Teen Nutrition during workout: Is sports drinks a good thing before, during or after a work out? A new report gives the technical background for dietary recommendation to active teens on exercise level. The report enlighten amongst other things problems about myths about what teens should drink and eat during a work out. There exist a long list of myths about products which should be good to ingest before, under and after working out. The vast of these myths are probably due to the fact that people during a little exercise thinks that it’s the same things they need to do as people on a elite level. Read here about the questions added by common myths and get them verified or falsified. Are beverages with added sugar, such as soda, lemon, slush ice good to drink before, under or after physical activity. The answer is NO Soda lemonade, ice tee, cider, slush ice and such has a high level of sugar (about 10%). Looking at the health value, this can’t be justified not does it give you a higher performance value because much of your energy is forced to be used in your stomach to process all this sugar. There are also no reason to ingest large amounts of carbohydrates during a workout, due to the fact that the body can only process so much energy pr time unit. Drinks with a large volume of sugar can also provide an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach. Sugar drinks in general should not be a big part of a teen nutrition. Are lemonade, ice tee, cider, slush ice and such a good thing to ingest before under or after moderate activity. Again the answer is no. At least in the vast majority of cases. Sports drinks ( or thin lemonade) can be a small advantage in special training situations. Especially training lasting longer than 1½ hour and with moderate physical intensity and where its for pratical reasons are hard to ingest carbohydrate rich food during the workout. But be aware, sport drinks can might counteract the edge you are gaining from the activity by adding empty calories contributing to overweight and teeth problems. Are the combustion process fastened by working out on an empty stomach? Yes it does, but not much and it can’t be recommended to train on a empty stomach. It is very unhealthy and could provoke injuries due to lack of ability to focus and concentrate. As a teen you need a heavy dose of food because your combustion is high. Training on an empty stomach is not a good solution. Are juice good before, during or after working out? The answer is NO. Not for kids and teens which exercise with moderate activity. Juice is a drink that naturally both vitamins and minerals but also relatively much natural sugar. Under a workout lasting 1½ hour or more, where it’s not possible to ingest carbohydrates through ordinary food, juice can be a good alternative to lemonade and sport drinks, but only if it’s mixed with water. Are coco milk good to drink after physical activity to enhance muscle growth? The answer is NO. To avoid that the energy need is exceeded, it is recommended that protein and carbohydrates only get ingested as firm food products, which can be a part of a healthy and varied teen nutrition. Perhaps the ingestion of protein and carbohydrates after a workout has some effect on muscle growth. This is however not documented on kids and Teens. Is it a good idea to ingest more sugar heavy products during a day with activity than it is during a day without activity? The answer is NO. The energy need is higher when you work out. This energy need should be covered by food and drink which comply with the eight good rules on the front page. The high energy combustion leaves a space for a little more sugar in the food. It is up to the parents of teenagers to set boundaries for sugar ingestions. Should you primarily ingest “fast” carbohydrates under or after workout? It is rarely the case dealing with moderate training. Fast consummated carbohydrates are only to prefer during activity if the workout will last more than an hour and a half. It is recommended that the fast consummated carbohydrates as far as possible are ingested thorugh normal food products in corresponding with the food advice on the front page. After ended activity, food with loads of carbohydrates which provides you a feeling of being full. On special occasions like a sport event, where you have to perform many times during the same day, the head meal can be spread upon several meals with lots of carbohydrates in. This is to maintain the energy level in your body. Are sport snacks a good alternative to good before during or under physical activity? Whether energy snacks or protein bars can be recommended to teens which are active on a moderate level. Both types has a high level of energy and it will supply you with energy which should have been given to you by proper food described on the front page. Teens will easily exceed the limit of empty calories by ingesting just on energy bar. Can protein powder enhance the size of your muscles? No. These products have not shown to be any better than ingesting proteins thorugh a regular meal. And you don’t need more protein than you can get from ordinary food. Does diet supplement like vitamins and minerals enhance performance? Although it’s good to get vitamins and minerals it has not proven to have any effect on a performance for a athlete who eats a healthy and varied diet.