Canadian Hockey: Fuelling the Future of Sports

Everyone knows hockey is huge in Canada, but one thing we don’t know is who will turn out to be the next Wayne Gretzky or Kim St-Pierre. 

While the path to greatness is uncertain, parents of budding athletes share a common aspiration for their children to reach their full potential in sports. Unlocking this potential begins with a focus on the essential dietary needs crucial for growth and development.

Here are the main requirements your superstar needs:

Dietary need: Vitamins and minerals

Benefits: Calcium strengthens bones against breaks and fractures. Iron carries oxygen to different parts of the body.

Where to get it from: Calcium: milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli. Iron: lean meat, chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, fortified whole grains.

Dietary need: Protein

Benefits: Helps build and repair muscles.

Where to get it from: Fish, lean meat and poultry, dairy products, beans, nuts, soy products.

Dietary need: Carbs

Benefits: Important source of energy.

Where to get it from: Whole-grain foods like whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, whole-grain bread and cereal, fruits and vegetables.

Legendary Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player Mats Sundin understood the importance of nutrition to his career from an early age. His parents always made sure he was active and kept him playing different sports. “You learn from an early age to eat lots of different vegetables and fruits - get all the different criteria of food into yourself to prepare and play hockey at the highest level.  Nutrition is always very important for a professional athlete, as well as anyone.”

If you don’t have time to keep up with your active child's dietary needs - consider getting matched with a family chef to ensure your all-star is fuelled properly.