Are nutrition bars/energy bars good for high altitude treks?
In this question Suitable food for high altitude trekking Wedapashi asks about food for high altitude trekking. Also, in this question, there is a discussion about engergy bars. One of the answers given by whatsisname mentions that Jerky can be carried if "you have unlimited access to water".
In wake of the above mentioned discussions, do energy bars/drinks have a possible dehydrating effect? Is it a safe bet to carry energy bars/nutrition bars for high altitude treks where a threat of dehydration is already high due to the loss of moisture while breathing? (I believe jerky is out of question on high altitude treks)
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/4838. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
Energy bars (and protein bars, power bars, etc) are typically dehydrated in order to improve shelf life as well as increase the ratio of calories/nutrients to weight. Their longevity and energy per ounce make them ideal foods for hikers and mountaineers, but your body will require some additional water to metabolize the nutrients and ingredients. However, the amount is no where near as much as beef jerky will require to digest, which is both dehydrated and extremely high in salt and nitrates.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/5026. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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