NUTRITION The blended boost
If you are looking for a quick, easy source of nutrition and energy, you cannot go wrong with a well-made smoothie By Shawn Dolan
F
or many reasons, smoothies are a great addition to a volleyball ath- lete’s diet. One big reason is the
speed factor. The smoothie is just about the fastest food there is – but in a good way. In less than fi ve minutes, you’ve got something that tastes good and provides you with nutrients you need to start your day off right or go full speed in a vol- leyball practice or match. Different
athletes need different things from a smoothie. I’ve been work- ing recently with U.S. Women’s National Team middle blocker Christa Harmotto, who was an all- American at Penn State University. She tends to shed pounds during tournaments or team trips, so her challenge is to maintain her weight and muscle mass. A daily smoothie in addi- tion to her regular meals is a good way for her to stay at her ideal playing weight.
by adding fruits and vegetables. Or a protein boost from things like dairy products, nuts and seeds.
Smoothies travel well, too. Get your- self a simple, mini-blender, and you can mix up a liquid snack any time you’re on
2 tasty smoothies
These are two of my favorites. The strawberry fl axseed smoothie is a good breakfast or snack option for players trying to maintain or increase weight. The carrot pineapple smooth- ie has fewer calories and is an ideal pre-practice snack.
STRAWBERRY FLAXSEED SMOOTHIE 1 cup frozen strawberries ¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt ½ cup 100 percent orange juice 1 tablespoon of honey 1 tablespoon ground fl axseed
CARROT PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE ¾ cup fresh pineapple ½ cup of ice 1/3 cup 100 percent orange juice ¼ cup chopped carrots ½ banana
strawberry), yogurt (plain, fruit, Greek), kefi r, non-fat milk powder, cottage cheese, tofu.
SWEET SOURCES (OPTIONAL) Honey, maple syrup, agave syrup,
SMOOTH MOVE: Roxy Vabrey, left, and Kelly Geiser of the Long Beach Mizuno Volleyball Club enjoy a post-practice smoothie.
For other athletes, the goal may be to lose a few pounds without compro- mising nutrition. In these cases, the smoothies I recommend usually will take the place of a meal and include nutri- tious, low-calorie ingredients such as carrots or other vegetables. Another great reason to incorporate smoothies into your regular diet is to provide yourself with nutrients that you may not get enough of. For instance, you can get an anti-oxidant boost
50 | VOLLEYBALLUSA
the road at a tournament or out of town on vacation. Here are key ingredients that create delicious and nutritious smoothies:
CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES Fresh or frozen fruit, fruit juices, almonds, fruit purees, mangos, apple sauce, carrots, kale, spinach, bananas, oats.
PROTEIN SOURCES Milk (soy, cow, chocolate, vanilla,
brown sugar, vanilla extract, fruit juice. Purees mentioned under “car- bohydrate sources” can also serve as sweeteners.
HEALTHY FAT SOURCES (OPTIONAL) Almond butter, peanut butter, ca- shew butter, ground fl ax, fl axseed oil, avocados, nuts or seeds, wheat germ, natural shredded coconut, coconut milk, coconut oil.
Shawn Dolan, PhD, RD, CSSD is a sport dietitian with the United States Olympic Committee. She works primar- ily with team sports based in the Los Angeles area and the Chula Vista U.S. Olympic T
raining Center .
PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET
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