Mexico nutritionist Beatriz Boullosa has revealed the secret behind the nation’s stunning success over reigning champions Germany in El Tri’s World Cup-opener – “tortillas that taste like glory”.
The Mexican team have been reveling in being able to eat tacos again in Russia after avoiding domestic red meat due to the fact the country has a history of producing meat contaminated with Clenbuterol.
Clenbuterol is used to promote muscle growth in livestock, but also banned as a performance-enhancing substance in athletes.
The squad has brought two tons of food along with them to Russia, but none of the meat will be coming from Mexico itself.
But, since arriving in Europe for the World Cup, red meat has finally been put back on the menu for the players.
The plan obviously worked for Mexico’s opening match, where their high-tempo game plan overwhelmed defending champions Germany, with PSV winger Herving Lozano scoring the only goal of the game in a momentous 1-0 win.
“Players ask for their quesadillas and their tacos and that really helps psychologically, because you bring them closest to home,” said squad nutritionist Boullosa, as reported by The Guardian, who rejoined the Mexican backroom staff in 2015.
Mexico nutritionist Beatriz Boullosa.
She was previously part of the staff that helped Mexico win the under-17 world title in 2011, and she also worked for the Olympic team that won the gold medal in 2012.
“We brought a lot of food and we also brought a chef to make every dish as the player likes it, we are making corn tortillas that taste like glory.”
When used for performance enhancement, Clenbuterol increases lean muscle mass and reduces body fat.
Agriculturally, although outlawed in most countries, it can be used on cattle, lamb, poultry and swine. The World Anti-Doping Agency has, in the past, issued specific warnings about the problem with agricultural usage in both China and Mexico.
In 2011, five players from Mexico’s squad tested positive for Clenbuterol, among them Guillermo Ochoa, the starting goalkeeper in this World Cup.
The country’s football federation ruled the positive tests were caused by contaminated meat. More recently, Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez tested positive for the same substance, forcing the postponement of his rematch with Gennady Golovkin.
Having gone without while in Mexico, the squad were allowed to start eating red meat once they arrived in Denmark for a pre-World Cup friendly.
“Players are carnivorous by nature and they are happy to get the red meat back on their diet, and in nutrition terms it was also important,” Boullosa added.
She also revealed that one vital ingredient for their diet has come from the homeland, however – hot sauces.
“We made a spicy chili-peanut sauce that is delicious, and we also have traditional salsas, some of the super spicy and some mild ones,” added Boullosa. “We also brought cans of beans and corn. We are super loaded.”
