Because kids and soccer often go together, research was conducted to study fueling kids for their important game. In this study, either a raisin and nut snack or a plain bagel and lemonade were fed to 10- to 12-year-old soccer players before a game. The raisin and nut snack resulted in lower levels of blood glucose and insulin than the bagel and lemonade snack, establishing that the raisin “trail mix” provided a sustained, steady source of energy for the kids’ muscles. More research is currently underway on this subject.

For a report on the effect of raisins and peanuts in young soccer players, click here.