GET A LEG UP ON LEG DAY
AND ARM DAY. AND… ANY DAY, ACTUALLY.
They say abs are made in the kitchen. And who is citrus to disagree? It goes in all sorts of recipes that fuel your fitness routine, like these Protein Power Balls. And when it comes to meal prep, citrus has you covered. All. Week. Long. Just add a citrus wedge here, a charred lemon there, and if you really want to do it up, treat your tastebuds to a flavorful marinade. It’ll be like tasting chicken (or salmon, or your go-to salad) for the very first time.
And while it’s no secret that citrus is chock full of vitamin C, it contains another nutrient that can keep your fitness routine going longer and stronger. We’re talking about the one, the only, potassium. Known for keeping your electrolytes on the up and up, potassium can help you stay hydrated with one simple hack: adding citrus to your water. We know, so easy.
Potassium can help you stay hydrated with one simple hack: adding citrus to your water. We know, so easy.
Also, if you’re craving a reward for all that hard work you did on the yoga mat, citrus really hits the sweet spot. We think it’s just perfect on its own, but a little mocktail action never hurt anyone, either. Plus it gives you an excuse to flex your arms when you pick up your martini glass. Classy.
Health Hacks for Hoopers
Kat Barefield, MS, RDN, NASM-CPT, CES, PES
Registered Dietitian
If you’re a hooper, you know the struggle is real to keep your mind and body on point throughout the season. Basketball is not only physically demanding, but it’s psychologically challenging too. High-intensity movements like sprinting back on defense, jumping to grab a rebound, sliding to defend your man, and closing out hard without fouling take a toll on the body.
On top of that, your mind must stay sharp to read the defense, get in the right spot on offense and make split-second decisions on whether to pass, drive or shoot before the shot clock runs out. The combination of skill, athleticism, IQ, and a high fitness level make basketball uniquely grueling.
Unlike NBA hoopers and college players who have access to state-of-the-art facilities, treatment, recovery tools, training tables, and meals on the road, high school hoopers have to take care of most, if not all of this themselves.
Fueling the body to perform your best and to optimize recovery for the next game is something most hoopers don’t do. It’s an under-the-radar secret weapon that you can tap into now.
Keep reading if you want to learn some simple and powerful health hacks to up your game and your life.
Make Fueling on the Go Easy
Whether you’re practicing after school, taking a bus ride to the game, or you’re stuck in the gym waiting for your next game to start, fueling on the go is something every hooper must do. Carbohydrates from fruits, veggies, and grain products like pasta, bread, and cereal are what your body relies on to perform. Most players don’t have the time to prep meals so simple and convenient foods are what’s needed to fuel up properly.
Sandwiches are the perfect on-the-go food. PB&J or turkey and cheese paired with an easy-to-eat fruit such as sweet and juicy Sunkist® Navel Oranges. Not only will you get quick energy, but these oranges are packed with key nutrients that your muscles rely on. The slightly thick skin peels easily, revealing a bright orange, seedless interior. Throw a few in your bag, snack on it before and in between games, as smart pre-game fuel, and skip the hot dogs, chips, and nachos from the snack bar. During tournaments when you have back-to-back games, good nutrition strategies can make the difference between winning the chip and getting sent home early.
Recover Properly to Avoid Soreness and Injuries
After a game, there’s nothing more satisfying than eating your favorite foods. Many of the high school athletes I work with like In-N-Out, Raising Cane’s, and other fast food. The pros to eating these foods are it replenishes some of the energy you burned during the games, they’re quick, and affordable. The downside is there’s stuff your body needs that typical fast-food meals don’t have. Without these key nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals, the body can’t recover very well, leading to soreness and injuries.
Help your body recover properly by adding two items to your post-game meal: 1) chocolate milk or fortified juice and) a citrus fruit like California Grown Sunkist® Blood Oranges. You’ll get carbs to replenish your muscle, bone-building nutrients like calcium and vitamin D, and antioxidants like anthocyanins, a natural pigment that give Blood Oranges their red color. They have antioxidant properties, which fight oxidative damage to your cells and are crucial for muscle and overall recovery from intense activity.
Make Your Immune System Strong
Catching a cold or getting the flu not only takes you out of the game but can set you back weeks and derail your season. The good news is, you can prevent catching a cold with smart nutritional strategies. Vitamin C is critical for a strong immune system, and because the body doesn’t store vitamin C, it’s important to stay on top of your daily intake.
Sunkist® Lemons are not only available all year-round, but they are packed with vitamin C and are very versatile. Slice them up and add them to your water bottle for all-day hydration, squeeze some lemon juice on your veggies, fish, and chicken to add flavor, and mix it in with your favorite salad dressings and sauces. Lemons are known as the Sunkist S’alternative® because they help you reduce your sodium intake without sacrificing flavor. Too much sodium can negatively impact your health. Check out the chart below for more tips:
Stay Looking Fly with Glowing Skin
All hoopers want to look good not only with Jordans and a tight uniform but with glowing skin. Collagen is the main protein in skin and joints, and your body makes it from the amino acids in the protein you eat.
In addition to amino acids, vitamin C supports the production of collagen, so if you’re not eating enough foods rich in vitamin C, your body can’t produce optimal amounts of collagen, putting your skin and joint health at risk. Translation – you won’t look or feel your best.
Peppers, berries, greens, and citrus fruits like Sunkist® Grapefruit are all good sources of vitamin C. There are several varieties of grapefruit available year-round such as California Star Ruby, Marsh Ruby, and Texas Rio Star. Have it with breakfast or as a satisfying snack and get half of your daily needs of vitamin C to make collagen for healthy skin and joints, plus a good dose of fiber to support a healthy gut.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
This may be the most impactful health hack of them all – choosing a nutritional powerhouse to satisfy your sweet tooth instead of candy, donuts, or other sweets. At least some of the time.
Sunkist® Cara Cara oranges are nutritional powerhouses because they’re extremely sweet and seedless, they satisfy your sweet tooth, and have 100% of your daily vitamin C needs in just one orange. They may look like a regular Navel orange, but they’re pink on the inside and don’t have any seeds. A nutrient called lycopene, an antioxidant gives it its color and is associated with benefits for heart health, skin health, blood pressure, cancer, and bone health.
For a delicious and healthy treat, combine water or milk, ice, vanilla protein powder or yogurt, and Cara Cara orange slides in a blender and mix until creamy. In just a few minutes you’ll have a yummy Orange Creamsicle shake, ideal for before or after workouts and games or anytime during the day as the ideal snack.
Summary
Take your game and your life to the next level with one or all of these health hacks for hoopers. By choosing Sunkist® citrus at your local grocery store, farmers market, and fruit stands, not only will you be maximizing your game on the court and boosting your health off the court, but you’ll be supporting all the families that have been growing citrus in California and Arizona for the past several decades.
Sunkist® is made up of over 1500 family-owned citrus-growing farms in California and Arizona. They’ve been passing down knowledge for many generations and are celebrating their 130th anniversary this year.
Join us in the celebration and eat more Sunkist Citrus!