Why Fig Newtons for Triathlon?

Triathlon Forum
1

I know triathletes tend to use there as a treat during racing…but why Fig Newtons, as opposed to other types of treats?

2

I know triathletes tend to use there as a treat during racing…but why Fig Newtons, as opposed to other types of treats?
Dense carbs, easy to carry?

3

I’m going to guess nutritional value, easy to carry, and that someone famous who won alot tried them out and used them and everyone else followed suit…

4

figs have lots of potassium- so a good thing.

bad thing in most brands is hydrogenated fat

5

Get the Newman’s Own brand…nothing but good stuff…

And the reason is they are cheap alternatives to the packaged bars…lots of the right stuff…especially potassium…

6

Newman’s organic figs are extremely low in fat and very high in carbs with a low % percent of carbs as pure sugar. taste is not as good as others but when you eat the whole box of figs, you lose taste after about 10 of them.

7

I eat them but my concern was and is the amount of fiber. couple pack of newtons could spell a messy dissaster.

K

8

Just make sure to eat a big-ass steak or burger the night before so you can block your colon a bit to make it impervious to fiber! Ha, ha.

9

I’ve been experimenting with dried figs imported from Greece. Works great for the bike. They’re high in carbs, and I dig the idea that they’re portable and natural. Plus they taste great. Last week I used them in trail half marathon and had trouble getting one lousy fig down. Then I had trouble digesting it. It was a disaster. Maybe figs and running don’t go together.

10

I remember reading that one of the big pro’s used them as his secret weapon since they are very dense in nutrition and potassium. As I recall he also warned that they are also high in fiber, and as he said “when you are in an Ironman fiber is not your friend.”

11

Big plus is they don’t melt. Ever try eating a powerbar that’s been sitting in your pocket on a hot day?

12

I think this is a carryover from cycling. These were popular back in the days when cyclists ate real food, before Powerbars and all those other things.

13

Because they’re tasty!

14

<<Ever try eating a powerbar that’s been sitting in your pocket on a hot day? >>

only thing worse is a cold day - i trained for my first half marathon in sub zero weather more than 20 yrs ago, i can still remember trying to gnaw a bite off a power bar- felt like someone on the shackleton expedition trying to eat a frozen seagull…

15

I love them. I have been using them for fuel for years. No problem with digestion but I would go easy… or eat a big ass steak the night before.

Train safe & smart Bob

16

They’re really tasty. The biggest problem is carrying that glass of milk to down them with. After about 10 minutes on the bike, the milk spoils. Dipping a Fig Newton into a bottle of Gatorade is not as good.