Basketball athletes take special care of their diet because they love and prioritize their careers. Of course, anything that lays a finger on their court performance is deadly for them. Athletes usually have a custom-made diet plan and a strict exercise routine. They follow peculiar schedules to hone their skills for years. But then, some dietary mistakes turn their career upside down, and suddenly downfall starts, there are slow performances and missing hoops.

Well, good nutrition has the power to help you reach the peak point in your game. And some foods really are performance boosting. However, there are nutrition risks for athletes as well. Believe it or not, some foods can ruin Basketball athletes career, hinder athletic abilities and harm the players for the long term. So, let’s take a look at 10 dietary culprits that can easily sideline your basketball dreams.

Basketball Nutrition: Is it Important?

Nutrition is the top thing that keeps the players going in the long run and basketball is no exception. Balance sports nutrition can give you an advantage over your competitors. Of course, you are working hard, doing training every day and sleeping for eight long hours, it is indeed good for you but if your diet is not up to the mark, you’ll never get the much-needed stamina to maintain a long career.

Also Read: What Basketball Athletes Eat To Conquer The Court? 

For sure, Basketball success demands a plate full of nutritious meals. Limiting calories is not good for players. Also right food and nutrients are must have to build muscles, and stay lean and fit for a game. But eating the wrong foods is not a good idea.

You have to be careful in eating especially when you are competing in a basketball match. Competing athletes have to avoid some foods. You can easily pinpoint the wrong foods rather than making a list of the right ones.

Related Article: 5 Basketball Supplements! 

Before listing 10 foods to steer away from, let us find out the nutrition mistakes that players make and what pro athletes eat.

Common Basketball Nutrition Mistakes That Athletes Commit

• Forgetting injury recovery nutrition
• Focusing solely on macronutrients
• Doing post-game pizza party
• Cutting fruit and vegetables
• Confusing thirst for hunger
• Not eating a pre-game snack
• Overlooking hydration
• Eating too little fats
• Low sodium intake

Related Article: Nutrition Tips For Longevity!

What Pro Basketball Athletes Eat To Perform Better?

Basic nutrition is always the same whether you are a professional athlete or a normal person who wants to stay active for a whole week. Pro athletes still follow the three major phrases: eating for energy, healing the body and eating properly.

Do pro athletes follow a different diet from others? Actually, no! As long as your diet includes a nutrient-rich meal, it does not have to be a specific diet plan. Here you go with quick tips to conquer the basketball court.

• Sip plenty of water, teas and electrolyte drinks.
• Say a big yes to fruits, vegetables and even legumes.
• Eat a lot of whole-grain cereals like bread, pasta and so on.
• Your big meals of the day should only be lean meat, fish, eggs all proteins.
• Dairy items like milk, cheese, curd or yoghurt can also be part of a daily meal plan.

Related Article: Pro Athlete Sleep Hacks For Peak Performance!

However, you don’t need to eat like a pro athlete because there is no single-athlete diet. Different athletes choose their diet patterns depending on their body type, size and sport. This is what you have to do.

But there are foods that athletes avoid and you should also do the same. Let us list up top 10 foods that should not be in your grocery.

10 Foods That Ruin Basketball Athletes’ Career

1)      Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are usually not needed unless you do an hour of intense training. While these drinks may have the electrolytes but are way too sugary. A sports drink may have 34 grams of sugar. Instead, athletes should sip normal water to replenish the lost electrolytes.

The best alternatives for sports drinks can be coconut water and cherry juice. It is also well supported by the scientific research. Also, these sports drinks are the cause of excessive weight gain over time, as confirmed by a study published in Wiley.

Try Activ Nutrition’s Magnesium Switch Lemonade!

2)      Canned Soup

This is another diet culprit.  Although it is easily available, it is not a healthier option just like processed snacks. Canned soups are usually more processed with preservatives and have extra salt that ruins the health benefits.

It is better to cook homemade soup with control of salt. Especially low-sodium soup! The body requires a good amount of sodium after heavy training sessions to prevent over-burning. However, too much sodium can cause the blood pressure to rise.

3)      Fruit Juice

The whole is always better be it whole grains or fruits. Juice seems like an easy option but it does not have the most important part of fruit, the peel and flesh.  It is the alternative to fruit but can’t fulfil the vitamins and minerals that the body needs.

Moreover, juice has added sugars that affect insulin production in the body and result in the accumulation of fat. However, grape juice is the best post-workout snack that helps in the recovery of the body. Plus grapes have natural antioxidants that keep the smooth blood flow for cardiovascular health.

Increase Athletic Performance With Beta-Alanine!

4)      Protein-Free Meal

A meal devoid of the protein portion is a nightmare for athletes because they have to get enough protein to bear the sports training and gain endurance. Proteins are necessary for the repair of the tissues and cells that rupture as a result of muscle building.

It is also required by the body to promote satiety and balance. Also, it keeps in check the blood sugar levels. Oatmeal is a famous breakfast item for the elite athletes but it should be paired be protein content peanut butter and eggs.

