The Olympics represent something that goes far beyond simple sporting and competitive competition. In ancient times as in our days, the best athletes of their time were chosen, giving them the opportunity to participate in competitions considered sacred and, in case of victory, to be celebrated for eternity.
To compete, extraordinary preparation was required, the result of long training sessions, self-denial, discipline and, obviously, a diet and of a adequate nutrition.
During the Ancient Olympics, athletes, almost all of whom came from the vast Hellenic and Mediterranean world, followed a balanced diet linked to their geographical area and the agricultural production of the time.
The athletes started their days with a rich breakfast based on bread, honey, goat milk or sheep And flour kneaded with oil.
At lunch dried fruit, figs, spelt bread croutons with vegetables (something similar to our friselle), black olives, egg, goat cheese And honeyed winewell diluted with water (only the barbarians drank pure wine). Dinner included grilled or spit-roasted meat flavored with aromatic herbs and onions, black soup made from pork and blood (a Spartan specialty, very nutritious but not appreciated by everyone), cheese, cooked or fresh vegetables, marinated fish, garum and fruit. All foods capable of giving energy and the right boost to face the fatigue of the races.
After an interruption of more than a thousand years, the Olympics were reinstated in 1896 in Athenscapital of the young kingdom of Greece.
On that occasion the participants and the marathon runners in particular were fed with foods not too different from those of their ancient predecessors. Eggs, olives, cheeses, milk but also oranges, unknown in Greece during Antiquity.
Of course, an abundance of water was essential, although during the 1904 St. Louis Marathon the organizers miscalculated and made the only source of water available from a well 12 miles from the stadium, with very harsh consequences for the marathon runners.
Today at Paris 2024Olympians instead have the opportunity to follow personalized diets, depending on their needs, desires and tastes.
Followed by professional nutritionists and dieticians, athletes can opt for ketogenic and high-protein diet plans, choosing the most suitable foods, from the inevitable eggs, to broccoli, sweet potatoes, fermented vegetables, grss-fed meat but also bacon, hash browns and energy shakes.
In the Olympic Village, athletes can indulge in every whim, choosing from over 40 different dishes a day of French, Italian, Asian, African and international cuisine,
prepared by top-level chefs.
Nutrition and gastronomy therefore occupy a position of primary importance in the arduous path towards Olympic success, both in ancient times and in the contemporary era.