Fweet! The whistle blows, the hot and tired soccer players come off the field, and a coach or parent hands them out: juicy, refreshing halftime orange slices. Ah! That’s better.
If you have a child who plays soccer, or if you grew up
playing soccer yourself, you’ve probably seen this halftime orange snack many times. But have you
ever asked yourself where the tradition comes from?
It seems that orange-eating at soccer games actually got its
start in England. There, the tradition of eating oranges at the half-time mark during
a game of “footy” goes back to at least the 1950s. In fact, when the Queen of
England herself hosted a soccer game in her back garden in 2013, footmen in long
tailcoats offered orange slices on silver trays. We bet you’ve never experienced
that!
Eventually, as soccer became more popular in the U.S., the
practice spread. But what makes sliced oranges such a great soccer snack?
Oranges are hydrating
It’s really easy to get dehydrated when you’re sprinting
around chasing that ball! Fortunately, oranges are 87% water, so those juicy-sweet
sections help replenish some of what gets lost when we exercise.
Oranges are convenient and fast to eat
A seedless, juicy “orange smile” is super quick to grab and
disappears just as fast. Check out this great and easy way to slice oranges for halftime. Navels are a perfect choice.
Oranges are high in carbohydrates, but not in calories
Oranges don’t spike and crash players’ blood sugar
Oranges may taste sweet, but they have a low glycemic index
of 40. This means that they won’t cause your blood sugar to spike up suddenly and
then bottom out, like processed sugary treats. Instead, they’ll deliver energy
gradually and evenly…perfect for sports.
Keep the Healthy Half Time Going!
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| Juicy sliced oranges from Florida Fruit Shippers |
Unfortunately, as many parents of athletes know, the healthy
choice of oranges isn’t always what we see on the fields anymore. Too often, chips,
crackers, and even candy bars, cookies, and donuts are showing up on the
sidelines instead.
Of course, kids gobble these up, but remember: it’s easy to
take in a lot of calories when we eat snacks like these after exercise. Also, while
high-sugar snacks are okay in moderation, they shouldn’t be a common thing for
anybody.
By the way, don't forget that along with those oranges, it’s best to stick to water to
drink. Marketers may push sports drinks, but they’re usually not needed. Experts
agree that unless kids are playing in very high heat or working out for a
really long time, sugary drinks are unnecessary.
Kids really love sliced fruit. Research shows that the
simple act of cutting fruit up makes kids much, much more likely to eat it! On a
hot day, when you’ve just been out there giving your all, a plate of bright,
juicy oranges is the perfect choice.
