Importance of correct food intake

1. Planning your food for hiking mountains

Food is your fuel for any high-output activity, and mountaineering is certainly the kind of activity where what you eat will have a direct effect on your performance and endurance. Especially if it involves long approaches and descents and big multi-pitch routes.

2. The importance of food during mountain activities: high in calories & carbohydrates.

So, it’s important that you develop a fuelling strategy that suits both you and the project you have in mind. The food you eat needs to be high in calories and high in carbohydrates. However, eating something that is difficult to digest and heavy on your stomach will end up stopping your muscles from performing as effectively. It’s a bit like the clothing you wear when alpine climbing or backcountry: It needs to be strong (high calorie content) and light, and it also has to be durable to withstand harsh treatment inside your pack or in cold/hot temperatures.

3. Tips to consider for eating like a PRO

We’ve put together some top tips for you on what to think about when you’re prepping for your next big adventure. The advice here applies to single-day mountaineering and short trips. Long, expedition-style mountaineering trips involve greater quantities of food and cooked meals etc. They require a great deal of organisation to ensure there is sufficient food and that expedition members are getting all the nutrients they need and in the right quantities. The logistics are much more involved, and we will not be covering this topic here.

So, we’re talking about alpine activities in the Alps or Dolomites (our home turf). The kind of food you need could be called ‘alpine-style food’ or ‘sprint food’ (as opposed to ‘marathon food’). Your personal tastes, the environment you are in and the kind of climbing or skiing involved are all factors that will affect what food you take with you.

4. What is the right diet for mountaineering?

Nutrition is different for each individual, but following these guidelines will put you the right path. Try to choose calorie-dense items with plenty of protein and healthy fats (less sugar), but don’t forget your favourite sweets, chocolate bars and energy foods.

In general, the food you eat on the mountain should be rich in carbohydrates and easy to digest so that they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream to keep your muscles moving.

Climbing and skiing are high-intensity sports and your body won’t be able to access fat quickly enough from your body to use as a fuel source during activity. However healthy fats are important in a balanced diet. On long approaches, you will also start to you burn fat after a while.

• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates (both complex or simple) ingested into the stomach become glucose which is carried in the bloodstream. The type of carbohydrates may vary depending on the type of climbing/ route. If you need a ‘hit’ of energy for a final push, then simple, fast-acting (simple) carbohydrates like gels or jelly sweets might be best; or for a longer route/ endurance climb, slower-burning (complex) carbs like bananas, oat bars etc. are best.

• Protein: Protein content is an important element for muscle recovery, i.e. it aids in the growth and maintenance of muscle tissue. The latest research also shows that it is important to ingest a little protein with your carbohydrates to help your body get the most out of them.

In summary, alpine climbing food should be:

• High energy - i.e. calorie-rich (check the packaging)

• Balanced: Salt /protein / fat /potassium and sodium/ iron, calcium and zinc

• Easy to digest

• Tasty