Hiking isn't just a stroll through the woods; it's often an intense calorie-burning workout. During an intense workout, you need nutritious snacks. On your next trek, be sure to carry hiking snacks that will properly fuel your body for the task at hand.
The Refueling Equation
During and after a tough hike, your body craves healthy fats, magnesium, potassium, protein and water. Keep this in mind as you make and choose your snacks for the day.
Choose a Good Energy Bar
Energy bars are perfect hiking snacks. Unfortunately, not all of them register on the healthy scale; in fact many of them don't. While the packages boast a number of health benefits, these portable snacks are often filled with additives, unhealthy oils, too much sodium and high fructose corn syrup.
To choose a healthy energy bar, you have to read the nutritional label carefully. Look for one that has all whole ingredients; these will include nuts, dates, fruit and oats. Larabars are great because they have a short list of whole, healthy ingredients. If you can't find a healthy pre-made bar that you like, consider making your own.
You can find a variety of recipes online, but if you want to make up your own, the basic recipe includes:
- A binder - peanut butter
- A Sweetener - pure maple syrup
- Soft fruit - pitted dates
- Extract - coconut
- Dry base ingredient - buckwheat flour
