Best Food or Supplement to Add to Kit? Greatest Value?

[sasha]

I have tried body building powder then added some powdered milk and honey to it. Mixed it togher well and had it as a snack for lunch while backpacking. keeped me going very well for hours. I werent hungry what so ever and had lots of energy for the hard hike. I had two large cups of it. Now for dinner or breakfast i would have dry sausage or cheese or both as part of my normal food which i dry my self at home. As someone who is not skinny, I try to eat no as much in calories but things that have more nutrition like vitamins and minerals.

Sasha

 

[soccergod04]

I'll go with peanut butter or honey. Honey would win if I had to pick just one though. It never goes bad and has great energy values. It also has other great health benefits.

 

[Liam Ryan]

I'll go with peanut butter or honey. Honey would win if I had to pick just one though. It never goes bad and has great energy values. It also has other great health benefits.

I combined the two one time as a quick trail breakfast when we headed out too early for a proper brekkie, it tasted really good. I was using one of those refillable toothpaste tube style bottles, so that made it easy to eat.

Oh Henry has a bar withg 12 grams of protein in it don't they? That may be a good one. Snickers and peanut m&ms in my trail mix are great too though.

 

[Bumppo]

Look up "Spirulina" as a survival food. I recall a while back it was being tested as an ultralight food for Mountain climbers and speed hikers.

 

[banana-clip]

A good trail mix or a cliff bar would be good.

 

[RedbeAR15]

What about Sardines? and triscits?

 

[tltt]

3rd the MetRx or Myoplex. Tasty, high quality, takes up little space, and it's easy to modify the nutrient profile with a little practice.

 

[mcjhrobinson]

for the OP...i carry a probar in my pack...its great stuff.....also homemade fruit leathers....also salami or make some moosegoo!

 

[Loosearrow]

What about pemmican?

 

[KEmSAT-Survival]

The salt comments are overblown as long as its not looong term. Lean protein will kill you over time.
Skam

Hence why my first question was how long had the hypothetical person been without food. What do you consider "looong term"?

Ever eat something very salty and then get cotton mouth?

It causes you to drink more water than you normally would, depleting your water store that much sooner. It also dehydrates you faster. The statement about watching sodium and salt had nothing to do with weightloss, it was to do with countering water usage, water loss and dehydration.

The same is true for foods high in fiber. Your body uses more water to break them down, it also expends more energy. Two things you don't want to occur if you're already into your "Oh Shit!" bag and having to conserve water.

 

[CShepherd]

What about pemmican?

I've played around with Pemican (used Peanut Butter as the wife wasn't into the beef suet) and it was great. Shredded some beef jerky, stirred in some peanut butter, dates and unsalted roasted peanuts. Formed it into a cake pan and cut into squares. Wrapped them in plastic wrap and froze them (for longevity).

I will definitely be doing it again. Hopefully soon.

Charlie

 

[dartanyon]

Once your body goes into ketosis (I think that's the proper term for starvation mode) it begins feeding on fat stores, and some muscle. To keep muscle from being used you need protein.
Carbohydrates give you energy. Sugars go back into your blood and are stored by your pancreas to use when the level in the blood is low. Fats are burned for energy. Sodium is salt. A lot of processed foods is loaded with sodium to presevere it (think of it as a form of salt curing).

Water is used to aid in digestion of anything you eat. Anything high in fiber is harder for your body to digest and needs more water. Sodium/salt draws moisture out of anything, so anything high in sodium/salt will require more water and draw more out of your body-thus dehydrating you at a faster rate.

What are your sustenance needs if you're lost and have to rely on a food to save you?

Easy to digest.
Not killed in Sodium.
Protein for muscle.
Carbs for energy.
Fats for fuel.
Some sugar for the blood and such.

KEmSAT,
I really appreciate the way you analysed our dietry needs and will use that breakdown for myself, thanks.

 

[sasha]

Last night i talked to my mom about food..She grow up in Russia and lived in a very very small town. Im telling you if i had to survive in the wilderness i would take my mom. Or that old lady we had for a customer she lived most of her life on a farm in the midwest. More common sence and knowledge then you can write in a book. Anyway they used to fry onion till its clear and then add alot of chicken fat on top. There would be fat from 15-25 chickens. While its cooking they would skimp the top of the fat and let it cool down. It would be winter food when you had to work outside. Spread it on home baked bread with garlic and some veg on the side. If i can get enough chicken fat i would ask my mom to make some for BBII..

