If the golf course is your shrine, then your body should be your temple. Since golf requires precise mental acumen and physical resilience, treating your body with the right food can do wonders for your game. In an era where golf food carts are laden with sugar and calories, healthy golf foods need more mainstream attention. They not only help build your stamina, they focus your mind on getting the swing right, on estimating the distances correctly and making fruitful decisions on the golf course. Here are 10 foods which are easy to carry around and hog before, after or during the game. Now you don’t have to burn your taste glands just to get healthy.
1. Sesame Roasted Kale Chips
If you are trying to fit into your prom dress, then it’s likely that you already worship kale. It has been hailed as one of the most nutrient-dense food. Milk has always been touted as the top source for Calcium. Kale dethroned it with the capacity to yield 150mg Calcium per 100g serving. This contributes heavily to excellent bone health. One cup of Kale can satisfy 134% of your daily Vitamin C requirement. This is crucial in building muscle strength that plays a key role in the power and reach of your golf swing. It is also loaded with Vitamin A which helps your vision.
The tastiest way to indulge in Kale is their sesame roasted crisps. De-stalk the leaves, cut them into 5 cm pieces and spread on a baking tray. Dribble some olive oil over them and season with sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until the edges turn crisp(around 20 mins). Kale crisps are good to serve!
2. Fruits
Fruits might be a major part of your diet chart. Their fresh taste can instantly rejuvenate you and get that golf ball flying. Apples, pears and bananas create the perfect health package for golfers. If you have been feeling lethargic on the golf course, it might be due to high levels of bad cholesterol. Apples reduce these figures significantly and also boost the goodcholesterol(HDL). Banana and pear are potent sources of antioxidants and fiber. Fiber helps clear out the bowel effectively. Banana also helps with better vision and bone health. The sugars in these fruits burn gradually and phase the energy production in the body unlike candy bars which trigger an energy high and an energy low.
Apples and pears can be cut into pieces and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Banana constitutes delicious smoothies. You can blend them with Kale and blueberries to bolster the nutrient quotient.
3. Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Often during the long walk on the golf course, you lust for something spicy. Roasted chickpeas coated with the choicest spices could be the answer. They can instantly wake you from the afternoon stupor and beat hunger like a boss. They have both calories and fiber. The fiber rations the amount of energy being released by the food. So you end up feeling full for longer. They also limit spikes in blood sugar which is an important note for diabetic female golfers. Being from the legume family, they are rich in proteins which are critical for muscle strength and endurance. They form an unbeatable source of iron. This is especially important for ladies especially during their menstrual cycles.
For crispy roasted Chickpea snack, haul cleaned chickpeas into a bowl with olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic salt and normal salt. Spread the mix on the baking tray and bake for 30 mins. Keep checking whether they are the right amount of roasted in the last few minutes.
4. Salmon
Salmon has made a name for itself at the chief supplier of Omega-3 fatty acids. This elusive element of our diet supports the two most important organs in the body: the heart and the brain. It also tunes the body for better in general. Salmon is low on cholesterol so you can replace the fatty meats with this. Studies have found that salmon has small bioactive protein molecules that can strengthen joint cartilage. This is good news for golfers who are in constant danger of injury to their joints from repetitive stress and sudden movements.
A salmon dish with a healthy side of vegetables can be exciting for your body and your taste buds. Heat seasoned salmon in the pan with oil until it’s golden. Get some spinach into a pan, season them and let them wilt. Heat some crème fraîche, topped with lemon juice, capers and parsley. Serve the fish with spinach. Pour the sauce over for taste.
5. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds sound like a nutty food choice. And they are, with their nut-like taste and easily digestible texture. These are powerhouses of Vitamin E which is a fat-soluble antioxidant. This counters the free radicals running amok in the body and helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Their phytosterol content helps lower cholesterol levels. They are also replete with Magnesium. This helps lower the blood pressure and ward off migraine headaches.
A major problem with Sunflower seeds is golfers tend to spit the shells on the greens. To avoid this social gaffe, use the seeds as topping over Tuna melt instead of eating on the course. You can also sprinkle them over your green salad for the extra crunch.
6. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Yes you heard right. The good ol’ PB&J is allowed on the golf course, provided you take it in moderation. This tasty blast from the past is a high-calorie but nutrient-rich combination. It provides you healthy unsaturated fats in the form of peanut butter. If you choose whole wheat bread over white bread, you will be tripling your fiber intake as well. It covers almost 80% of your daily sugar requirement and almost 25% of fat requirement. The Niacin in the sandwich keeps your skin health against all odds. They cap the hunger immediately and help waif-like golfers to gain weight. If you are already at optimum weight and eat a PB&J, monitor your food intake for the rest of the day.
7. Trail Mix
Trail mix is dangerous territory. This food can be intensely tasty, skillfully mixed and high on nutrients. At the same time it can overdose you on calories if not done right. Trail mix is a combination of bite-sized high performance foods like nuts, seeds, dried fruits, peppered with candies. It fills up the tummy fast and it’s easy to carry around and eat on the go. When taken in moderation, it can lend the golfer sustained energy to press on to the last hole. Make sure you don’t have sugar-coated fruits or way too much candy in the bag. You will have to put together trail mixes carefully to maintain their nutrient to calorie balance.
8. Beef Jerky
The name is mouth-watering and decadent. Beef jerky can be healthy food for the course. We are referring to the organic strain that hasn’t been unrestrainedly treated with salt, sugar, MSG and antibiotics. A piece of beef jerky will give you one-fourth of your everyday protein requirements. When taken in moderation, you canget a useful amount of fat out of it. Resort to reliable brands like Uncle Andy’s Tex’s Tangy BBQ, ShurkyJurky etc..Beef jerkies are convenient to carry around in your golf bag and down after a few holes.
9. Dark Chocolates
The jury on chocolate is still out. Die hard lovers can’t give it up. While haters gonna hate. But you can cut your losses by switching to dark chocolates. Some of us dig the slightly bitter taste of the darker sin. These have a healthy helping of iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. They ditch the sugar quantities that we usually associate with chocolates. Dark chocolate stocks up on antioxidants. It boosts the blood flow and regulates the blood pressure. It also helps add HDL, the good cholesterol.
Since you are out in the sun most of the time, the fact that dark chocolate is excellent for your skin against sun is an incentive. You can add a few pieces of dark chocolate to your trail mix or even your morning cereal. Most of us are gluttons enough to down the whole bar anyway.
10. Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are happy food. Their sunny insides improve your mood anyway. But these little wonders can put protein in your plate faster than you can spell B-I-R-D-I-E: Since they are cooked in plain water, you can bypass oil in their making. Just sprinkle some salt and pepper on them and you have a tasty and satiating snack. Muscle strength and muscle repair depends on such foods for protein. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats of egg can replace the dangerous ones from fast food. Eggs are also rich in Vitamin A which helps with clear vision. Their Vitamin D content maintains calcium in your body.
Conclusion :
Your golf handicap depends heavily on golf nutrition. It consistently hones your mind and body to respond aggressively to the demands of the game. Couple it with water and some kicky fluids like honey-lemonade for a balanced diet. Keep track of your food on and off-course and find yourself reaping all the benefits of golf.
