Probios Focus
Meeting Dr. Claudio Bordon, trainer of Udinese Calcio.
For Probios is an old acquaintance, as the first collaborations date back to 2005, when Bordon collaborated to newly promoted Serie A Palermo Soccer that began this new experience by choosing espacially Probios for its athletes.
We are fascinated by the care with which this important football club treats its athletes, taking care of their health to 360 ° and in particular their diet, like the power supply of a "Ferrari" that must participate at the Grand Prix. This view that sees the importance of food for health definitely brings us together, we discovered their secrets of their meals for you.
Q: Now the relationship between Udinese and Probios is consolidated since three seasons. What are the characteristics of these products to be chosen by an important team like Udinese?
A: The collaboration between Udinese Calcio and Probios is based on scientific and rational fundamentals that take into account both the nutritional aspects of foods and the aspects of purity and the reduction of concentration of chemical additives that might be even only potentially toxic substances in food used for the preparation of the food of the players.
Regarding the first aspect we must remember that a prerequisite of any food, biological or not, is that it is of high nutritional quality and free of substances that, although "natural", it may worsen the absorption characteristics, digestibility and utilization. A practical example may be the excess of fats, hydrogenated, saturated, also present in some "genuine" food.
If this goal is reached by a careful selection of food is to be noted that the precise and correct labeling of packaging Probios is a further guarantee of the quality of products as well as a very simple tool to estimate the caloric content and bromatological composition (or in fundamental elements of nutrition) of the individual product.
No less important is the second aspect, namely the guarantee of the absence of products containing preservatives, pesticides, fungicides or antibiotics resulting from the intensive cultivation of food products.
Not even the definition of "whole food" is enough to ensure that there is a real absence of harmful or potentially harmful products: Remember that pesticides are concentrated in the pericarp (ie, in the bran of the grain) and that in the honey, there may be considerable quantities of streptomycin or other antibiotics that seem to be an important cause of resistance to antibiotics. Foods packaged with products from certified organic agriculture avoids these risks.
These are a summary of the reasons why Udinese Calcio is collaborating with Probios in programming the diet of the players in the team.
Q: Can you explain the importance of organic food for a high-level sports as the boys from Udinese Calcio practice?
A: First of all it should be remembered that the considerations made above may refer to the general population, in particular to the child and the youngest: it is true that the laws protect so very attentive the health food and the quality of food, but the greater the reduction of "contaminating" the better the overall tolerability of the food.
It's been shown that there are nutrients in the diet that educate the immune system and that a mixture of vegetable fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and essential minerals, such as present in organic food, not only do promote good health but can also prevent allergies of different kinds. And these favorable effects are much higher than those obtainable with the use of vitamins or minerals in tablets or synthesis.
As far as a professional athlete these considerations must be taken to the highest level: the athlete is from a physiological standpoint what a Ferrari is compared to a subcompact car.
Every detail must be studied, evaluated, designed, as well as the race rappresent the Grand Prize at which the machine should arrive in the best conditions of efficiency.
Important in this regard is the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, natural vitamins, polyphenols, all substances with high antioxidant power that increase the level of muscle activity and reduce recovery time.
Very important is also the fiber content that has the property of modulating the intestinal absorption of food avoiding rapid and high peaks of sugar and fat that can reduce the physical performance of the athlete in short -term.
As already mentioned, however, it is essential to guarantee that the dietary fibers are free from dangerous concentrations of pesticides or fungicides. For this reason it is important to choose guaranteed organic food.
Q: Can you take off a little curiosity in us following our heroes mainly on TV or at the stadium on Sunday: how is the day of a football player of the first team structured? And regarding to food, how are you able to control it? The boys are fed internally at the stadium or are given guidelines to follow at home?
A: Just to ensure the highest level of quality food Udinese Calcio has adopted a structure of high-class catering inside the stadium.
The environmental and the qualitative aspect is been treated in equal measure: the athletes take their meals at the restaurant to which also the family members have access.
The restaurant is run by a brigade headed by the best chefs in town that combines a deep imagination and proven nutritional knowledge.
The day begins with a workout in the morning, after breakfast eaten at the restaurant of the stadium. It's also a time of food education while allowing each athlete to choose between sweet or savory foods, according to their own traditions, the most appropriate mix to the next activity is recommended.
Lunch is always served at the restaurant and represents an important moment of aggregation among athletes and even among family members. It is not therefore neglected the aspect of conviviality supply and is cured in particular the multi-ethnic culinary tradition, with quality food, yet in a personalized diet.
Of course, proper nutrition should be considered over the full 24 hours or more, then the athletes are given some tips for complete the established home food program. Some athletes consume the dinner with their family, others in an outdoor restaurant with an agreement with the kitchen and service staff, trained by the Company.
There also is a programmed a computer system for the transmission of data that allow you to complete the daily nutrition to dinner bearing in mind how much one consumed at lunch, in order to avoid qualitative as well as quantitative errors.
It also is essential to a mantain a continuos information of the athletes and their families about the importance of proper nutrition and quality of food.
Throughout the organization fielded from Udinese Calcio has a high cost but the results outweigh this effort not only economic but also cultural and organizational aimed at ensuring the athlete a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being that is associated with the best atlethic performance.
Probios shares this project and continues the effort of support and advise of the Società Udinese Calcio.
