Keepin’ It Real (Food)
These five whole-food ride snacks provide a powerful energy boost
By Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD
@kristenkarnold
While sports-food products are typically designed with the optimum blend of calories, macros, electrolytes, and other nutrients to boost performance, they don’t always complete the nutritional picture. Processed bars, gels, blocks and the like often lack beneficial micronutrients like vitamins and essential minerals to support overall health.
These five foods check all the boxes of a smart sports-food choice, with the addition of vitamins, minerals and gut-friendly prebiotics. They are tasty enough to eat on the bike, contain beneficial carbohydrates to fuel your ride, and easily pack in a jersey pocket or bike bag.
Dates
Dates are rich in glucose and other forms of sugar ideal for fueling moderate to intense workouts. They are also a source of athlete-friendly nutrients like selenium, copper, magnesium, potassium, B-vitamins, and vitamin C. Dates are also a perfect serving size for training, with one dried Medjool date containing 20g of carbohydrate. Try eating two to four dates per hour with water or drink mix to fuel your ride. I recommend taking the pits out before you take them with you on your ride.
Bananas
A go-to snack for active people for good reason. Bananas are easy to pack, delicious and provide a quick boost of energy before or during a workout. They are rich in glucose and fructose, delivering a quick supply of sugar to the bloodstream. Bananas are also rich in potassium and vitamin C. Try one medium-sized banana per hour with water or drink mix for a moderate to intense ride.
Figs
Similar to dates, figs are rich in glucose, vitamins and minerals and stash easily in a pocket or bag for rides. They are also a great source of zinc, which helps to boost the immune system. Try eating six black mission figs (small, dark-colored) or two Turkish figs per hour of activity. Be sure to cut off the stem before you take them with you on your ride.
Sweet Potatoes
A medium-sized sweet potato contains 20g of carbohydrate, making it a great option for fueling longer workouts where a steady supply of blood glucose can boost performance. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. For a quick and dirty ride snack, poke holes in a sweet potato, pop it in the microwave, and press the potato button. (Roasted sweet potatoes are even better if you can plan ahead.) Eat one medium potato per hour on rides over two hours. Bonus: in the wintertime, a warm potato in your back pocket is mighty nice at the start of your ride.
White Potatoes
White potatoes have a higher glycemic index than sweet potatoes, which means their sugars hit the blood stream more quickly for a faster-burning fuel source. They are also one of the richest sources of potassium found in foods, even more than bananas. After roasting or microwaving, try salting the potatoes or drizzling with soy sauce to replace sodium and potassium lost in sweat. Eat one to two small potatoes per hour during your ride with water or drink mix. Fingerling potatoes are even easier to eat on rides, as they are bite-size. Pop a few fingerling potatoes in your mouth every 15-20 minutes for sustained energy.
Incorporate these foods into your ride-food repertoire to add more nutrients (and flavors!) and promote physical performance and gut health. Make sure to try these foods, like any new food or sports nutrition product, on a shorter ride before going long.
Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian with a private practice specializing in sports nutrition for women, a cycling coach with Source Endurance LLC, and a national-level road racer with Wolfpack p/b Jakroo. She is passionate about enhancing the performance of women through food and activity as well as riding all kinds of bikes.
