Wrestling Blogs - WWSPORT_COM

We, as wrestlers, are always trying to find the perfect pre/post match food. When I was a younger athlete in high school, I remember concocting different formulas to drink after weigh-ins to give me extra “energy”. One of my favorites was grape juice and honey. I was sure that this was my perfect “fuel” for pre-match. The bad thing about my “ideal” concoction was that it left me with a sugar low! I never thought about the perfect foods nature offered that sustained energy over several hours because of the different types of carbohydrates they offered.

Fast forward twenty years and the sports industry has seen the evolution of multiple energy bars, drinks and “perfect” meal replacements. The fact is, this niche has become a billion dollar industry, but do these products really help us? Dave Copeland, founder of AppleBoost Products, Inc. has developed a product, in conjunction with groundbreaking research conducted at Cornell University, that I believe will offer athletes and coaches a great alternative to commercialized energy products.

AppleBooster is an applesauce which is infused with high phenolic apple peel powder. What many people don’t know is that the most nutrient-dense part of the apple is the peel, yet many food manufacturers treat it as a waste product. AppleBoost Products is the exclusive license holder to a patented apple peel drying process that holds great promise for a variety of nutrition applications. AppleBoost is made from 100% organic apples, naturally flavored and naturally sweetened. There are no chemical preservatives and no added sugar. It is nature’s energy, enhanced! I was skeptical at first when I heard about AppleBoost from my former teammate and current Ithaca College head coach, Marty Nichols. It seemed like a gimmick. However, after his team members used the AppleBooster applesauce during the 2007-08 season, Marty experienced a tremendous increase of attendance at practice. In fact, not one of his student-athletes missed competition or practice because of stress related illness or skin outbreaks.

AppleBooster is gaining momentum! Currently, several major universities and professional teams are using AppleBooster as a quick source of energy or on-the-go nutrition. The University of Wisconsin has purchased 25,000 tubes of AppleBooster since “first taste” in July 2008. Other notable programs are University of Iowa, University of North Carolina, University of Kansas, University of Nebraska, University of Virginia, and Texas A&M. Major league teams in hockey, baseball, and football are also purchasing AppleBoost products (New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Thrashers, and San Jose Sharks). In fact, nutritionists from the US Olympic Training Center approved of AppleBooster and every Olympic athlete and coach boarded their plane to Beijing with AppleBooster applesauce (over 6000 tubes)!

AppleBooster applesauce comes in two great flavors (Wildberry and Peach-Mango). Wildberry is my favorite. The 32g tube can be frozen and used as a refreshing post weigh-in treat or taken prior to/between matches, practices or strength training. AppleBooster products also offer a sports capsule that is certified by the NSF and tested against over 150 banned substances.

AppleBooster is available at WWsport.com, the exclusive online distributor for AppleBooster products. A case of 72 tubes: $48.96, A case of 144 tubes: $80.72, for larger quantities or sport capsule pricing contact Mike Fusilli at mfusilli@wwsport.com.