Whilst it might be tempting to pass the weekend lounging on the sofa or down your local pub with friends, spending a day embracing the British fresh air on a bike can never be a bad idea. Whether it’s with your family through the forest, or just by yourself down the riverside, it’s important to keep your energy up and stay refuelled during your ride.
So here are 5 top snacks you might want to take with you on your journey:
Bananas
Bananas are a quick and ready to eat snack for your bike ride. They contain a high level of digestible carbohydrates and are loaded with potassium, which serves as an advantage for your muscle ability to maintain energy during cycling. Carbohydrates sometimes get a bad press, but the right carbs at the right time are a cyclist’s friend.
‘According to a new study by the University of North Carolina, cyclists who ate a banana with water before a high intensity bike ride had more energy and focus than those who just drank water. And of the 20 cyclists involved in the study, those who ate a banana before a 75 kilometre ride also recovered 50 per cent faster’.
Energy Bars
An energy bar is similar to a cereal bar, but is intended for quick digestion before, during or after exercise. They also provide that hit of energy and fill you up well to last your entire journey. But be wary when buying energy bars, as many are just packed with sugars and don’t contain the right nutrients for the concentrated hit of energy you need. So always check the labels!
Dried Fruits
Dried Fruits and nuts are a quick and tasty way of boosting your carbs. They require no preparation and provide a good source of potassium to keep your body’s sugar levels up during your ride. Your serving size should be around 2 to 4 tablespoons of dried fruits and around 1 ounce of nuts, which equates to either 23 almonds or 14 walnut halves. If you have a heavy sweat rate, you may want to choose salted nuts and seeds as this will retain the fluids in your body.
Jellied Sweets
Jellied sweets are a fantastic snack to keep you energised. Their hunger-satisfying fruity goodness will keep you going when you feel the urge for a boost. Again, they are easy to consume while riding and are high in fast-acting carbs to help fuel those working muscles on the bike. Perfect for a quick energy kick!
Water
Staying hydrated is extremely important. A good way to monitor and know how much water drink is to measure your weight before and after exercising. The weight you have shifted from before till after your bike ride will determine how much fluid you have lost. If you have lost weight, you have lost more fluid than you have consumed. According to Bicycle Network, “If you lose 1kg during an activity lasting 1.5 hours, you need one litre of fluid to re-hydrate, so aim to drink between 200–250ml every 20 minutes or so.” To add a dash of flavour, add some fruits to the water to give it that refreshing pleasure!
So with the ingredients needed for a great day out on the bike, the only thing that might be lacking is comprehensive cover. For full protection when cycling in the UK, our Sports Accident Insurance policy acts as a safeguard should you suffer a serious injury whilst riding or are forced off work with a cycling-related ailment.