Sasha

 

[Rotte]

There would be fat from 15-25 chickens. While its cooking they would skimp the top of the fat and let it cool down. It would be winter food when you had to work outside. Spread it on home baked bread with garlic and some veg on the side.

I think in Eastern Europe that is called Schmaltz. Good stuff to spread on bread. Loads of energy. May go rancid if not refrigerated though.

I'd focus on fats and proteins. Carbs are not as energy dense as compared to fats. Dietary protein can be used by the body in different ways and may help slow muscle loss. There is some suggestion that high carb diets deplete vitamin C stores more quickly.

Think like an Inuit: fat and protein.

 

[Marion David Poff]

Well, you all may have answered my question, but I still wonder what my brain needs.

I can't carry enough 'food' to survive, or my kit would be of a size that was un-manageable.

But, if I was only trying to give my 'survival' an edge by 'feeding' it the right stuff.....

Then, I think we should be looking at brain chemistry.

I have had plenty of days where my body was sluggish and un-responsive, quivery, punchy, untrustworthy. But, if my mind was clear, I made it through.

On the other hand, I have had days where the body was willing and ready, but my mind was confused and thready, jumpy and un-responsive. Bad days.

Now, my 'mind' is not my brain. But, if I give my brain what it needs, I am hedging my bet that my 'mind' will have what it needs, if it shows up to play.

So, what does my brain need? Glucose? Omega Fatty Acids?

Marion

 

[sasha]

Rotte you got the name right lol. Its called Schmaltz ( had no idea how to spell it) and sometimes they added bacon to it as well or herbs. I got a Q for you Rotte if you dont mind me asking how did you know about it??? They used to can it and keep in the basement. Winter food or food for hard working real man. But they always had something on the side like Vegs and black bread.

Sasha

 

[Rotte]

I got a Q for you Rotte if you dont mind me asking how did you know about it???

Hey now, you're not the only one with a grandmother.....

MDP --

Your brain runs best on glucose. It can also use ketones, but glucose is best. But, you don't need to eat glucose to get glucose for your brain. Your body can and will produce glucose itself.

Try this simple test: don't eat anything for 24 hours, or 36 hours. In that time, if you stay still on the couch, you'll burn-up over 2000Kcal of energy. And if you don't have a metabolic disorder, you're brain will still be functioning. Now get your blood glucose checked. It will likely be somewhere between 85-110mg/dL. Normal.

Q: Where did that glucose come from? A: You made it. Your body broke down proteins and glycerols and made glucose.

Now eat a pancake breakfast with 5000Kcal of sourdough goodness and maple syrup. Check your blood glucose two hours later. It will likely be between 85-110mg/dL. Normal.

Q: Where did the excess carbs go? A: they got stored as fats and triglycerides.

Now you know how you are equipped to be a survival machine.

 

[hiwa]

Hey now, you're not the only one with a grandmother.....

MDP --

Your brain runs best on glucose. It can also use ketones, but glucose is best. But, you don't need to eat glucose to get glucose for your brain. Your body can and will produce glucose itself.

Try this simple test: don't eat anything for 24 hours, or 36 hours. In that time, if you stay still on the couch, you'll burn-up over 2000Kcal of energy. And if you don't have a metabolic disorder, you're brain will still be functioning. Now get your blood glucose checked. It will likely be somewhere between 85-110mg/dL. Normal.

Q: Where did that glucose come from? A: You made it. Your body broke down proteins and glycerols and made glucose.

Now eat a pancake breakfast with 5000Kcal of sourdough goodness and maple syrup. Check your blood glucose two hours later. It will likely be between 85-110mg/dL. Normal.

Q: Where did the excess carbs go? A: they got stored as fats and triglycerides.

Now you know how you are equipped to be a survival machine.

I've been on a Ketogenic diet (Atkins ) for 10 months and feel better than I ever have. I have been in the bush for many days also, with no problems whatsoever. Protein, fat and 20 Gm. of carbs a day in the form of vegetables.

 

[Rotte]

I've been on a Ketogenic diet (Atkins ) for 10 months and feel better than I ever have. I have been in the bush for many days also, with no problems whatsoever. Protein, fat and 20 Gm. of carbs a day in the form of vegetables.

That's awesome. It's actually pretty tough to eat only 20gm of carbs a day--carbs are everywhere. But you need to eat...well....none.

Bet you've lost some weight since you started that.

 

[sasha]

OK Rotte you got me there bud..Here i thought im the only one lol..

Sasha