The right nutrition boosts your performance - we break it down.
The right nutrition is the secret "plate" to unleashing your full potential. When you know how to fuel your body right, every outdoor adventure transforms into an opportunity to go further, faster, and stronger. To help you step up your game we’ve got a tasty and easy to do snack recipe for you at the end of this article.
Athletes, whether professional or amateur, know this: Proper nutrition is the key to optimal performance and faster recovery. A balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats is crucial to provide the body with the necessary nutrients. This article looks at the basics of a balanced diet, explains how specific nutrients work before, during and after training and why a targeted diet can significantly improve athletic performance. Finally, we introduce an easy to do recipe for your personal energy bar, which provides an additional caffeine kick to support focus and endurance during your next outdoor activity.
The basic building blocks of a balanced diet
A balanced diet consists mainly of the three macronutrients: Carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Carbohydrates - the most important source of energy
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for our body, especially during intensive sporting activities. They are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver and are quickly converted into energy. Their effect varies depending on the type of carbohydrate:
- Simple carbohydrates (e.g. sugar) provide quickly available energy, but often lead to a rapid drop in blood sugar.
Complex carbohydrates (e.g. wholemeal products, oatmeal) provide long-lasting energy and support a constant energy supply during longer training sessions.
Proteins - the building blocks of muscles
Proteins play an essential role in muscle building and regeneration. They not only support muscle growth, but also the repair of tissue damage after intensive training. Good sources of protein are meat, fish, eggs and plant sources such as nuts and pulses.
Fats - long-term source of energy
Fats are essential for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and provide long-lasting energy. Healthy, unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 are particularly important to support the body in the long term without putting a strain on it. Sources of those fats are e.g. fish, nut oils.
The role of nutrition before, during and after exercise
Before training - preparation is everything
A carbohydrate-rich meal before exercise is crucial to optimally replenish glycogen stores. This meal should be easy to digest so that the body does not feel unnecessarily stressed. Oftentimes people use the term “carb loading” which essentially means eating a lot of carbs one or two days before a bigger endurance exercise.
During training - maintaining energy levels
During intensive or long sports sessions, the body needs a constant supply of energy. This is where easily digestible carbohydrates come into play, providing immediately available energy to stabilize performance. Sports drinks or energy gels are particularly suitable in this phase. People often also opt for bananas or power bars.
After training - regeneration and recovery
After training, the focus is on regeneration. A mixture of carbohydrates and proteins helps to replenish glycogen stores and repair the muscles. A protein shake or a combination of fruit and nuts are ideal here.
The right diet during sport
The importance of carbohydrates for energy production and the role of proteins and fats for sustained performance are undisputed. Research shows that a continuous supply of carbohydrates during exercise prolongs performance and conserves glycogen reserves. A moderate amount of protein and healthy fats also helps to keep the energy supply stable and prevent a drop in blood sugar levels.
Studies recommend consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during prolonged exercise. This can be in the form of bars, gels or drinks, but in the end depends on personal preference. It is generally recommended to drink enough fluids, especially if carbohydrates are consumed in dry form to not harm the digestive system. Sweating also causes the body to lose all kinds of other important minerals, including sodium chloride, which is why salty snacks are often on top of the craving list after long periods of physical exertion.
Summarized: carbohydrates provide energy, proteins are helpful to protect the muscle substance during training, especially during intensive sessions, unsaturated fats provide constant energy and prevent a rapid drop in blood sugar levels and salt regulates blood pressure and water balance in the body.
Recipe to make at home: Energy bar with No Normal
No Normal Coffee's mission is to give you your energy kick during your outdoor adventure to help you get the best out of your experience. So we set out to develop a first recipe for an energy bar that was packed with important nutrients during performance, would be easy to make and taste delicious. And that's not all: there’s an extra dose of caffeine from our no normal coffee paste in it. Caffeine has been shown to improve concentration and stamina and reduce fatigue. (Read more about the performance benefits of caffeine in our blog post here.) With that in mind, the bar combines the benefits of sports nutrition and the energizing effects of coffee to give you that extra performance boost.
