Comments on: Loving the BITE: On-the-Ride Bacon Rice Burrito

By: Bill Bacon

Bill Bacon — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 03:34:00 +0000

I like. Bill Bacon, Seattle, Washington

By: Kelli Jennings

Kelli Jennings — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 21:22:00 +0000

Hi Julie,
Thanks for your comment – I actually anticipated something like this coming in:). Please remember, this recipe is for Training Nutrition and not Daily Nutrition. So, first, I’m not suggesting that bacon should be a staple in your diet. What it does provide for training, is 1) Salt, 2) small amount of protein,, and 3) flavor. The negative aspects of it could possibly be 1) saturated fats and 2) nitrites. For the first, saturated fats, I’m convinced that they have very little negative affect on heatlh (gasp! – despite what we’ve all been taught over the years). Most recent reviews and studies (even huge reviews of decades of studies) show little to no correlation of saturated fat intake with heart disease, bad cholesterol, etc. The issue, for health, has been obesity, inactivity, and diets high in carbs, especially refined ones, like sugars and refined grains. These carbs increase inflammatory hormones, insulin-resistance, and fat storage. Which brings me to the next point, if I was going to be concerned about the health aspects of this recipe for overall wellness, I would be more concerned about the refined carbs in the white tortilla and rice and all the sugars (natural or processed), not to mention in the sports drinks, gels, and bars. However, since this is intended to be eaten while engaging in exercise, these carbs are readily used as energy and do not have the same negative effects as they do when someone is sedentary (at which point I do not recommend this recipe OR sports drinks, gels, or bars). As for the nitrites in bacon, I recommend organic (nitrite-free) bacon. What this leaves you with, then, is a traditional food from an animal, with salt, satured fats, a small amount of protein, and a lot of flavor. Of course, the salt is not a health issue on the bike, as most serious athletes struggle to get enough sodium while riding (even with organic bacon!). One last concern could be that the saturated fats might cause stomach upset b/c they take too long to digest while riding – this varies person to person. However, I’ve not had one client who’s had a bad experience with it, as after riding for many hours, this salty snack is a welcome treat on the bike. I hope this answers your question. Thanks again! Kelli, RD

By: Julie Starling

Julie Starling — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Bacon? Really? Since when is bacon healthy? Even for meat eaters?

By: Anthony Lussier

Anthony Lussier — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:08:00 +0000

haha, bacon and banana…hmmm. The lemon bars sound great too! Thanks for the info.

By: Kelli Jennings

Kelli Jennings — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Mmmm. Makes me want to ride just thinking about these:)

By: Kelli Jennings

Kelli Jennings — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:28:00 +0000

Hi Renny,
You can simply omit the bacon if you’d like, and adjust the salt to taste. Or, I have had some clients use organic beef jerky on long rides to provide sodium and protein, so if chopped finely, this is an option. Let me know what you think…

By: Kelli Jennings

Kelli Jennings — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:09:00 +0000

Hi Anthony, You may enjoy the lemon bars or orange bars we’ve featured – they are grain free but still provides optimal fuel via honey, coconut oil, nuts, and citrus. Or you could mix in some bacon pieces with mashed banana!:) I might be onto something…

By: Kelli Jennings

Kelli Jennings — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:08:00 +0000

Thanks so much for reading the posts and your comment today – I’m thrilled you enjoy them. Let us know what you think of these!

By: Ed Robertson

Ed Robertson — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:59:00 +0000

Burritos are the greatest food ever created.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:23:00 +0000

I like the idea of real food for energy. I don’t usually get out for a ride that is long enough to need to bring these on my bike but I am going to try them anyway because they sound rather tasty. I do enjoy these recipes you put on the website and although I often don’t leave a comment I do want you to know I enjoy them.