goal is to consume ±200 calories in the hour or so before you train. The benefits will be more energy and a better workout.
During long runs, you want to build up to consuming about 200 to 300 calories per hour after the first hour. Learn from each experiment and tweak your choices, if needed.
Some commercial sports foods quickly lead to GI distress, so test different products during training, not on the event day. A product might have too much caffeine or carbohydrate that your body is not used to consuming. You might need to replace gels and chomps with honey and maple syrup. Both are available is single-serve packets for athletes.
Emerging evidence strongly suggests fiber-rich plant-based foods offer beneficial gut-health benefits that translate into overall health benefits not seen with highly processed low-fiber foods. Good gut health invites less inflammation, better recovery, and better well-being.
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (617-962-4382). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for more information.
