Did you know that our love for getting out and about on our bikes as a nation has grown hugely over the last decade. More and more of us are choosing to cycle to get around, or just to explore the countryside. and with this is the added benefit of increasing your fitness and improving your overall health.
So, what type of food is good for taking out with you on your next ride? It is important to get your energy from healthy nutritional sources. Think of foods that are made up of carbohydrates protein and good fats. Some great news for cyclists is that our Hiya bars are all of these! The difference between a Hiya snack and other snack bars is that we don’t use lots of dates and dried fruit as our base, instead we use chickpea flour with lots of seeds, making them low GI and releasing energy into the body slowly over time. This mixed with the good fat from coconut oil and flaxseeds gives you the bursts of energy needed for long and short rides.
Hiya bars aside, there are also some other particularly good suggestions for snacks or food on the go to take out on long trails. It might also be a good idea to start your day with a good breakfast of oatmeal or fresh fruit with some nut butter and milk or dairy alternative. Another good option for breakfast is peanut butter on wholemeal toast with some honey.
Bananas are nature’s answer for endurance athletes and a superfood for everyone. They are filled with potassium and complex carbohydrates which provide fuel for the long hours of pedalling. One large banana can contain up to 30 grams of carbs and 400 mg of potassium, making this yellow fruit a superfood for cyclists.
Nuts and seeds: almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, melon seeds, brazil nuts – the options are endless with these little energy boosters! Even though the carb content in these is lower, even so, they contain lots of protein, vitamins, and antioxidants that aid in keeping you fuelled for the ride ahead. You can create a nut and seed trail mix or add them to your granola for your morning breakfast. We hate to keep talking about the goodness of our bars, but, Hiya bars are full of seeds 😊
Dried fruit: there has been research suggesting that dried fruits like raisins and dates can improve endurance-related performance substantially. They are high in potassium, carbs, and sugar, all of which can add a super-charge to your endurance during your more lengthy rides.
Trail mix is so easy to make, just add some dried fruit and nuts and seeds into a container. Also, add some cacao nibs or chunks of dark chocolate. Mix these through and this is a great trail mix to take out on rides with you.
Check more information on healthy eating at cycling UK and bicycling.com…
