Hiking nutrition

“What should I eat during a hike?”. This is probably the most frequently asked question of hikers. Proper hiking nutrition is very important. Even during an easy hike, our body wastes a lot of energy and feels dehydration. If we don’t eat properly, we will feel weakness. During an easy one day hike consequences might not be very serious, you might feel dizziness and weakness at the end of the day. But if it is a long and serious ascent, for example to Mount Aragats or Geghama mountains, then bad nutrition and not enough water can ruin all of your program and even threaten your life.

In this article we will not just list food products. Here we will talk about how metabolism of a person works. We all know, that nutrients are divided into three main types: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And carbohydrates, in turn, can be simple or complex. Let’s talk a little about these nutrients:

Simple carbohydrates

Various forms of sugar, such as glucose and sucrose (table sugar) are simple carbohydrates. Their molecules are small, so they can quickly be broken down and absorbed by the body, making it the fastest source of energy. Fruits, dairy products, honey and maple syrup contain a large amount of simple carbohydrates that give a sweet taste to most sweets and cakes.

Complex carbohydrates

Molecules of these carbohydrates are made up of long chains of simple carbohydrates. Since molecules of complex carbohydrates are larger than molecules of simple carbohydrates, they must be broken down to simple carbohydrates before the body can absorb them. Thus, the body gets energy more slowly than it would get from simple carbohydrates, but still faster than from proteins and fat. In general, for proper nutrition we need to consume complex carbohydrates, but in our case there are some nuances. The priority for us is to get energy as fast as possible.

Proteins

Proteins are like “building materials” for rebuilding of cells. Proteins are made up of elements called amino acids that are linked together in a complex chain. Since proteins are complex molecules, the body needs more time, to break them down. Therefore, they are a much slower and longer source of energy than carbohydrates.

Fats

Fats are the slowest source of energy, but also the most economical form of food. The body needs fat to grow and to reduce hormones. However, fat is difficult to digest. That’s why it’s better to eat fatty foods during rest, giving the body time to digest it all.

During physical activities we need source of energy to ensure the efficiency of our body. If we take into account that the body expends a lot of energy for digestion, then the logic of hiking nutrition becomes more clear. There is only one principle – light and simply digestible food with simple carbohydrates. It is fructose, sucrose, lactose, in a word – sugar. Don’t let the word “sugar” scare you, especially if you are on a diet. The problem is that in this conditions our body is not able to digest heavy foods rich in proteins and fats. In this case you will not get the right nutrition and you will cause indigestion with all the consequences.

Meal plan

Schedule your meal plan as follows. In the morning – hearty but not heavy breakfast. It can be eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, etc. During a hike – bananas, sweets, fruits, chocolate bars, there is also a sports nutrition, but more on that separately.

One sandwich with cheese and ham will not do any harm. It is always nice to have your favorite snack or drink with you. Small amount of your favorite snack will not harm you and it will definitely cheer you up. In the evening, in the camp or in the city, you can enjoy your favorite foods, rich in protein and complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are found mainly in legumes, potatoes, pasta, buckwheat and rice.

Hydration

Hydration is even more important than hiking nutrition. During physical work, body sweats and loses a lot of moisture. Along with moisture, salts, minerals and electrolytes also leave our body. You don’t need to be good in biology to know, that these substances are very important. Thanks to them the metabolism in the body goes right. It is necessary to drink constantly in small sips, preventing the dehydration. If you feel thirsty, it means that dehydration has already started. So it is better to have one and half liters of fluid with you. The fluid can be not only water, but also tea, coffee, natural juice. It can be anything you like, besides alcohol and energy drinks. Energy drinks are unhealthy and not suitable for hikes, because they cause additional stimulation and strong strain on the heart. We hope we don’t need to explain anything about the harm of alcohol.

Sports nutrition

Modern science and sports industry have created for us special supplements and sports nutrition to increase the effectiveness of our activities. We would like to talk about energy gels and isotonic drinks.

Energy gel

It is a condensed syrup that contains simple carbohydrates, various vitamins and amino acids. It is a fast and convenient way to take nutrients and quickly tone the body. Due to the density and concentration of all the substances, it is necessary to drink couple of sips of water with the gel. It is important to remember, that energy gels are not food, so normal food should be taken with them throughout the day.

Isotonics

Isotonics are a set of salts, minerals and electrolytes, sometimes with added sugar. They come in form of tablets or powder. Dilute the isotonic in your water and drink it throughout the day. Since during the hike, especially in hot weather, the body sweats a lot and loses more moisture than usual, ordinary water may not be enough to make up for the loss of minerals from the body. We’re sure that everyone has experienced the feeling similar to hangover, in the evening or in the morning after the hike. This is dehydration. Isotonics can help to fill this deficit.

You can make isotonic drink at home. In a liter of water add half a teaspoon of table salt, lemon juice or citric acid, sugar is optional. Please note that if you add sugar, it has to be the real one and not the substitutional aspartame. Aspartame doesn’t have any nutritional value.

These supplements are used to help our bodies and they are completely optional.

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