As a basketball player, I always wondered how vital of a role food and nutrition had in my playing ability. During a camp one summer there was a nutrition specialist there and I asked him this question, "does it really matter what we eat before a game?" All I can say is that he laughed for a bit and then compared our bodies to cars and the fuel that we put into them.

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Diet and Nutrition Tips for Basketball Players-hoopskills.com
Diet and Nutrition Tips for Basketball
Players
-by Coach Brian Schofield
http://www.hoopskills.com
As a basketball player, I always wondered how
vital of a role food and nutrition had in my
playing ability. During a camp one summer
there was a nutrition specialist there and I
asked him this question, "does it really matter
what we eat before a game?" All I can say is
that he laughed for a bit and then compared
our bodies to cars and the fuel that we put
into them.
If we put junk in our cars they don't drive well
and the same is true of our bodies. I took what he said very seriously and will never
forget the recommendations he gave us. This article will summarize his advice and
will serve as a guide for basketball players looking to improve their playing ability
simply by being smart about what they eat and drink.
Carbohydrates
You hear a lot of negative things about carbohydrates these days but basketball
players need to know that carbohydrates serve an important purpose - creating
energy. Because of this, they should be regular part of your diet but shouldn't be
eaten excessively.
While breads are full of carbohydrates, he recommended wheat breads and not in
high amounts. They are a heavier food and tend to sit in your stomach longer than
other foods. Light pastas were mentioned with spaghetti being one of the simplest
foods to break down and produce energy. The red sauce, with tomatoes and other
vegetables, was also mentioned as a positive to have as a staple of your diet as well
as a pregame meal.

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Diet and Nutrition Tips for Basketball Players-hoopskills.com
Protein
No player who wants to get stronger or healthier can do it without the aid of
protein. Specifically mentioned were lean proteins like turkey or boneless skinless
turkey breasts. I was very interested to learn that fish can provide probably the
least fat and best protein available. My favorite fish, salmon, wasn't on the list of
the least fatty fish available and I was surprised about that. Halibut, tuna and cod
are all great protein foods that have minimal fats.
One of my favorite meals became spaghetti with red sauce and grilled chicken
breast. It provided the protein and necessary carbohydrates to have enough
energy to compete at the level I needed to compete at.
Hydration
When I was growing up Gatorade wasn't nearly as popular as it is today. If you got
Gatorade you were considered lucky. Today we have so many choices of products
to keep us hydrated it is amazing. From Propel to energy drinks to regular water. I
don't and won't ever recommend an energy drink as something to take
immediately before a sporting event. I don't think it is healthy and I don't think we
have enough study materials to prove if it is safe or not. The caffeine and sugars
that are typically in those drinks creates a quick fix but causes a lag as the game
goes on.
For simple hydration water is generally the safest bet. It is recommended that a
player should drink over a gallon of water a day. That's a lot of water, but if you
compare it to the amount of sweat that you are producing it really isn't that much.
The more water you drink the more energy you will have and the better you will
feel. One of the worst things you can do as an athlete is not drink enough.
Final Thoughts
Any product that is processed that is white is caused because of sugars. Yes, that
includes white bread. 100% whole wheat bread aids in digestion better and helps
to process the other foods. Sugars, if unused, simply turn to fat and that is bad in
any sense of the word. People ask me about steaks and such. Steaks are tricky
because they are generally very high in protein but can also be very high in fats.
Certain cuts of steak obviously have more fats than others.

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Diet and Nutrition Tips for Basketball Players-hoopskills.com
I counsel people to eat them in moderation. Steak is one of my favorite foods and
while I was playing I would typically lose weight during the season. A steak every
now and then helped me maintain my weight and my strength and I feel it was
very necessary for me.
Mainly, watch out for processed foods and eat foods that are equally balanced
throughout. Don't just eat only wheat bread. Don't just eat turkey meat 10 times a
day. Be smart and be reasonable. Remember that what you put into your body
plays a large role in how you play. If you need an edge it could very well come
down to diet and that may make all the difference.