[pct-l] Healthy Hiking

[rubberchuckie at yahoo.com (Chuckie V)]

Healthy food options along the PCT can be hard to find. Pork Rinds aren't healthy! And almost all store bought nuts and seeds have been roasted beyond recognition. Heat destroys nearly all of a food's nutritional value. Sure, there's still the macro-nutrients (fat, carbohydrates and protein) in heated foods and these will enable a person to sustain a thru-hike, but the micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and the raw enzymes are what make a food healthy or not, though the word "healthy" is very subjective--just don't ask the common American (read=heavyweight) what "healthy" is! 
 
Dehydrating a food is a hiker's best bet since the heat used is minimal. In towns, buy as much fresh fruit and veggies as you can afford to eat and then try to carry out some with you...raisins, radishes, carrots, apples, oranges, celery (w/ peanut butter...yum!) can all make it a few days on the trail as long as they don't freeze or sit in direct sunlight. Be forewarned that you'll deplete more calories chewing celery than you'll get from it! But this is why nut butters (w/o partially hydrogenated oils) are especially nice. You'll get the best of both worlds...micro-nutrients and the all-important fat!
 
Most hikers I met on my thru-hike were just lazy or ignorant when it came to eating right. They thought of all calories as equals when, of course, they're not. But it's understandable; hiking all day leaves little energy for much else. But it's important to realize that your energy comes from the food you eat, so it can be a vicious circle if ignored.
 
-Chuckie (who had no energy to bathe my entire trip)