Basketball players should not only eat healthy before and after games but in their every day lives. Basketball burns a lot of energy therefore, eating more foods which contain the nutrients your body needs will give you lots of energy for running up and down the court.

Proteins and Carbohydrates
If you are a serious basketball player then there are two food groups you need to familiarize yourself with. These food groups are called carbohydrates and proteins. Carbohydrates are good for brain function. “Carbs” go directly to your muscles and liver after being converted into glycogen. You can find “carbs” in bread, potatoes, pasta’s, honey, jam and rice.

Don’t forget the fat
Proteins strengthen your muscles. Proteins can be found in dairy products, mean, eggs and fish. Certain vegetables contain high protein content such as any type of vegetables which grow on a vine. Some examples of these are peanuts, peas and asparagus. Do not forget to have “fat” in your diet but don’t go overboard. Unbelievably, fat is needed for a well-balanced diet, especially if you are very active and burn a lot of calories.

Your energy level is very important with basketball, on and off the court
After your basketball game, you need to eat proteins and “carbs”. The protein along with the carbs will work together in replenishing the storage chemicals of the cells within your body. Glycogen stores glucose which is very important for metabolism. If you do not include proteins and “carbs” in your diet your body will not regain the energy which has been lost from your game you played and you will find yourself becoming very tired not only physically but mentally.

Exercise outside of the court
Do not solely focus on proteins and “carbs”. You should include daily exercise into your daily living habits. Playing basketball is great exercise however; it’s not enough if you want to remain healthy and strong.

Drink lots of water
Make sure you drink plenty of water after your strenuous game. Your body sweats a lot during a game and you should not stop drinking water just because the game is over. Drinks lots of water during the game and afterwards. Your body needs to be replenished with healthy liquids and water is the best liquid you could ever give your body.

Protein bars and drinks
Sometimes basketball games are played during the night and you might feel it’s too late to have a mean after your game. This is when you should have some protein bars or energy drinks which are high in protein and carbs. This is very important to replenish your body of what it has lost during your basketball game. If it’s late and you do not feel like eating a meal, simply unwrap an energy drink or protein bar and this should aid you in replenishing your body without having to cook a meal during the wee hours of the night.

Picture credit: ricardodiaz • Creative Commons Attribution