Hiking Nutrition
Learn How to Properly Fuel Your Body for Your Hike
Hiking the TCT can be strenuous, so be sure you’re carrying the right amount of the right food and water with you.
Eating several smaller meals is better than eating a few big meals while you’re on the trail, and to maintain your energy and stamina, make sure you’re consuming a balance and variety of carbs, healthy fats, and proteins.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your best friend while hiking because they’re easier for your body to process than fats or protein, and they offer your body it’s preferred source of energy. Your body turns carbs into glucose, a form of sugar your body uses for energy. Any extra glucose gets turned into glycogen, which is used for fuel itself and can also be stored and turned back into glucose if your body needs it. Therefore, eating a small amount of carbs every hour or so during your hike helps you maintain your strength and endurance, especially for a long day on the trail.
If you don’t consume enough carbs, your body will inevitably fatigue and will burn fat and muscle protein instead. If your body has to turn to protein because you’re not eating enough carbs or fats, your muscle tissue will break down, making your hike much more difficult and dangerous.
Knowing the difference between simple and complex carbs is also important while planning your hiking food. Simple carbs are found in junk food and candy bars, and give your body a quick rush of energy. Complex carbs, like whole grains, take longer for your body to digest and convert to glucose. So while you won’t feel an immediate burst of energy from eating pasta, like you would from eating a Snickers bar, complex carbs give your body a more long-lasting energy source, and you won’t have to eat as often.
Carbohydrate Sources
- bread/lavash
- buckwheat
- dried fruit
- fresh fruit (mulberries, nectarines, blackberries, bananas)
- legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)
- oatmeal
- pasta
- potatoes
- quinoa
- rice
- sweet potatoes
Fats
When you’re hiking, you need calories and energy. Fats provide both. They provide more calories than carbohydrates, and you’ll need plenty of calories as you’re trekking along the trail. When we consume fats, your body breaks them down into fatty acids, which are transported to your muscles to use as fuel. (Muscles much prefer to use glucose for fuel, but muscles can use fats if necessary.) Avoid eating only fats while hiking, however, as they take longer to break down than carbs and proteins do and could leave you with an upset stomach. Instead, save them for breakfast or dinner.
Fat Sources
- eggs
- cheese
- peanut (or any nut) butter
- nuts
- olives
- fatty fish
- chia seeds
- flax seeds
Protein
Protein is stored in your muscles, which need to stay alert and healthy while you’re on the trail. Protein provides you with sustained energy, and helps your body rebuild muscle tissue after hiking. You don’t need as much protein as carbs and fats, but you should be consuming a little each day, preferably for dinner after you’re finished hiking for the day.
Protein Sources
- beans
- cheese
- chia seeds
- jerky
- lentils
- nuts
- oatmeal
- peanut butter
- quinoa
- sardine tins
Micronutrients
In addition to carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, your body also needs vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin B, Vitamin C, iron, and calcium, to prevent fatigue and muscle aches and cramps. Make sure you’re eating enough of these, too!
Micronutrient Sources
- almonds
- beans
- beef
- cauliflower
- cheese
- chia seeds
- chicken
- dark chocolate
- eggs
- fruit (cantaloupe, kiwi, lemon, lime, oranges, persimmons, strawberries, tomatoes)
- lentils
- parsley
- pork
- pumpkin seeds
- quinoa
- sardines
- sweet peppers / capsicum (especially red and yellow)
- yogurt
