A good hike is also prepared at the table – or rather, in the rucksack. Knowing what to eat and drink in the mountains, summer or winter, makes the difference between a pleasant day and a tiring one.
Summer: hydration first and foremost
On summer hikes the main enemy is dehydration. The body loses water continuously: through sweat, the skin and breathing. At altitude this process speeds up, because the air is drier and you breathe more often. The result? After a long day's walking it's not unusual to find a thin layer of white salt on your skin.
Drinking often is essential, but it isn't enough: along with the water you also lose precious mineral salts. Fruit is the perfect ally for replacing them, because it provides water, vitamins, simple sugars and minerals all at once – everything your muscles ask for during exertion.
For meals, the classic sandwich remains an excellent choice, as long as you add something fresh: a lettuce leaf, tomato, or a few slices of cucumber. Cucumber, if you leave a few small pieces of the well-washed green skin on, helps the digestion of the other foods thanks to its organoleptic properties. Slow digestion at altitude translates directly into tiredness, and it's a problem that can easily be avoided.
The general advice for summer is to eat small, frequent meals, spreading your energy intake over the whole day.
Winter: warmth and steady energy
In winter the picture changes. Walking for hours in the snow takes a much more intense physical effort, and the cold increases the body's calorie needs. As well as a sandwich, it's useful to carry some energy bars in your rucksack, or maltodextrin-based products, complex sugars that release energy gradually and keep blood sugar stable over time.
As for drinks, water is always the best choice, but in winter the real comfort is hot tea. Carrying it in a thermos and drinking it on top of a cold, windy mountain has a double effect: physiological – it warms you from the inside and replaces fluids – and psychological, by no means negligible when the temperature drops and the wind is blowing.
A good alternative to tea is hot vegetable broth. Less digestible than tea but more substantial, it contains amino acids, salts and vitamins for physical recovery. Broth also keeps well in a thermos, staying hot for up to 12-15 hours. It's an excellent choice for anyone who doesn't like tea or prefers something more nourishing during the stop.
An important warning: in winter large meals are even less advisable than in summer. During digestion the body concentrates blood and heat in the abdominal area, taking them away from the extremities – just when your hands and feet need them most. So it's better to split your eating into small snacks spread throughout the day.