This is Why Potatoes are a Must-Have in Every Mountaineer’s Diet

Being a mountaineer is no easy feat. I tried climbing Mt. Pico De Loro a few years back thinking it would be a simple walk in the woods. NOPE! One needs strength, conditioning, and proper nutrition to survive a trek.

For members of the UP Mountaineers, perhaps the country’s most popular mountaineering organization, some adventures were meant to be savored by the palate.  What would be:

• Best consumed on a sweaty day spent on a tiring trail?
• Easy to prepare around a campfire?
• Nutritional for the next leg ahead?

Edsel Segovia, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a National Strength and Conditioning Certified Personal Trainer (CSCS, NSCA-CPT) started things off in the challenge with a brief talk on fitness and proper nutrition. Mountaineers and their guests later learned more as Potatoes USA presented a US mashed potato buffet, to further highlight that potatoes are versatile ingredients.

Climbing every mountain with US potato-packed power

What better way to inspire culinary creativity than with a cooking competition?  UP Mountaineers came up with the UPM Kalawang Chef, a challenge that dares teams to raise the game in their outdoor cookery. Contestants must incorporate a secret ingredient revealed only at the start of the cook-off. This year, the competition was held at the UP Vanguard and the mountain-climbing cooks were presented with their most nutritionally packed food to date, US potatoes!

This year’s main ingredient is MASHED POTATO and the secret ingredient is TOFU.

Did you know that US potatoes are already classified as a superfood? Potatoes are dense with nutrients it helps fuel your body from physical exercise and movement.

POTATO NUTRIENT CHECK:

• Potatoes are high in potassium, even more so than a banana
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium.

Eaten with the skin on, US potatoes are true power-ups. Potato skins are a great nutrition source of proteins, phytochemicals and amino acids, especially lysine. Lysine promotes healthy organ and muscle growth, and also helps convert fat into energy.¹

Fat-free, sodium-free and gluten-free ingredient with as little as 110 calories per medium-sized serving.² Potatoes are perfect pre or post any athletic activity.

 

Look at all these delicious dishes that the mountaineer’s prepared.  My mouth is watering already. GOOD NEWS! US potatoes are now in the country thanks to Potatoes USA-Philippines!

Dedicated growers in partnership with the US Department of Agriculture help ensure that only the best potatoes in different varieties make it to dining tables worldwide. And, high quality potatoes are specially selected for processing into frozen and dehydrated potato products.

Perhaps on your next climb, trek or hike, more mountaineering enthusiasts will keep a healthy stash of  USA potatoes ready for camping or snacking 😉

For more information on US potatoes, and how it can power up physical and mental performance visit:

www.potatogoodness.com/performance/

Like and Follow Potatoes USA-Philippines on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/PotatoesUSAPhilippines/

_{Main source for (1) and (2) is excerpt on potatoes from Medical Medium Life Changing Foods by Anthony William, pp. 158-160. Here are additional reference:}

_{Penn State Hershey Medical Center paper on Lysine stating that “Some studies suggest lysine helps muscle tissue recover after stress.” http://pennstatehershey.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000312}

_{But do white potatoes have lysine? According to SELF Nutrition Data, yes: https://nutritiondata.self.com/foods- 011083000000089000000-3.html}

_{Forty sources of lysine to add to your plate: https://www.healthline.com/health/lysine-foods}