Sport Nutrition
SNAC Nutrition Tips
- Before Exercise
- During Exercise
- After Exercise
- Exercise Hydration
- Nutrition on the Road
- Everyday Eating
TRAINING DIET Food Sources of Minerals
If you are eating a variety of foods from each food group and consuming enough food to meet your energy needs, you will likely be consuming the minerals you need. If you choose only the minimum number of servings from each food group each day, it is important that you choose wisely to ensure that you meet your mineral needs.
| MINERAL | GOOD FOOD SOURCES |
| Calcium | Milk and alternatives, canned sardines and salmon with bone, broccoli, legumes, fortified plant beverages ( soy, rice, orange juice), almonds/almond butter, dried figs, dark green leafy vegetables, calcium fortified tofu. |
| To learn which foods contain a little or a lot of calcium you can check the nutritional tip sheet "Calcium Counter" . | |
| Iron | Sources of easily absorbed (heme) iron: liver, heart, kidney, meat, dark poultry meat, fish, oysters, clams. Sources of less readily absorbed (non-heme) iron: nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, whole or enriched grains, legumes (beans), blackstrap molasses, dried fruit, wheat germ. |
| To learn more about the iron content of common foods you can check the nutritional tip sheet "Iron Indicator" . | |
| Magnesium | Oysters, milk and yogurt, legumes, cereals, nuts, molasses, green leafy vegetables, cocoa. |
| Sodium | Salt, marinade, broth, salad dressing, soy sauce, salty canned or frozen foods, deli foods, tomato sauce, cheese, mustard, ketchup. |
| Potassium | Meat, vegetables and fruit (especially potato, tomato, cantaloupe, banana, orange, grapefruit), milk, cereals, legumes. |
| Iodine | Iodized salt, seafood, milk. |
| Chloride | Salt. |
| Zinc | Oysters, meat, liver, whole grains, legumes, milk. |
The nutritional tip sheet "Evaluating Vitamin & Mineral Products: Pills, Powders, Beverages and Bars" provides more information on the possible danger of taking supplements inappropriately.
If animal products are not part of the diet, the nutritional tip sheet "Vegetarian Ways of Eating" can help you plan your food choices to obtain the minerals needed for health and training.
As a new coach, what information would you find most useful?
