Football

Supercharge your 90 minutes with Football Nutrition designed to improve your game with our match day selection.

Improve Performance, Reduce Fatigue, Reduce Mistakes.

Football Nutrition - Kendal Mint Co®

Football Frequently Asked Questions FAQ's:

Q: What to eat before football match day? Why are supplements important for Footballers?

A: Football is a high-intensity sport which requires some pretty serious endurance to perform at your best for the full 90 minutes. Statistics show a strong correlation between fatigue towards the end of a match, a reduction in performance and an increase in the number of mistakes made. Sports Nutrition can really help improve your Football Game.

Did you know an average a football player covers between 10-12 km per game? Whilst continuously changing pace and direction, this puts a lot of demand on the body.

What you feed your body with is key to reducing this fatigue, up your game and reduce the number of mistakes you make on the pitch - So save the pints for afterwards! Read more.

Q: What supplements should I use for Football?

A: Our Match Day Selection Summarised:

  1. Energy: 1x KMC Natural Superfood Bar 2x KMC Energy Gels (1 or 2 x KMC Caffeine Energy Gels)
  2. Hydration & Electrolytes: 2x Serves of KMC ISO MIX Electrolyte & Energy Drink Mix 1x 500ml Bottle (100% Biodegradable)
  3. Protein & Recovery: 1x Serve of KMC PRO MIX Protein Recovery Mix

Q: What should I eat for Football and why?

A: Your main focus should be on three things: 

  1. Energy Intake - In the form of Carbohydrate (Not just pies and pasta)
  2. Hydration Levels, Electrolytes, Other Vitamins & Minerals (No not beer either, sorry)
  3. Proteins - Such as Meats, Fish, Beans, Eggs etc.

Read on "how to eat like a professional footballer here.

Q: How to fuel my 90 minute football match?

A: Your main focus should be on three things: 

  1. Energy Intake - In the form of Carbohydrate (Not just pies and pasta)
  2. Hydration Levels, Electrolytes, Other Vitamins & Minerals (No not beer either, sorry)
  3. Proteins - Such as Meats, Fish, Beans, Eggs etc.

Read How to fuel your game - Supercharge your 90 minutes here.

Q: Why do I need Carbohydrates for football?

A: The body needs fuel, just like a car. Both how much fuel and the quality of fuel impact how well a car runs, as is with the Human body. You can get this energy from your day-to-day food but also from our Gels, Bars and Drinks.

Read more about Which supplements should I use for Football and why, here.

Q: What to eat before football match day?

A: Topping up our Glycogen "Fuel Tank" is priority but it takes time, so it's important to start fueling early on.

Timing: For the classic 3pm Saturday Kick-off, start increasing your Carbohydrate intake from the Thursday evening or Friday Morning.

Fuel: A really simple way to eat smart before your event is to divide your plate into thirds. 1/3 Carbs, Protein & Veg. If you're going to be working for a longer period of time, up your carbohydrate intake!You can get some extra protein from our delicious KMC PRO MIX here.

Stay clear of any new or risky foods, particularly spiced. It's also a good idea to avoid too much fibre. Excess fibre can slow down your digestive system and affect your performance.

Top-Tip: You can measure how well hydrated you are from the colour of your urine! You should aim for a light straw colour and if you're passing fluids fast, increase your electrolytes intake. Read more about electrolytes and follow our urine chart here. By staying well hydrated throughout the day it means you have less to worry about the next morning, it's easy to become dehydrated over night. More about the important of Electrolytes here.

Read More: How to fuel your game - Supercharge your 90 minutes here.

Q: What to eat before a football match on the day?

A: Time to top-up on those energy stores you've worked hard to build up!

Timing:  Ideally, you should be eating regularly throughout the day with a good meal 2-3 hours before the game. You don't want your stomach to feel overly full when you're mid-match so snacking helps reduce any overloading.

Fuel: A well balanced meal with some Carbohydrate and Proteins. Such as White pasta with Tuna, Chicken and salad. Nothing too heavy. Snacking closer to the game (1-2 hours) should include simple sugars such as the KMC Natural NRG Superfood Bar.

Q: What to eat during a football match?

A: A difficult time to try and manage any fuel consumption but the easiest way to stay on top is keeping your bottle pre-filled with KMC ISO MIX Electrolyte & Energy Mix and taking a drink each time the bottle cage is available.

Q: What should I eat post-match?

A: Post game, it's really important to focus on your recovery and Nutrition is arguably one of the most important parts of recovering after a hard effort.

Timing: The sooner you refuel the better. Take lean protein on within a 25 minute window for the most benefit and eat a good meal consisting of Carbs and Protein within 2 hours. You should be consuming between 1.5-2g of protei per Kg of body mass, per day, Read more about "Why Protein is key to Recovery" here.

Fuel: At least 20g of quality Protein and fast acting Carbohydrates. You'll need to replenish Carbohydrate (Glycogen) stores, rebuild and encourage the maintenance of lean muscle mass with Protein, and re-hydrate with Electrolytes. KMC PRO MIX Protein Powder Mix is a great option for a combination of 21g Whey Protein and Carbohydrate.

Q: What should I eat before Kick-off?

A: There's still time to top-up on those energy stores and hydrate in the form of something light and easily digested!

Timing: Within a the 1 hour period before kick-off, before, during or after warm up it's entirely personal preference.

Fuel: Caffeine is scientifically to improve both muscular endurance and focus. It takes roughly 1 hour to peak in the bloodstream. So taking a KMC NRG GEL+ Caffeine Energy Gel within 1 hour of the game is a great way of doing this and adding 27g of Dual Carbohydrate. Staying Hydrated is key, lack of hydration leads to reduced performance and focus. Add one serve of KMC ISO MIX to a 500ml bottle of water for an additional 34g of Carbohydrate, 4 essential electrolytes and a refreshing light drink to get you going.

Read How to eat like a Professional Footballer here.