Sugar Fuel
Wrestling is a sport where food matters. What your wrestlers eat makes a huge difference in their performance. It makes a huge difference in how they handle weigh-ins, energy on the mat, skin and physical health and their emotions. Many people do not understand the role that food plays in a person’s body. It is their fuel. If we use a car as an example, it isn’t just the gas, but it is the gas, oil, water, etc. It affects all aspects of the person and their performance. If the athletes are eating too much sugar before a match then they are likely to run out of energy before the match is over.
Sugar is not always just contained in something we know, such as candy or a donut. Sugar is also a bagel, a tortilla, some juice, etc. Some sugars are better than others as an energy source. Having an understanding of the difference between Complex Carbohydrates and Simple Carbohydrates is important.
Complex Carbs are sugars that are not already broken down, such as whole grains or a whole piece of fruit, as opposed to a Simple Carb that is already broken down such as something made from white, processed sugar and flour. Complex Carbs distribute their sugars more slowly into the bloodstream because the body has to break them down in the digestion process, and so the sugar enters the bloodstream slower, in smaller amounts and in spurts. Simple sugars on the other hand, go straight to the bloodstream because they are already broken down.
When the sugars enter the bloodstream the body releases insulin which assists the body in regulating the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, at any one time. If the body receives a lot of sugar it releases a lot of insulin. The insulin then proceeds to remove the excess sugar, and since the body produces insulin based on how much sugar there is, too much sugar then produces too much insulin and then too much sugar is taken out at one time, hence you have a sugar drop and energy drop. Not a good plan for the last round of a match.
Sugars are not the only thing that affect an athlete’s energy, but it is one factor in the mix. Choose wisely what foods your athlete eats. Combining a Complex Carb with a Protein (meat, nuts, eggs, cheese and even quinoa) is a good food plan for a wrestling match/day. An example would be a meat and cheese sandwich on a whole grain roll or crackers. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a salad with a protein on it, like steak or chicken, or this delicious smoothie. Granted, this smoothie will enter the blood stream quicker than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but the athlete can get some quick energy, but energy that lasts because it has protein in it, and it contains lower glycemic (sugar level) fruits and vegetables. The athlete can also get their needed vitamins and minerals quicker.