What if one of the best foods for athletes wasn’t a fancy supplement or protein shake, but something small, simple, and already in your kitchen? Enter Little Potatoes.

These bite-sized powerhouses aren’t just delicious and versatile, they also pack the kind of energy and nutrients that athletes need to perform their best!

They PRovide Carbohydrates for Energy

Carbohydrates are your BFF if you’re an athlete! They power everything you do from fast sprints to heavy weights, giving your muscles and brain the energy they need to perform. When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into glucose, ready to be used for energy when you need it most (3). The more you move, the more carbs you need to keep your energy up and prevent the dreaded sensation of “hitting the wall”. Potatoes are one of the best natural carb sources out there. They’re quick to cook, super versatile, and packed with the fuel you need to crush your workouts and recover strong!

They Support Glycogen Storage

Here’s the cool part: not all of the carbs you eat are used as fuel right away. Some get stored in your muscles and liver as something called glycogen, a kind of back-up ‘fuel tank’ your body taps into when energy demands spike (3). Think of it as your back-up for long sessions, overtime periods, or back-to-back games. Athletes who keep this glycogen battery topped up (by eating carbs like Little Potatoes!) are known to train harder, last longer, and recover faster.

They Support Total Carbohydrate Needs for Workouts

How many carbs do athletes need? Every athlete is different, and so are their carb needs. Depending on your size, training intensity, and goals, the amount of fuel your body requires can vary quite a bit. For athletes logging serious hours (think 1 to 3 hours of moderate-to-high intensity activity per day), carb needs can skyrocket anywhere from 6 to 12 grams per kilogram of body weight (3).

Example: A 160 lb (~73 kg) power athlete training 1–3 hours a day may need anywhere from 365–510 g of carbs to keep their fuel levels up. So how can we get there? Thankfully fuelling for training doesn’t have to be complicated when Little Potatoes have your back. Breakfast hash? Check. Lunch potato salad upgrade? Check. Dinner sidekick for your protein? Check. Fuelling has never been so delicious!

Little Potatoes Support More Than Just Energy

Of course, Little Potatoes aren’t just carbs. They also bring:

  • Potassium: A powerhouse mineral for athletes. Potassium works hand-in-hand with sodium to keep fluids balanced (hello, hydration!) and plays a direct role in muscle contractions (1). Potatoes are naturally a good source of potassium, providing 15% or more of your daily value (DV)!
  • Vitamin B6: Often overlooked, but oh so important. Vitamin B6 helps enzymes break down carbs so your muscles can actually use them as fuel (5). It also supports red blood cell production, which carries oxygen to those working muscles (5). Many Little Potato products are a good source of vitamin B6 too, providing 15% or more DV!

A Simple Method for Planning Your Meals

So what does this mean on your plate? When training is intense or it’s game day, the goal is typically to fill half your plate with carbs at each meal (2). That might sound like it’s a lot, but for athletes, it’s a proven strategy to keep energy levels steady and muscles fuelled! Pair those carbs with lean protein and colorful fruits and veggies, and you’ve built a plate that powers performance!

Athletes have high nutrition demands, with increased carbohydrate needs to fuel performance, while nutrients like potassium and vitamin B6 help your muscles contract, your energy systems run, and your body recover.

Little Potatoes provide all of this in one small, mighty package. So next time you’re building a meal before or after training, keep it simple: let Little Potatoes be your go-to performance fuel for your carbs.

References:
1. Dietitians of Canada. (2019). What you need to know about potassium. Dietitians of Canada. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Vitamins-and-Minerals/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Potassium.aspx

2. Gatorade Performance Partner. (2020). Athlete’s Plate: Hard Training Day. https://performancepartner.gatorade.com/resources/resource/athletes-plate-hard-training-day

3.Gatorade Sports Science Institute. (n.d.). The science of carbohydrate. GSSI. https://performancepartner.gatorade.com/content/resources/pdfs/science-of-carbohydrate-2024.pdf

4.Kanter, M. (2018). High-quality carbohydrates and physical performance. Nutrition and Physical Activity, 53(1).

5. Office of Dietary Supplements. (2023). Vitamin B6 – Health professional fact sheet. National Institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/