Ask any professional athlete about the virtue of proper nutrition and they will tell you that it makes a seismic difference to their standard of performance. Taking hockey players as an example, all aspects of preparation must be fine-tuned before they take to the ice for gameday. No NHL player would skip training and realistically expect to be in prime condition when gameday roll around. Likewise, failing to eat right before a game is hugely detrimental to performance.

This infographic from Tucker Hockey (http://www.tuckerhockey.com/upcoming-programs.asp) outlines the key nutrients that should be contained within a hockey player’s diet and lists the food and drink items that are ideally suited to a pre-game diet. Timing is also crucial to the effectiveness of diet; it’s best to eat your main meal three hours before a game or practice and then top up with a light snack an hour before going on the ice. Then, when the workout is completed, it’s vital to take on board key nutrients so that muscle breakdown is halted and the positive effects of on-ice time aren’t negated.

Read the infographic below to see why the correct nutrition is so crucial to a hockey player’s performance, especially at elite levels such as the NHL.