Cricket
How I fuel: Ben Stokes
The England all-rounder spills the beans (as well as bacon and mushrooms) on his golden rule for nutrition, Kiwi delicacies, and just what goes into an 'athlete's fry up...
If Ben Stokes was any more down to earth then the New Zealand-born star would probably be tunnelling past the earth's core, homing in on his birthplace.
It's fair to say he's one of the most genuine superstars in cricket. So it should be no surprise that when it comes to the topic of nutrition, the all-rounder is remarkably candid about his diet – the good and the bad – and what he eats to stay at the top. "Food is fuel for athletes," as he puts it himself.
Last year, Ben became the second cricketer after Ian Botham to have over 4,000 runs and over 100 wickets in Tests for England, which is both testament to his genius on the field and consistency in a Three Lions shirt. He was also the lynchpin behind England's 2019 World Cup victory and is widely seen as one of the biggest talents on the world stage.
Never one to stand still, the Durham-based star has also found time to play over in the Indian Premier League, becoming the highest-paid overseas player in the history of the IPL in 2017, and most recently turning out for the Rajasthan Royals.
But as he reveals, he's not quite got a taste for the local cuisine just yet...
Ben Stokes has become one of England's top players
© Richie Hopson/Red Bull Content Pool
What does a day of nutrition look like?
Certain people have this image, or idea, where we [professional athletes] are constantly on it with our food and stuff like that. But to be honest, today all I’ve had to eat is lunch – a footlong Subway, with turkey breast and ham – because I’ve been on the go all day. Food is fuel for athletes, so when I’m playing in a game, that’s when I have to be particular about it. There needs to be the right amount of carbohydrates, for instance. But when I’m at home and don’t have much going on, I’m pretty chilled about it.
If I eat well 90 percent of the time, then having a takeaway isn’t the end of the world.
What does a pre-match meal look like for England?
We need to have a big breakfast and lunch, and then dinner is recovery for us, so what we’re doing during the day dictates how much or the type of food we’re intaking. For instance, if there's a big bowling day ahead we know we’ll need a solid breakfast with carbs, like pasta, and at lunchtime we’ll need to top ourselves up with more carbs again. Dinnertime will be about taking carbs on again for recovery but also with one eye on getting energy into our bodies to burn off the next day if we’re bowling again.
A moment of contemplation for Stokes in the Rajasthan Royals' changing room
© Greg Coleman
You also play for the Rajasthan Royals. Are you a big fan of Indian food?
I'm not a massive fan of Indian food to be honest. I do love a dal, but we’re lucky in India as we stay at a hotel where the menus are quite varied. My favourite place in the world I've visited when it comes to food is probably South Africa; it has a vast selection and is very good.
With roots in New Zealand, do you recommend any Kiwi delicacies?
I’m sure you can buy them here but there are these chocolates in New Zealand called Pineapple Lumps which are pretty amazing. They’re very popular over there. My favourite sweets here are Revels. If anyone asks me for one I tell them to go away. Oh, and Haribo Tangfastics, which I keep in the fridge.
Ben Stokes was Player of the Match in the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
Ben works with a nutritionist to help fuel his body for his next match
© Steve Dsouza / Red Bull Content Pool
Do you have cheat days?
The biggest thing for me is that if I eat well 90 percent of the time, the 10 percent of time I do want a bag of sweets or some chocolate then I can do that without it having a big effect. It’s so manageable as well. If you live by that rule then having a takeaway isn’t the end of the world. I do like a Chinese.
I like to take a Red Bull before a T20 game because it's fast and high octane in a short period of time. I'll drink it before I field and before I bat.
Do you work with nutritionists?
Yeah, at England we have Emma Gardener, who's done an absolutely brilliant job with the team; she’s changed the whole idea around the nutritional side of cricket and done some fantastic things. For example, we will send her our food diary, based on our day-to-day, seven days a week, and she'll say ‘Right, you’ve had x amount of this intake through carbs and fat, etc'. The role food has in us going out there and performing is actually incredible, and she puts the right amount of food into our body depending what needs to be done at a certain time. The biggest lesson Emma has taught me is about planning my food better ahead of a game.
Does that include your 'athlete fry up'?
Oh, the athlete fry up. That's three poached eggs, bacon medallions rather than rashers, baked beans, mushroom and HP Sauce. If I could, I would eat breakfast food for all three main meals in the day. I really couldn’t tell you what makes a fry-up so good. It’s just lush.
How do you use Red Bull?
If I do flag in the day and if I feel like I need something to get me up, then my go-to is Red Bull. It’s worked really well for me if I need that quick energy boost. I like to take it before a T20 game because the format is fast and high octane in a short period of time. I'll drink it before I field and before I bat.
Ben with Jofra Archer, as the latter prepares to bowl the Super Over
© Philip Brown/Popperfoto via Getty Images
You play in some hot places for long periods of time: Australia, South Africa, India. Taking on water must play a major part?
Absolutely. Hydration is just as important as the food you put into your body.
Ok, we're coming over and you’re cooking. What’s your signature dish?
I haven’t cooked in years, so it would have to be fajitas. We’ll have chicken, onions, peppers, spices, guac and salsa. I'll get some jalapeños in there, too.
What's been your best meal of all time?
Homemade chicken breast with Philadelphia, wrapped in parma ham with baby potatoes, quickly put on to the pan, so slightly crispy on the outside, some spinach, finished off with an Eton Mess.