No more sugar bombs: How to conjure up the perfect athlete muesli

The shelves in the supermarket are full of this: manufacturers promise « the protein power for breakfast » or « the perfect start to the day ». In times of conscious nutrition, mueslis are particularly popular with athletes. They offer the opportunity to make a meal quickly, balanced and according to an individual taste. But the finished mixtures often contain too much sugar, unpopular ingredients or are expensive. The better variant: your own muesli mix.

Which nutrients are needed?

Because of Croissant and Nutella: In order to enable the best start to the day, industrial sugar is counterproductive. Too much sweets for breakfast lets the blood sugar level rise quickly and crash again a little later. Possible consequences are energy, concentration problems and cravings. Nevertheless, everyone should make sure to cover their macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats and protein) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements).

Carbohydrates

The keyword is complexity. Instead of simple sugar, not only should athletes rely on « slow » carbohydrates. These consist of long chains of sugar molecules, for whose splitting and processing the body takes more time. In practice, this means that they deliver energy longer, for example for a training session, and keep full. Examples of the muesli are oat, soy or buckwheat flakes and spelled flakes. The whole grain variants also contain valuable fiber that support the intestinal function.

Fat

Fat is not the same fat. A rough distinction is made between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. While eating too many saturated fatty acids (sausage, fast food) has a negative impact on cholesterol levels, the unsaturated variant is useful in the long term for cardiovascular health. This is not only desirable for athletes. In the muesli you cannot pass nuts and seeds on this topic: walnuts, cashews, almonds, but also flax seeds or pumpkin seeds are a good choice.

protein

If you concentrate on the right carbohydrate and fat sources in the athlete muesli, you can cover the proteins right away. Oat and soybeans, pumpkin seeds, cashews or various seeds, for example, contain large proportions of vegetable protein. There are also milk, yogurt and herbal alternatives such as almond or oat milk. Cocoaonibs can also ensure a small protein and taste boost. The regular and sufficient supply of protein is often neglected, for example for building muscle mass, especially in athletes.

Vitamins and Co.

There are other sources for micronutrients in combination with that certain for the perfect muesli. For example, pomegranate seeds and blueberries are small vitamin bombs. In addition, they provide many secondary plant substances, have an antioxidant effect and strengthen the immune system. With fruit and berries, there are hardly any limits to creativity. A little honey can help for even more sweetness: In contrast to industrial sugar, numerous health-promoting effects are attributed to the bee product. The cinnamon, who can lower blood sugar, also refines the muesli according to taste.

Calorie bomb

As healthy and versatile, such a muesli is that it can hardly be described as low in calories. Food such as oatmeal, nuts and honey carry a lot of energy that the body should burn again during the day. Due to the composition, however, the muesli quickly saturates. Large portions are therefore not necessary, especially in the morning. The nutrient mix is ​​therefore always suitable for athletes as a culinary entry.