5)      Microwave Popcorn

Popcorns are a happy delight and a movie staple but not for athletes. It comes with unwanted fats, high sodium content and chemicals that ruin the performance of the basketball players. The bags that popcorn comes in have the lining of perfluorooctanoic acids which can damage the liver.

On the other side, heating the corn with olive oil converts it into a Superfood. Also, this is good as it has antioxidants to protect us from stress and has enough fibre to calm down cravings.

6)      Rice Cakes

These are common snack items to store in the kitchen. But it has a little nutritious profile and is a low-calorie snack with less protein and fibre content. This is not ideal for athletes as they need energy the whole day to stand on the court and endure harsh training.

Rice cakes carry a healthy aura but can cause sudden spikes in the blood sugar which is not good for athletic performance. Also, the glycemic index is 91 which is closer to that of glucose (100). Overall, rice cakes are not for professional players instead eat fruits as carbs.

7)      Diet Soda

Athletes tailor their diet to have a successful career and care for every single nutrient that is on their plate. Even they question the amount of protein and good fats to add to their diet plan. That’s their driving force.

So, artificial sweeteners have no worth for athletes as they provide zero nutrition. They are also health hazards and can promote weight gain. A study believes that diet soda is a false food and way more sugary than actual food items. Therefore instead of chugging down soda cans, eat real foods.

8)      Nutrition Bars

The main problem with the nutrition bars is that it is too sweet and has fats as well. It only makes you chubby be it a protein, chocolate or energy bar. Although these bars are a quick source of protein and can help you build muscles they promote weight gain especially if it is your post-game snack.

These bars are the hidden fat and sugar bombs that burst into the body to only affect your active lifestyle. Plus they have extras like chocolate chips, dried fruits and cashew nuts to lure you. Therefore just make a homemade bar to treat your sweet tooth.

Add Acetyl L-carnitine as a Pre-Workout Snack!

9)      White Bread

White food is still acceptable but it is not a reasonable choice for the players. Because of the making process that stains them out of the nutrients and fibres, this refined stuff fails to provide enough nutrition. White food may be pasta, bread and rice that are not brown.

Processed food is bad for your health as it only increases insulin, drops your energy levels and gives you a few extra pounds that are not shedding any soon. Instead, they will ruin you and your career. So what do you have to do? Just eat the whole food.

10)  Flavored Yogurt

Another thing that looks cute and portable to carry but will give you only sugar, is the flavored yogurt. And sugar is the last thing that your body needs if you want to beat your opponents. Lean body is the dream of every player and flavored yogurt with loaded sugars keeps you away from it.

Forget the flavoured yogurt and eat Greek yogurt only to keep your fitness level up to the mark. Also, you can get protein content in it to stand the game sessions. And it has fewer sugars, a much-needed thing for athletes.

Related Article: How Athletes Lose Weight And Maintain Peak Performance!

Fastest NBA Players and Their Diets

The optimal diet for basketball athletes has:

• Carbohydrates – 45 to 65 %
• Proteins – 10 to 30 %
• Fats – 25 to 35 %

Check Outstanding Basketball Players of Australia!

Although, NBA players are the best among the best! Some of them are still high in the league because of their speed and sharpness. LeBron James, Giannis and Stephen Curry are well-known for successful basketball careers. Their roaring performance on the court is all attributed to their good diet and nutrition.

LeBron James Diet:

The NBA star has a good appetite and loves sweets before the match. He says that he enjoys protein content like eggs, steak, protein shakes and smoothies. Plus, fruit and vegetable snacks are also in his diet. For a twist, he loves to drink wine occasionally. Before the game, he prefers chicken breast.

Giannis Diet:

He loves to start his game day with a typical protein breakfast (egg and cheese sandwich). After a good exercise session, he takes a protein shake. At Lunchtime, he consumes pasta with chicken or steak with grilled veggies. His pre-game snack is fruit smoothies and his dinner has chicken salad in it.

Stephen Curry Diet:

His diet is devoid of the typical light salads. For him, snacking junk foods pre and post-game is a must on a main game event. He loves a bowl full of pasta and eats spaghetti at mealtime. Sometimes, he eats popcorn but moderately.

Ending Remarks

Nutrition is necessary for a long-lasting career as a basketball player. The foods athletes choose make them successful or ruin their careers. Therefore, you should have a proper meal plan with the right amount of calories and nutrients.

Moreover, poor nutrition can affect both physical health and on-court success. Hence, you should view food as a critical component of training. Also, avoid consuming above mentioned foods that hurt the body, and restrict muscle growth and recovery.

Of course, skills and tactics matter but a successful basketball athlete is not just about what happens on the court but also what happens in the kitchen. Try Activ Nutrition’s support supplements. Nurture your body and mind effectively, and take your game to new heights. Cheers to a thriving basketball career!

Must Read: CBD For Athletes: Does It Really Maximize The Performance And Recovery?