Nutrition

Salt tablets are a bad idea, and here's why.

While a young athlete's need to stay hydrated is a constant regardless of the sports season, athletes exercising in cool or cold weather need to be taught to drink more fluids throughout the day because the cold weather alters the thirst sensation so athletes don't feel as thirsty and as a result don't drink as much, which can cause dehydration.

Traveling by air presents some unique nutritional challenges for the youth athlete trying to maintain a diet high in
carbohydrates and fluids, moderate in protein and low in fat. Here are some tips for eating right on the plane and while your child is playing sports in a foreign country.

At all day events or tournaments, stopping at a grocery or convenience store is usually a better bet than the concession stand, which typically offers foods that are high in fat, (e.g. nacho chips, cheese fries, and hot dogs) and are expensive. Many supermarkets have a soup and salad bar with a variety of healthy foods. With guidance from parents and coaches, young athletes can find healthy, high carbohydrate, low fat foods in every aisle of the store.

Choosing lower-fat items at fast food restaurants when you and your child are away from home competing in a tournament or event is easy if you know what to look for and what items to avoid.

Healthy high-carbohydrate, low fat meals are available at ethnic restaurants. You just have to know what to look for, what to avoid or watch out for, and what the good menu choices are:

Well-meaning parents and coaches, who advise youth athletes to take dietary supplements in an effort to promote early athletic development, improve performance, or to provide nutrition "insurance" are, unfortunately, misinformed. Simply put, there is no place in the diet of a healthy child for megadoses of vitamins, minerals, or other ergogenic aids (dietary supplements that supposedly enhance performance above levels anticipated under normal conditions).

There are a surprisingly large number of myths about nutrition. Here are some of the common myths and the truth about vitamins:

Want to know what vitamins and minerals your family is consuming when it sits down for a meal? Here's a list of the vitamin and mineral content of some commonly eaten foods.

Iron is critical to the formation of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrier within red blood cells. Here's a listing of foods containing iron.