To do this, we teamed up with our very athletic friend and trail runner Nathalie Wong, who has long been working on a perfect snack to support her outdoor performance. We must point out that this recipe is not based on any in-depth scientific research or nutritional experts, but only on personal experience and taste, based on a fraction of the publicly available information!
Ingredients
for 10-15 bars (~ 180 kcal each)
- 50g vegan milk
- 140g fine cut oats
- 70g almonds
- 130g dates
- 30g peanut butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tube No Normal Coffee Paste
- optional: agave syrup or honey for added sweetness
Preparation
This Energy Bar recipe is completely adaptable to your taste preferences. Whether you prefer peanuts instead of almonds or figs instead of dates, you can customize it just the way you like. The base ingredients offer a perfect blend of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, giving you quick energy from the dates while the nuts provide lasting fullness. Complex carbs and fats also help avoid a blood sugar spike. You can adjust the sweetness and saltiness to your liking—agave syrup, honey, or any sweetener of your choice work great here.
1. Soak the oats: Soak the oats in vegan milk in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Toast the nuts: Add the nuts to a pan and toast over medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant.
3. Prepare the dates: While the nuts are toasting, soak them in hot water for a few minutes to soften them.
4. Blend the nut-date-coffee paste: Mix the toasted nuts, peanut butter, dates and No Normal Coffee with the salt and pulse in a blender or food processor until you reach your desired consistency.
5. Mix everything: tip the nut-date-coffee mixture into the oat-milk mixture. Mix well.
6. Press into a mold: Grease and line a rectangular mold with parchment paper and press the mixture evenly into the mold with a plastic spatula to prevent sticking.
7. Chill: Place the mold in the refrigerator for a few hours to firm up, so the bars hold together well.
8. Cut into bars: Once set, slice into bars of your preferred size. Optionally, top with some chocolate for an extra treat!
Et voilà! Your Energy Bars are ready to power you through your next outdoor adventure. With this powerhouse snack, you’re all set for any challenge that comes your way!
Let us know if you tried this recipe and tag us on Instagram or send us a comment via @wearenonormal <3
Grab your coffee paste now to craft your next ultimate personalized energy boost!
For more outdoor snack inspiration:
References
Bergfreunde. (n.d.). Die besten Wandersnacks. Bergfreunde. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.berg-freunde.ch/blog/snacks-zum-wandern/
Burgerstein Foundation. (n.d.). Wann sind Nahrungsergänzungsmittel im Sport sinnvoll? Burgerstein Foundation. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.burgerstein-foundation.ch/de-de/wissen/blog/wann-sind-nahrungsergaenzungsmittel-im-sport-sinnvoll
Owayo. (n.d.). Die perfekte Sporternährung - richtig essen beim Sport. Owayo. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.owayo.ch/magazin/sporternaehrung-essen-sport-ch.htm
Sponser. (n.d.). Marathon nutrition. Sponser. Retrieved October 2024, from https://sponser.ch/en/blogs/sport-ernaehrung-gesundheit/marathon-nutrition
Sponser.. Nutrition for road cycling. Sponser. Retrieved October 2024, from https://sponser.ch/en/blogs/sport-ernaehrung-gesundheit/verpflegungstipps-rennrad
Swissmilk. (n.d.). Sporternährung - Grundlagen, Rezepte & Tipps. Swissmilk. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.swissmilk.ch/de/ernaehrung/sporternaehrung/sporternaehrung-grundlagen-rezepte-tipps/
Trail Butter. (n.d.). The power of slow-burning nutrition: Why it’s key to your adventure. Trail Butter. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.trailbutter.com/blogs/trail-news/the-power-of-slow-burning-nutrition-why-it-s-key-to-your-adventure
Trail Butter. (n.d.). Trail Butter & The Feed: Complete nutrition for any adventure. Trail Butter. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.trailbutter.com/blogs/trail-news/trail-butter-the-feed-complete-nutrition-for-any-adventure
Trail Butter. (n.d.). Understanding macronutrients: The key to optimal nutrition with Trail Butter. Trail Butter. Retrieved October 2024, from https://www.trailbutter.com/blogs/trail-news/understanding-macronutrients-the-key-to-optimal-nutrition-with-trail-butter