Healthy eating in the mountains
Hiking is more and more trendy - almost half of the Swiss population is dedicated to this activity in its free time. But for a pleasant trip in the mountains, in addition to good equipment, careful physical preparation and plenty of suns, it is also important to have a correct diet. Find out by reading this advice, what you need before and during an excursion.
Are you planning a short hike of about two hours? Then you do not need to bring food with you. For the thirsty, it is instead always advisable to get drinks. If there are children, even in the case of short trips it is better to have snacks and a sufficient amount of water.
The amount of fluids we need daily is from one to two liters and much more if it's hot or we make physical efforts. Unsweetened fruit or herb water and tea are ideal, but you can also choose to have lightly sweetened drinks or diluted fruit juices. Instead, sugary drinks should be avoided.
Never on an empty stomach
Never start an excursion on an empty stomach or feeling hungry. A balanced breakfast with a good amount of carbohydrates will provide you with the necessary energy:
• whole meal bread with flakes of milk, fresh fruit
• bread and jam, yogurt and fresh fruit
• muesli (possibly unsweetened) with fresh fruit and yogurt or milk
Plan the breaks to be done before the excursion to avoid any stomach holes. If the trip lasts longer it is important to have sufficient food supplies: in this case, small light snacks are useful at regular intervals to reactivate the energy. Avoid heavy and fat foods and alcoholic beverages because they make you tired and steal energy from your body.
Practical and balanced snacks are
• ripe fruit (apples, pears, bananas, ...)
• pulpy dried fruit (figs, apples, pineapples, peaches, ...)
• nuts (nuts, almonds, pine nuts, ...)