Nestled at the foothills of the world’s highest mountains, Mount Everest (8,848m /29,035 ft), the Everest Base Camp trek is not just an adventurer’s destination, but also a majestic land with a diverse environment.
To be familiar with such an environment, consuming high-nutrient meals and digestible food choices plays an essential role in acclimatization, good health, a fit body, and a comfortable trekking journey.
For a successful Everest Base Camp Trek, your body needs an adequate number of calories to sustain energy levels.
Food is essential for your balanced mind and healthy body. Without proper consumption of healthy food, your body becomes tired and undoubtedly lethargic, as the EBC trek is nearly a half-month trekking destination.
Proper food will help you regain the energy you consume during the day hike, keep you safe from altitude sickness, help you stay mentally active, and maintain your physical strength level.
So, the question remains: What to eat while trekking to Everest Base Camp and What to avoid?
Overview
The EBC trek is the most popular trekking destination, with snow-blanketed peaks, glaciers shimmering under the foothills of mountains, challenging passes, majestic terrain, lush green vegetation, unique Sherpa culture, and pleasing trails.
Conquering the Everest Base Camp trek journey is just checking it off your bucket list.
To one’s mind, body, and soul, this trek is once in a lifetime journey and a thrilling experience that you are solely seeking beyond the unknown.
However, there are many other things you should be aware of while trekking in the regions about foods, accommodation, gear, and safety tips for successful ascend to EBC.
In this comprehensive guide, you will be informed on how to properly navigate your food, the type of food that supports your journey, and the others that you should avoid.
Factors to Consider in High Altitude Region
Digestible Food:
Make sure you prioritize consuming only digestible food to reduce any kind of strain on your body.
Intake of Calorie:
You need to intake high-nutrient meals with lots of calories, so make sure you’re eating in a timely and maintaining your energy.
Essential Food for a Successful EBC Trek
Foods Consumption
When trekking to higher altitudes, it is essential to understand the type of food you consume for a successful journey. As the altitude increases, you suffer from appetite loss, and cuisine is limited. So, try to adjust yourself by savoring rich nutrient foods like:
Protein: Lentils, eggs, beans, oats, and meat.
Carbohydrates: Rice, potatoes, porridge, etc.
Additional Nutrients: Fruits, cheese, nuts, dried fruits, stew, and vegetables.
Drinking Water:
Keep yourself hydrated at all times; it is the key to a successful EBC trek. If you are not hydrated enough you might suffer from altitude sickness.
Well, is all the water drinkable? No
But can we find hygienic and pure water? Yes
Mineral water is easily available at all accommodation stops and tea houses also offer boiling water
Typical Drinks:
Now, by drinks, it is not encouraged to consume typically ‘’Alcoholic drinks”.
Replace your drinks with ‘hot lemon tea’, ‘juice’, and ‘hot water’ which will keep you stay hydrated and heal your upset stomach.
Soup: Ginger soup and garlic soup with Szechuan pepper(Timur) will help you stay warm and safe from altitude sickness.
Things to Avoid while Trekking at Everest Base Camp
Powdered Food:
These foods have high fat and salt which are not ideal ideas, especially during the treks. Replace processed foods with organic fruits, beans, and vegetables.
Caffeine and Alcohol:
During the trek, remaining hydrated is essential to stay fit and safe. But substances like caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body and worsen altitude sickness. Try to avoid caffeine at all costs.
Fried and Oily Foods:
Avoid these types of foods as they have plenty of fats, are oily and spicy, and can be harder to digest.
Meat:
In lower altitudes, meat is indeed the best source of proteins and nutrition but there’s no surety that meat at such high altitudes is fresh. Chances are you consume meat that might be stale or raw. You don’t want to suffer from digestive issues.
Western Food:
The EBC trek offers a chance to immerse in Nepali cuisine and hospitality. At such a high altitude, there’s no guarantee that a master chef is cooking your food, let alone a chef proficient in Western cuisine.
Avoid taking risks, as your expectations might not be met but it is way better to welcome and taste the local cuisine
Essential Meals Breakdown in EBC Trek
Consuming the right meal at the right time is crucial for staying healthy and fit for the journey ahead. As right meal fuels your body with sufficient energy and nutrition, and supports you to trek with no body restrictions.
