High Altitude Cuisine

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

May 11, 1998 / 11:03 AM EDT / INGENUITY WORKS, INC.

What food, and how much of it, do you think a climber would need for a day of climbing?

Breakfast: Cereal like oatmeal plus a hot drink like jello or Gatorade
Water with a mix like Gatorade (1 - 2 litres)
Dried fruit (bananas, apricots, etc.)
Chocolate (for energy)
Bread, crackers, meat and/or cheese
"Gorp" - a mix of raisins, nuts, and dried fruit
Dinner: High carbohydrate meal like pasta and hot drinks like Jello or Gatorade. Noodle soup with butter. Chocolate for dessert. Fats and carbohydrates are important for countering the effects of the cold and altitude.

Note: It is important for climbers to drink lots of fluid, especially at high altitude. Dehydration occurs quickly and contributes to an ailment known as acute mountain sickness.

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Expedition Everest

This diet provides the climbers with 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day. According to the Nutrient Analysis Program at the Food and Nutrition Information Center, the average male between 25-50 who sustains a moderate energy expenditure level should consume 1,800 to 2,800 calories a day.

For more on the Ester-C Everest Challenge, see
Adventure Everest '98.