What to eat on a Winter Camino

[Anemone del Camino]

I just came across an article that talks about dietary needs when exercising in winter. While current temps may not warrant these precautions surely winter will eventually arrive.

Interestingly, hydration is apparently an issue as cold temperature increase urine production. Who knew? In winter we may also feel less tempted to drink as we don't feel heat from the sun but also think twice about it since we are less likely to want to exposie bits when emptying bladders. Dehydration is said to make it more difficult to maintain core body temps which decreases energy levels

Carbs are of course encouraged, 30-60g per hour. Digesting proteins creates heat so enjoy them! Ah, but fats, so easily found in Spain especially, so not recommended in winter. And that's because they are more difficult to digest. The article says to stay away from fried foods and even chocolates. What?! No chocolate!?

Examples of recomended foods: porrige (why that is not a camino staple is a mystery to me as it is so inexpnsive and easy to prepare). Good news, omlettes are good to go. A tuna bocadillo gets a yes, and that we find plenty of. Hearty soups with beans are recommended: fabada time! (We'll just pretend they are low fat ). Nuts and dried fruit, which we easily find en route as snacks, cheese as well.

Regarding sports drinks, they should have 500-700mg of sodium and 40-80 g of carbs per liter.

Hot chocolate, made with milk, cheese and a fruit, greek yogourt with some nuts are recommended after the day's walk. The magasine, espaces.ca, gives a recipe for a home,ade winter sports drink, for 2 liters: 3 cups of real cranberry juice (non sweetened), 5 cups of water, 3g of salt, once once of maple syrup and 1 anis star infused in the mix for an hour. Another recipe calls for 2 cups of apple juice, half an ounce of maple syrup, 2 cups of water, 2g of salt, 1 cinnamon stick infused for an hour. This gives you per 2 cups, 132 calories, 33g of carbs and 500mg of sodium.

And, as sad as this maybe, alcohol is to be avoided as it will bring more warm blood to the cold skin, away from internal organs, and of course it increases the need to go, leading to dehydration.

Feliz Noche Buena!

 

[Urban Trekker]

I just came across an article that talks about dietary needs when exercising in winter. While current temps may not warrant these precautions surely winter will eventually arrive.

Interestingly, hydration is apparently an issue as cold temperature increase urine production. Who knew? In winter we may also feel less tempted to drink as we don't feel heat from the sun but also think twice about it since we are less likely to want to exposie bits when emptying bladders. Dehydration is said to make it more difficult to maintain core body temps which decreases energy levels

Carbs are of course encouraged, 30-60g per hour. Digesting proteins creates heat so enjoy them! Ah, but fats, so easily found in Spain especially, so not recommended in winter. And that's because they are more difficult to digest. The article says to stay away from fried foods and even chocolates. What?! No chocolate!?

Examples of recomended foods: porrige (why that is not a camino staple is a mystery to me as it is so inexpnsive and easy to prepare). Good news, omlettes are good to go. A tuna bocadillo gets a yes, and that we find plenty of. Hearty soups with beans are recommended: fabada time! (We'll just pretend they are low fat ). Nuts and dried fruit, which we easily find en route as snacks, cheese as well.

Regarding sports drinks, they should have 500-700mg of sodium and 40-80 g of carbs per liter.

Hot chocolate, made with milk, cheese and a fruit, greek yogourt with some nuts are recommended after the day's walk. The magasine, espaces.ca, gives a recipe for a home,ade winter sports drink, for 2 liters: 3 cups of real cranberry juice (non sweetened), 5 cups of water, 3g of salt, once once of maple syrup and 1 anis star infused in the mix for an hour. Another recipe calls for 2 cups of apple juice, half an ounce of maple syrup, 2 cups of water, 2g of salt, 1 cinnamon stick infused for an hour. This gives you per 2 cups, 132 calories, 33g of carbs and 500mg of sodium.

And, as sad as this maybe, alcohol is to be avoided as it will bring more warm blood to the cold skin, away from internal organs, and of course it increases the need to go, leading to dehydration.

