What do most skaters eat?

[skatinginbc]

I imagine there are now more places to get good quality produce than when I lived in the States, because back then, the fruit and veg from the supermarket were just disgusting. It was like everything had been dipped in wax or something.

American pork has a funny, wild taste. I don't know if it is due to intensive farming of chronically frustrated swine, or to such feed additives as ractopamine that has a side-effect of causing fatigue and difficulty in movement. I grew up eating the same commercial breeds (Yorkshire, Duroc and Landrace) as the ones in the US. But the difference in taste is as apparent as between chicken and turkey. Very strange, indeed.

[Olympia]

That's something I never thought about! Tastes different? Amazing.

Something else I never thought about: BC, what is the general farming situation in Canada? Is there less of a "factory farming" mentality? I know that the population is much lower, but so is the extent of arable land.

Buttercup, these days, a lot of regions have farmers' markets even in the middle of cities, so small farmers have a better source of income and ordinary folk have a chance to eat fresh and varied produce. With the mass farming approach, only the varieties that travel well are cultivated, such as those styrofoam strawberries, unbreakable tomatoes, and mealy square apples. If you can get to a farmers' market, you can get juicy strawberries that even have an aroma, heirloom tomatoes in all kinds of colors and shapes, and apples such as Jonathans and russets, and the prices are often pretty good.

[skatinginbc]

That's something I never thought about! Tastes different? Amazing.

Oh, yeah, such factors as genotype, feeding regime, and pre-slaughtering handling can influence the flavor of the pork. A study suggested that the detection threshold level of skatole and indole (two of the compounds that contribute to "boar taint") for Singaporeans is 8 times lower than Europeans. So there is a possibility that I, as an oriental, may be more sensitive in detecting boar taint. A consumer survey showed that Singapore customers described pork from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand as having an undesirable mutton-like flavor. And chemical examinations proved that Canadian loin had the highest level of indole when compared to pork from other countries. http://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/ha...pdf?sequence=4 The study didn't examine US pork, but I can tell you that the first time I tasted it, I felt it had the smell of a rank chopping board.

[Olympia]

That's amazing, BC. It's so fascinating how different we can all be in some areas despite our similarities. Physiology is endlessly riveting, both in small-scale ways and large. And yet with all the diversity within our own species, you can compare the human body with cats, whales, and even birds and find parallels. I still remember the day I realized that a bird's "wishbone" was a modified clavicle. The same bone, in the same position, connected to the same other bones. Wow.

I know that I'm very sensitive to the taste of spices. (Except, oddly, garlic, which doesn't bother me.) I don't know whether it's because for most of my life I've eaten food seasoned by nothing stronger than salt--even pepper makes me unhappy. Or is it because being an Eastern European, my palate is constructed differently? Hah! I can blame it on the ancestors. I can even smell some hot (non-aromatic) spices. Begone, poblano!

I guess it makes sense that meat would taste different depending on its diet. Recently I have read that grass-fed (free-ranging) cattle give beef that has a more healthful fat profile than grain-fed (factory-raised) cattle. Maybe there's a different taste, too. Though if all goes well this year, I will continue to go meatless and will not be making any taste tests anytime soon.

[niami]

This is from an interview with Evan Lysacek a month after Vancouver:

When I was training for the Olympics, I spent 8 to 10 a.m. doing different floor training like warm ups, stretching, jumping rope, jumping hurdles and using bands. I was [on] the ice from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 4:20 p.m. From 5 p.m. until whenever I would finish, I’d do heavy workouts with strenuous cardio, weight training and plyometrics. By the time I finished, I could barely stay awake for dinner. Every day for the last four years has been like that, but I loved it....[He also explained his training diet:] I’d start the day with five servings of different fruits and two poached eggs. Throughout the day, I’d drink protein shakes because there wasn’t enough time to sit down and digest a meal. I would always drink a Vitamin Water or diluted PowerAde to get a little sugar. As soon as I finished my workout, I’d eat a protein and five servings of vegetables. Now, I’m eating whatever I want — I love burgers, sushi and steak. I look at a menu now, and think “What am I going to eat? I can have anything on here.”
http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/03/15/o...ith-the-stars/

[Olympia]

What a testament to Evan's workhorse nature. This guy didn't have the greatest talent of his skating generation, but whatever he had, he worked to the last inch. Can you imagine how satisfying it was for Frank Carroll to coach him?

When you think of a training routine like the one Evan and other skaters follow, you realize that the four minutes or so on the ice is the least of it. These people are in fifth gear from the moment they wake up to the moment they collapse at night, especially if they train fulltime rather than going to school in between sessions.

[Olympia]

Sorry to doublt-post here, but it's been awhile since my last post, and it's on a different topic.

We were talking at one point about incomplete vs. complete protein, and I just heard that hemp seeds are actually a complete protein. This means that they contain all nine amino acids that we humans can't synthesize in our own bodies. I need to check this out, but I thought I'd just mention it. Hemp is a great food in any case, very high in protein and an especially good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which aid the heart and blood vessels. I eat them, and they're pretty tasty--with kind of a sunflower seed flavor and texture. Ironically, with all the awful foods that the U.S. produces, American farmers aren't allowed to grow hemp...but the seeds can be sold here as food, so it's available here for nutritionally conscious folk such as skaters and skate fans. (And all Canadian posters are allowed to boast about this one, because most American hemp is imported from Canada.) I gather that hemp is closely related to cannabis, but hemp itself doesn't have the "bad" ingredient in it, so the prohibition is kind of silly.

[golden411]

"Meryl_Davis" just tweeted cute/funny photo of Maia and Ashley apparently about to consume big waffles absolutely heaped with what looks like either whipped cream or ice cream (or I suppose it could be froyo).
Good NYC breakfast, I guess! I think that all three performed at "Figure Skating in Harlem" charitable event last night - bravo to the many skaters who did .