As a low carb / ketogenic athlete, having almond butter or nut butter as a fuel source while you exercise can be very important in order to avoid glycogen depletion, and fuel your muscles for a long and steady workout.
During my long runs in preparation for the Ketogenic marathon (Gold Coast Airport Marathon) I’ve been using a homemade nut butter made from almonds, MCT oil and salt to help keep my energy levels up, keep my electrolytes in balance and also to have a tasty snack midway through a 30km training run (18 miles).
The organic store across the road from me has these fantastic little baby food pouches. They work perfectly for carrying liquid food with you on a run and fit enough nut butter (almond butter) to sustain you throughout a long distance.
I thought about using something like Justin’s Nut Butter packets, but they can be expensive here in Australia, and they carry very little actual nut butter inside each packet. I’m also not a fan of constantly buying small packaged goods like these, and prefer to have re-usable pouches to minimize waste.
I have to give a special mention to Keto Barb, who showed me the Justin’s Nut Butter Packets and said that she used them on her longer rides as she also rides in a fat adapted state.
The only alternative I can find online is these food pouches. They look to be very similar, and would probably fit inside your running belt/backpack or cycling jersey.
Why Make Your Own Nut Butter?
In this case, because we are trying to create a nut butter that absorbs easily and gets converted into energy quickly, combing MCT oil with the Almonds is the main reason why you would want to do this. MCT oil is metabolized very quickly and is the only fat that bypasses the liver and used as energy in as little as 3 steps (sugar contains 26 steps).
Adding more salt than other nut butter would usually add is also important because maintaining proper sodium levels throughout an event like a Marathon is the difference between a great run, and a washed out limp to the finish line.
I hope you love creating this recipe as much as I did. As usual, if you have any comments, please leave them below. Enjoy!
Almond Butter For Fat Adapted Athletes
Ingredients
- 350 grams Almonds (10.5 oz)
- 60 ml MCT Oil (2 oz)
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C (355F) and place all of the almonds on a baking tray.
- Roast for 20-30 mins until a darker brown colour.
- In a strong blender or food processor (such as a vitamix, nutribullet or other), place the almonds into the mixer and blend. You might have trouble with the paste sticking to the sides.
- Shake the paste off from the sides, and add the MCT Oil and salt. If the nut butter doesn't come out in a liquid, experiment with adding more MCT oil or a little water to the mixture.
- Place into the reusable food pouches and enjoy whilst running / cycling.
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