Bengaluru, April 29 (Agency) At the ongoing Khelo India University Games (KIUG), which has witnessed participation of over 3,800 athletes, the organisers have emphasised on nutrition and dietary requirements through a scientifically-planned food menu for the participants. , Namratha Pramod, Nutritionist at Sports Authority of India, Bangalore, who was involved with the planning of menu at the KIUG 2021 since the tournament was announced, explained the strategy that went into devising the menu. “We took care of several elements, including the macro and micro-nutrients in every food item that we are providing. We also took care of the hydration of athletes, ensuring that they receive juice, milk and whole fruits, which they can carry with them at the competition,” said Namratha.
Technological measures were put in place to ensure the athletes were aware of the nutrients they were consuming in every meal. “Every day, we are running a video on LED of the nutrients present in the food items present in a meal at every venue. So, if any athlete is weight conscious and/or requires to maintain their weight levels to compete in competitions, they can pick and choose accordingly, referring to the nutrients intake they need from the screen,” she explained. Sodexo was asked to assist SAI with the catering at KIUG 2021. They held discussions with renowned sports physician and nutritionist Divya Purushotham, who has also been a consultant with the Karnataka Cricket State Academy, apart from several IPL and hockey players. They devised a proposed menu for the KIUG and presented the same to SAI. Further consultations were then held with SAI nutritionists to devise the final menu.
“We worked with them on finalising the overall menu, taking care of the number of calories, carbohydrates and proteins present in a single meal,” said Nitin Trikha, Country Director, Sodexo Education Services. The long-winding process has reaped rewards as the feedback from the athletes and the coaches across all the venues, has been quite positive regarding the food being served to the athletes. While a protein-centric diet is provided to non-vegetarian athletes with multiple options of chicken and fish on the menu, there are also protein-rich options available for vegetarian athletes. Another major thought process that went behind the scenes while designing the menu was catering to athletes coming from different parts of the country.
“We took care of the fact that athletes are coming from pan-India to give them a taste of what they eat and what they are comfortable with. Since Bangalore is hosting, we have also included several dishes of Karnataka, such as Akki Roti or Jowar, to give the athletes a flavour of the state,” said Namratha. Special attention is also being given to the fact that the food being provided is of top quality and the athletes are not facing any kind of medical issues after eating them. “Samples of each food item being served in every meal are collected and stored in a refrigerated container. In case of outbreak of any kind of gastroenteritis, vomiting or loose stools, the samples are checked for analysis by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to maintain the standard of food quality,” she said.