Feliz Noche Buena!

Good information. I have walked the camino in the late spring and early fall. Not real cold but caloric demand is very high due to strenuous activity and cold weather activity demands high caloric intake for the reason you mentioned. A lot of people have problems with this because they are used to eating small light meals and feel guilty eating more and a camino, especially a cold camino, requires a lot of food. Every time I stop for water I will eat something and I stop and drink water frequently whether I'm thirsty or not.

To add to the sadness of no alcohol, you should also avoid caffeinated drinks, coffee con leche, tea, hot chocolate, and energy drinks , as caffeine acts like a diuretic, it makes you pee.

I was a Corpsman in the US Navy for 25 years and I treated more heat related pathologies in cool/cold weather than in the hot weather. People know they need to drink a lot of water when its hot but don't realize the same is true in cooler weather and dehydration is sneaky. An easy way to check if you're dehydrated is to look at your urine. Clear or light yellow is normal, darker yellow means dehydration. So does scanty urine or infrequency.

I like your recipes for home made sport drinks but have you tried to find cranberry juice or maple syrup in Spain or Europe. Buen Camino

Happy Trails

 

[newfydog]

I would try to eat what the local farmers are eating. It works for them, and authentic food is a key part of travel. Somehow they manage to do lots of hard work on that diet.

 

[jeffnd]

Lots of sopa de ajo!

 

[dougfitz]

Carbs are of course encouraged, 30-60g per hour. Digesting proteins creates heat so enjoy them! Ah, but fats, so easily found in Spain especially, so not recommended in winter. And that's because they are more difficult to digest.

Should I wonder at the irony of you recommending avoiding fats in this post, and in another promoting the local Costco chorizo - likely to be about 40% fat!

 

[SYates]

Actually @dougfitz she is quoting an article not saying that she agrees with all that is written in it ;-) SY

 

[dougfitz]

Actually @dougfitz she is quoting an article not saying that she agrees with all that is written in it ;-) SY

You're right, @Anemone del Camino reporting on an article doesn't necessarily mean she agrees with it in whole or in part. But if she didn't think it offered good advice, why report on it at all without making that clear. I remain amused by the contradictions!

 

[Magnara]

Our winter walk menu - bocadillo for lunch, menu del dia for dinner, wine every day, a cake mid morning with coffee if we could find it, and chocolate late afternoon every day just as the energy started to flag. Not scientific, but very enjoyable, very easy, and we made it to Santiago (with me 5 kg lighter - yippee!)

 

[mspath]

I have written this in earlier posts but it is worth repeating re food in winter.

Always carry basic rations since the only shop or bar in town may NOT be open! There is NO reason it should be open especially out of season!
For me each camino is not only a walk of personal thanksgiving, but also a test of my tenacity and endurance. To pass any test one needs to BE PREPARED.

Hence my food basics include tea bags, packets which make a cup of soup (even including croutons), firm cheese, small sausage, simple cookies and some chocolate. Nothing heavy but enough to exist for 24 hours if need be. On past caminos especially during storms when I stopped in small and remote albergues far from any supply source novice pilgrims have often staggered in wet, cold and hungry. They may have had the best gear but carried no food!

Of course I shared ; hot soup, a chunk of cheese and wedge of sausage can be ambrosia in such a setting. A smile returned by a new friend over a simple meal is one of the Camino's many joys. Next morning after the tea, cookies and chocolate for our common breakfast we would set out together. At the first open shop I would re-stock those basics and usually the other pilgrim would buy provisions and be truly prepared.

MM

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Our winter walk menu - bocadillo for lunch, menu del dia for dinner, wine every day, a cake mid morning with coffee if we could find it, and chocolate late afternoon every day just as the energy started to flag. Not scientific, but very enjoyable, very easy, and we made it to Santiago (with me 5 kg lighter - yippee!)

Hi Maggie, you can do a lot worse.
Wish you well , Peter.