Usually, you are provided three meals a day on a breakfast, lunch, and dinner basis.
Breakfast:
Intake a satisfactory breakfast as it is the start of a good day. A healthy breakfast is necessary to maintain your energy alignment and keep you fired up for a trek.
Some suggested breakfasts are:
Pancakes:
Pancakes are soft, easily digestible, tasty, and support plenty of energy essential for trekkers.
Bread and Eggs:
Bread is a great source of carbs whereas eggs provide you essential nutrients. Toasted bread and fried eggs are the most popular choice for trekkers which provides them with adequate amounts of carbs and protein with a good taste.
Rice pudding:
A good satisfying and stomach-filling breakfast can be rice pudding. Made from a mixture of milk and rice, it has similar proteins to bread and eggs but is more flavourous. This pudding is a delicacy of Nepali cuisine and is highly recommended.
Nepali Bread:
Nepali bread or Tibetan bread made from rice flour and sugar, is yet another special local cuisine in Nepal with rich nutrients. Also, Sel-roti seems oily, but having one or two won’t affect your health much.
Lunch:
Take lunch at a feasible time to avoid gastrointestinal problems later on. Your lunch should be chosen wisely as it is the main source of energy during the EBC trek.
Your trekking journey ahead will be rigorous so, a mandatory nutritious lunch is crucial for acclimatizing and dealing with altitude sickness.
You have many options for lunch both Nepali and Western cuisine but it is highly recommended to try Nepali cuisine especially daal bhat which is a filling meal and extremely nutritious and widely consumed by trekkers.
Lentils and Rice:
Typically known as ‘Daal-Bhat’, a traditional Nepali Cuisine that every Nepali eats once or twice a day. Daal-bhat has it all, protein, carbohydrates, nutrients from vegetables, and mouth-watering pickles. It is a balanced diet that will satisfy your hunger and is ideal for visitors trekking around in the Himalayas.
Thukpa:
Thukpa is yet another Nepali food blend of noodles, broth, soup, and vegetables which is simple, tasty, and perfect for a light lunch.
Western Cuisine:
Some teahouses offer Western cuisine like pasta, spaghetti, pizza, sandwiches, etc. These cuisines, like pizza in itself, are not a good option for lunch but they can be good for a change in taste. Pasta and Spaghetti are simple and filling options for those preferring Western taste and preference.
Dinner:
Usually, dinner is served after the sun starts setting in the trekking region. The menu for dinner is similar to the menu for lunch. A heavy and healthy dinner is recommended to make up for all the energy consumed during the day hike.
Cultural and Local Food:
Enjoy the delicacy of Sherpa cuisine, they introduce you to new local experiences, and immeasurable cultural feats while also providing good nutrition.
Local dishes like Sherpa stew (mixed ingredients of all the vegetables, and small wheat dough, serving with meat and thukpa is optional), potato pancake, yak, and ox meat are also served in both low or high-altitude regions.
Relationship between Health, Hydration, and Food in High Altitude Regions:
Taking care of yourself is crucial in the Everest region. As the altitude varies at every accommodation stop, the consumption of healthy food and enough water is essential to stay fit and active.
The EBC trek is an arduous journey and you need to stay cautious of this beautiful region yet, harsh weather conditions. You need to make sure you balance your health with a continued supply of high-calorie supplements and hydrating foods
Loss of appetite, nausea, and a headache are common signs of mild altitude sickness or gastronomical issues. So, if you feel these kinds of symptoms, make sure you are hydrated enough and you are consuming highly nutritious foods.
Conclusion
Navigating food choices, what to eat, and what to avoid at Everest Base Camp requires detailed research on nutritional diets, hydration techniques, safety concerns, personal preferences, local cuisine, and careful considerations of trekking in high-altitude regions.
A balanced diet is key for the challenging trek. Correct use of this key will save you a lot of effort. So be aware of the food you consume, stay hydrated all the time, and above all enjoy your thrilling journey.
Be mindful of your health, and do not become over-food conscious. Moreover, embrace your journey, explore the stunning landscapes, and breathtaking trails, and enjoy a little piece of heaven bestowed upon the Earth.
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