Not so sure what you’ll be eating, but really curious as to what I’ll be eating. (Can you tell my delicious and healthy dinner just wasn’t enough to fill me up?)
I’ve done a bit of research on this subject and have decided to take an Anthony Bourdain approach to being a foodie in Nepal…anything and everything goes…as long as it’s cooked!
Apparently, you burn more calories at high altitude and at the same time are burning lots of calories trekking so you have to eat, eat, eat to maintain your energy and your weight. (I need to confirm this, but several sites mention that people lost 15-20 lbs. I wonder if those are people who are attempting to summit.)
Here are some highlights from one trekking company description of eating on an Everest Base Camp trek:
Eat lots of the local vegetables (onions, cabbage, carrots). Really try to finish the heated can fruit that your Base Camp cook will offer you. It’s solluble fiber content is extremely effective against hemorrhoids and constipation. (Really?) Garlic is excellent for altitude adaptation. It thins the blood. The sherpas eat it constantly and so should you. The smell? HAHA. You’re on Everest, pal. The garlic smell will be among the nicest snuff you’ll encounter. (Too much information!)
The main staple diet of most Nepali people is Dhal Bhat Tarkari which translates as lentils, rice and curried vegetables. This could be yummy comfort food…or not.
There are pages and pages of information about yak milk tea. (We know it’s really nak milk tea…see the May 12th blog post for details.) Yak butter tea??? I can’t get my head around this one at all. It seems tea is very popular and offered as a polite gesture to all. I’m a little worried about this as untreated water may make me very sick, but I don’t want to be rude. I’m sure there will be someone to ask how to handle this situation well.
I’m very curious to better understand the culture of Nepal and what better way to discover it than through food. Wait just one New York minute! There has to be a Nepali restaurant in the area. A quick Google search and low and behold, there are 15 reviewed on Yelp. The one that seems to have gotten the best reviews is Cafe Himalaya located in the East Village. I can’t wait to try it. And, in Queens, there is one called Himalayan Yak Restaurant and they have Nepali music…got to try this one too. I’ll report back.
Training Summary
Physical Activity: Nope Serious problem. Nutrition: Very good Three lovely meals today and one snack. Hydration: 32 oz. Really need to drink more water. Sleep: 7 hours Rested, but could have used another hour or two.