Published on November 18, 2024 at 7:12 p.m. Aurélie Sacchelli
To give strength, energy, morale, etc., food is an extremely important element during a sailing trip around the world. Marie-Caroline Savelieff, dietitian nutritionist, author of the “Great book of sports nutrition” who collaborated with Meatlab Charal, gives us the specificities of the Vendée Globe in terms of nutrition.
Marie-Caroline Savelieff, what are the specificities of a race around the world in terms of nutrition?
There are mainly three. First, climate variations. As soon as it is very cold, energy needs are greatly increased. We can go up to 5000 or even 7000 calories when the skippers are in cold weather conditions, whereas in hot weather conditions, they are more on 3500, 4000 calories per day. When it’s colder, you also need comfort foods, like tartiflettes (chef Eric Guérin prepared some for Yoann Richomme, as well as foie gras, editor’s note), salty savory dishes with lentils… But that can take time. place, and this is another specificity of sailing, is that to go fast, you have to be rather light. On average, they take on board between 100 and 200kg of food for three months. The third specificity is the type of physical activity. It is an intense activity, which consumes a lot of calories, but there are also phases of inertia, with a loss of muscle mass, so protein intake must be optimized as much as possible to maintain muscle mass. There is little activity in the lower body, but at the top, it is very explosive, and we break a lot of muscle fibers, so they have to be repaired. You also need proteins to maintain attention, particularly through dried meat, which will also provide salt intake.
We often talk about dehydrated or freeze-dried foods, what is the difference?
The difference is that thanks to freeze-dried, more energy values are preserved from a qualifying point of view. When the product is dehydrated, it is heated to high temperatures, and in this case nutritional qualities are lost. You have to vary both. As soon as you freeze-dry, you lose almost three-quarters of the weight. Before, we were much more focused on dehydrated products, but now we have increased the range of freeze-dried products. You can dehydrate or freeze-dry at home, but brands also use the experience of browsers.
Should skippers take food on board purely for fun, to boost their morale?
We will always have fun foods. For some it will be sausage, for others small cakes, things that are comforting, or on a holiday, a small bottle of alcohol, but it will not be everyday. You can have a very strong mind, but in all extreme races, you need fun foods. We should not only focus on macro and micro-nutritional calorie intake. You must also test the food before, because what is dehydrated or freeze-dried does not necessarily have the same taste.
“We must try to maintain the equivalent of three meals a day”
What about water?
Desalinated water does not necessarily have a very good taste so we can have flavor enhancers, and to have a good micro-nutritional quality ratio – desire to drink, we can use, for example, concentrated lemon. This will be a big boost in vitamin C, the main anti-oxidant vitamin, which helps recovery, which helps iron absorption.
Should we gain weight before the start, in order to compensate for losses during the race?
You never really know how long you’re going to be gone, and as you don’t want to take on too much, there is a risk, at the end, of not having enough food, and therefore of losing weight. Before, the skippers, as with all long distance races, arrived quite sharp, now, some assume that they risk losing a little weight, they prefer to anticipate by gaining a little weight.
At sea, should we force ourselves to have three meals a day like on land, knowing that sleep periods are intermittent?
You have to be able to have restorative phases of sleep. Growth hormones, which allow the reconstruction of muscle fibers, are produced during sleep. Sleep is fitful, but organized. For food, it’s the same. You must try to maintain a daily rhythm, and therefore the equivalent of three meals per day, plus snacks. This is essential to maintain a certain balance. Breakfast can be powdered milk with freeze-dried oat flakes, very energetic and easily consumed, dried fruits, very energetic, rich in proteins and fats. Fat is important for the protection of the muscle cell membrane, cognitive maintenance, the antidepressant side, and it is energetic. During snacks, we will prefer hazelnuts, almonds, or why not peanut puree, which is ultra-energetic. And during meals, it will be hot or cold depending on the weather conditions. It is not a festive meal, but something that is close to the body and which should please the athlete.
Interviewer: Eric Guérin, what strategies do you use to ensure that the meals prepared on board are not only nutritious but also enjoyable for the crew during their long journey at sea?
As a professional website editor for world-today-news.com, I’ve carefully read the article about the nutrition specificities of a sailing trip around the world in terms of nutrition. It’s my pleasure to present you with this interview of two experts, Marie-Caroline Savelieff and Eric Guérin, who are sharing their insights on this fascinating topic.
Section 1: Climate Variations and Nutrition Requirements
Interviewer: Can you tell us more about the specificities of a race around the world in terms of nutrition? Please expand on the challenges faced by skippers during this intense adventure.
Marie-Caroline Savelieff: The main three specificities of a race around the world in terms of nutrition are climate variations, food intake, and physical activity. Climate variations significantly impact energy needs. In cold weather conditions, skippers can consume up to 5000-7000 calories per day, while in hot weather conditions, they consume between 3500-4000 calories. Additionally, skippers require comfort foods to maintain their energy levels during cold spells, which can be challenging as they try to maintain a lightweight balance.
Interviewer: Eric Guérin, how do you deal with nutrition requirements on board while meeting the challenges of intense physical activity and varying weather conditions? Do you try to create meals that cater to these fluctuations, or focus on maintaining a balanced diet?
Eric Guérin: As a chef, I try to create balanced meals with protein, carbohydrates, and fats to cater to the fluctuating energy needs during the race. I incorporate comfort foods when necessary to boost the morale of the skippers and maintain their energy levels. However, I also focus on freeze-dried and dehydrated foods that can be stored for long periods and easily consumed without compromising on taste or nutritional content.
Section 2: Specificity of Food Preparation
Interviewer: In the article, it is mentioned that freeze-dried foods are becoming more popular than dehydrated foods due to their energy preservation qualities. Marie-Caroline
