what foods digest easily?

[Crazy Cyclist]

I am trying to find a food that will digest quickly ( not sit in my stomach) give me energy and also is easy to eat while I am cycling. It would also help if it is not expensive. Thanks.

[Toyota_4Runner]

Well if your looking for something like a cliff bar or something like that just a cheaper version buy little debbie cakes. They are cheap and are just as good.

[ultra-g]

Raisins

[kefin]

Raisins

Oh yes! I love raisins! For some reason, they taste so good when you're out on the road!

Sometimes I buy these big soft oatmeal & raisin cookies from the local supermarket and carry them with me, but I try not to do too much of that since they contain a lot of sugar and fattening.

-Kevin

[oldspark]

Dried fruit-I really like the dried plums.

[timmhaan]

i buy a box of clif bars and eat one prior to riding and one during or after. at the local GNC they are $13.50 for a box of 12.

[blonde]

Okay, here goes,

You need to know the glycaemic index of what you are eating - this gives you a guide to how quickly it will affect your blood sugar levels. The scale is from 0 to 100 and set so 100 is for glucose. This is complicated by the fact that different foods can slow down digestion (fats/protein) so you have to experiment to find out what mixes well for you.

From "The long distance cyclists' handbook" by Simon Doughty (A&C Black, London) and "The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition" by Anita Bean (A&C Black, London)


cornflakes 84
Porridge (with water) 42
White rice 87
Spaghetti 41
Baked Potato 85
Banana (fresh) 55
Apple (fresh) 38
Raisins 64
Kiwi fruit 52
Mars Bar 68
Muesli Bar 61
Crisps (chips is US??) 54
Fruit Yoghurt (low fat) 33
Milk chocolate 49


See the books for the full list.....

This all correlates well with my experience - raisins, bananas and other dried fruit are excellent on the bike, pasta is good a few hours before whereas risotto feels like 'empty calories' to me - there is a sugar rush but no really useful energy unless you have it just before exercise which is unusual as by the time I've finished making risotto most of the wine has gone. Cold risotto is a wonderful cycling lunch though as it is very easy to digest.

Personally I like drying my own fruit - take apples and peel and core them then cut into slices so they have the core in the middle. Using whatever you have make a frame in the oven and load the rings onto skewers/chopsticks. Then leave on a very low heat (80-100ºC) for 3 to 5 hours but keep checking them! You can make banana chips in a very similar way and I'm sure it works for most other fruits as well.

From the table one would expect dry cornflakes to be excellent if maybe a little too fast acting and they would fit the 'cheap' requirement.

[ultra-g]

Dried fruit-I really like the dried plums.

I love raisins and dried apricots or mangoes, quick energy burst and good taste, not like struggling to scarf down a power bar.

[slvoid]

For the long run, nuts. They've got lots of carbs, unsaturated fat, and proteins.
For the short run, an energy gel like honey.