nacks, that taste good too, can help us meet our daily nutritional needs. Children in particular need healthy snacks that provide the essential nutrients and satisfy their growing bodies. Healthy snacks add extra calories and nutrients to an athlete\’s diet without taking too much time to prepare or eat. Healthy snacks can give kids a boost, especially after school or going to and from activities.

Exercise is a part of a well-rounded lifestyle. No matter what type of activity you participate in, it is important to nourish your body with the right foods before and after you exercise. If you participate in sports, eating the right snacks after the big game can make all the difference to your body.

During any sporting event, whether intramural, or in your backyard, the muscles take a good beating. You feel good afterwards but that doesn\’t mean that your body isn\’t in need of some serious refueling. The body burns a lot of calories with each minute of play.

Perspiration is sticky and stinky at times but it is the body\’s way of cooling off. You lose vitamins and electrolytes through your sweat. These nutrients need to be put back so that the body can recover sufficiently. Recovery involves building stronger muscle fibers and restoring the chemical balance inside your body.

Healthy snacks are the way to go, for sure. But, you still need to be careful about the portions that your child consumes. Healthy snacks are the key to meeting their nutrient needs each day. Most kids need to eat every 2-3 hours to get in all the nutrients and calories they need to sustain adequate growth. Healthy snacks are (not just can be) an integral part of a healthy way of eating. Experience and science show that to maintain good levels of energy – without sharp peaks and valleys we should eat every three hours.

What you eat after a workout is just as important as what you eat before. Eating before consists of foods that will help you sustain a certain energy level during the game. That is mostly complex carbohydrates. After a game, your body is in repair mode and needs foods that will feed the effort. Here are five great ideas for healthy after-sport snacks:

1.Water doesn\’t seem like much of a snack but it is essential for the body to function properly. After a game, the body can be dehydrated depending on how much you sweat. Water is the pure way to get the body going and cooled off after so much activity. Adding a sugar-free flavor packet to the water is okay too.

2.High protein foods such as a piece of turkey breast on lettuce as a wrap or on a slice of whole grain bread. Protein is needed to repair the muscle and build it up again.

3.Certain fruits such as a banana. It is not especially sweet and it is full of potassium and carbohydrates. Foods that have a high carb count will supply the right type of energy to sustain you after a game.

4. Trail mix is also a good choice to add energy to your body. You\’ve just had fun and played hard so the body needs good things put back in. Nuts provide protein and healthy fats. Pretzels and legumes provide good carbs to keep you moving and not shaky after a sporting event.

5.Dairy products such as yogurt provide protein and other vitamins the body needs, including calcium. A cup of non-fat or low fat yogurt gives your system a boost.

Healthy party snacks provide energy all day long, while sugary or fatty snacks give you a quick energy rush but ultimately leave you feeling depleted. And if you give yourself a variety of choices, healthy snacking is never boring. Healthy snacking can be very beneficial. Not only will it help you reach your nutrition goals, but it can give you that extra energy to help keep you performing at your best.



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