Caloric Density spreadsheet.

[ScottS]

I'm in the process of building one. Getting as many calories as possible in the lightest food possible is important and I'm on a quest to find out what the best choices are.
This will be for common store-bought foods, the foods found at almost all resupplies (gas stations, grocery stores, etc.).

Only have Little Debbies done so far but will be adding others as I gather the information. I thought some other people might use the information, so I'm sharing it.
Knorr, candy bars, peanut butters, nuts, Hostess and Pop Tarts are future plans. Feel free to suggest something you'd like to see, if you're into this at all.


Best Little Debbies
Nutty Bars
Peanut Butter Crunch
Chocolate Iced Honey Buns

Link to spreadsheet

[ScottS]

And protein/energy bars.

[JAK]

The macronutrients of all foods weigh the same. Once you decide how much protien, fat, carbs, and fibre you need, it's really just a matter of finding foods with less moisture, and minimizing package weight.

Spreadsheet is a good idea, but not to minimize weight, but to balance your nutrients.
Focus on Protien, Fats, Carbs, Fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Sodium.
If you get those right, with foods from different food groups, the rest should fall in place.

Minimize Moisture.

[swjohnsey]

I was workin' on the same thing over here http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...hlight=calorie

[garlic08]

You cannot beat pure fat or oil for calorie density. Pure sugar is one half the calorie density of pure fat. Lean more towards fatty foods. That's why nutty bars and peanut butter and nutty granola are high on the list.

[ScottP]

I eat littlle to no junk food when I hike.

I don't get much of my calories from fat--it's mostly complex carbs. In the cold/winter I add some fat

I've done enough miles that I planned 7,000-8,000 calorie/day. So I carry 2-3 extra ounces a day to eat food that makes me feel good. big deal.

trying to hike off junk food is, for most people, an awful idea. You'll do 15-20 miles/day, feel like ****, and think that's all you can do when you can probably double that by eating right. You're asking a lot of your body on the trail; take care of it

[swjohnsey]

Three ounces of pure carbs will net you about 340 calories, 8,000 calories of pure carbs will weigh in at about 4.4 lbs while 8,000 calories of pure fat will weigh about 2 lbs. Your body needs fat.

[JAK]

Estimating your food requirements...

1. Total Calories = weight in pounds x ( miles per day + 10 )

2. Macronutrients:
Protien = Total Calories x 10% /4 = Protien Grams
Carbs = Total Calories x 30% /4 = Carbs Grams
Fats = Total Calories x 60% /9 = Fats Grams

3. Reduce Fats by up to 50g for every 10 pounds of excess body fat (>15%).

Example, 200 pounds (35 pounds overweight), hiking 15 miles per day.
1. 200 x (15+10) = 5000 Calories
2.
Protien = 5000 x 10% /4 = 125g
Carbs = 5000 x 30% /4 = 375g
Fats = 5000 x 60%/9 = 333g -175g = 158g
Total = 658g = 1.45 pounds + 10% allowance for moisture and fibre = 1.6 pounds.

[Juice]

At 200 calories per mile listed, what is factored for weight carried? What would the difference be for someone carrying 15lbs as opposed to 35lbs?

Estimating your food requirements...

1. Total Calories = weight in pounds x ( miles per day + 10 )

2. Macronutrients:
Protien = Total Calories x 10% /4 = Protien Grams
Carbs = Total Calories x 30% /4 = Carbs Grams
Fats = Total Calories x 60% /9 = Fats Grams

3. Reduce Fats by up to 50g for every 10 pounds of excess body fat (>15%).

Example, 200 pounds (35 pounds overweight), hiking 15 miles per day.
1. 200 x (15+10) = 5000 Calories
2.
Protien = 5000 x 10% /4 = 125g
Carbs = 5000 x 30% /4 = 375g
Fats = 5000 x 60%/9 = 333g -175g = 158g
Total = 658g = 1.45 pounds + 10% allowance for moisture and fibre = 1.6 pounds.

[ScottS]

The macronutrients of all foods weigh the same. Once you decide how much protien, fat, carbs, and fibre you need, it's really just a matter of finding foods with less moisture, and minimizing package weight.

Yes, that's the point of the spreadsheet.

[JAK]

At 200 calories per mile listed, what is factored for weight carried? What would the difference be for someone carrying 15lbs as opposed to 35lbs?

That would be a good improvement to the forumla, to include carried weight as a factor in the hiking calories, but not the base calories.
Thus:
Total Calories = Total Weight x Miles Per Day + Body Weight x 10

Another improvement would be to include the effect of cummulative elevation gain...
Thus:
Total Calories = Total Weight x ( Distance in Miles + Gain in 500' ) + Body Weight x 10

[JAK]

Yes, that's the point of the spreadsheet.

So then the spreadsheet should show moisture and package weight, if that is all you are minimizing.

I think what you really need is a spreadsheet that shows protien grams, fat grams, carb grams, fibre grams, moisture grams
and perhaps also the key indicators; Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, and Sodium, in %RDA.

That would allow you to better balance your diet for nutrition, rather than for simply minimizing water, cardboard, and plastic.

[JAK]

You might also include typical cost.

[HiKen2011]

I got a headache!

[JAK]

... maybe just avoid food with too much moisture in it. Shouldn't need a spreadsheet for that. lol

Also shouldn't need a medical degree to know Little Debbies aren't good for you. ;-)

[Mike2012]

assuming you aren't talking about packing watermelons and canned soups how much of a difference is the moisture content of dried/prepared foods really going to make when adjusted for factors such as flavor and nutrition? if you shake it does it slosh?

[Drybones]

Some food used on a trip.

Item	Calories	Ounces	Pounds	Cal/Oz
Olive Oil	117.5	0.50	0.03	235.00
Mixed nuts	260	1.50	0.09	173.33
Peanutbutter	500	3.00	0.19	166.67
Cashews	240	1.50	0.09	160.00
Jalopeno cheddar nabs	200	1.40	0.09	142.86
Slim Jims	320	2.24	0.14	142.86
Apple cider	80	0.75	0.05	106.67
Chocolate fruit/nuts	210	1.50	0.09	140.00
Honey	120	1.00	0.06	120.00
Jelly	120	1.00	0.06	120.00
Macaroni & cheese	940	8.00	0.50	117.50
Peanutbutter & jelly bar	200	1.75	0.11	114.29
Cheese	330	3.00	0.19	110.00
1 1/2 cups granola	630	6.00	0.38	105.00
Cliff bar	240	2.40	0.15	100.00
Lasagna	600	6.00	0.38	100.00
Rice & chicken	800	8.00	0.50	100.00
1/3 cup dry milk	80	0.81	0.05	98.77
Chili Mac	580	6.00	0.38	96.67
Tortilla (2) - Mission flour	300	3.50	0.22	85.71
Hot chocolate	120	1.50	0.09	80.00
Spaghetti	540	7.00	0.44	77.14
Red beans & rice	600	8.00	0.50	75.00
Tortilla stuffer	450	10.00	0.63	45.00

[JAK]

Useless, because you can't eat just fat, and it doesn't tell you if the non-fat is protien, carbs, fiber, or water.

[swjohnsey]

If you eat four or five thousand calories a day you will get all the carbs and protein you need.

[JAK]

So what is the list for then, to get you to drink canola oil ???