Wheat for fuel
Three reasons to include wheat in your summertime adventure
Fueling up the whole family for a day full of adventure can be a challenge. Differing tastes, different hunger levels and portability all play a part in what you, your little ones and anyone else in your summer adventure crew will want to eat. To help you plan, we’ve gathered a few reasons why wheat can play an integral role in your summertime adventure planning.
1) Whole Wheat Provides Long Lasting Energy
Fueling up before a workout or long day is essential. You wouldn’t head out for a long road trip with no fuel in the car, so don’t head out for a day of exercise without fueling yourself up! Products that contain whole wheat, like whole wheat cereals or breads are ideal for providing long lasting energy. Because your body has to work longer to digest the fibre contained in whole wheat, you’ll get longer lasting energy that doesn’t burn off as fast. You’ll also feel full longer, so you won’t have to stop for a snack as quickly!
2) Carry Fuel for Longer Adventures
If you find yourself exercising for longer than an hour or two, it’s important to refuel. Even if you might not feel like you need it, there’s nothing worse than missing a turn at the end of your hike and finding yourself further from the car than you planned and starving. Plus, nobody likes you when you’re hangry. So, be prepared and pack something the whole family will enjoy, like these granola bars. Make them ahead of time and pack them up whenever you’re leaving the house for a longer day.
3) Fuel After Exercise for Better Recovery
You know the feeling – you hiked further than you should have to hit a summit, and now you can hardly walk because you’re so sore. While you can’t prevent it entirely, you can reduce the severity and length of the pain by refueling properly. You might assume you just need to pile on the protein after a hard effort, but renewing your glycogen stores is just as important, and your body will be looking for carbohydrates to do so! Any combination of protein and carbohydrates will work, but we love this Garlic Butter Chicken Spaghetti recipe. It has tons of flavour, is simple enough to make after a hard day of adventuring and has the right flavours to be popular with the entire family. Try it out next time you get home from a hard hike, long bike ride or a weekend of camping.
