Diet of Ethiopian Athletes
[article by Tait Hearps of Sweat Elite]
Training in Sululta, Ethiopia, was a very informative, interesting experience, providing fresh perspective and new points of reference for what it means to live and train as an athlete. One aspect of the lifestyle and training of the Ethiopian athletes that surprised us was their diet. It was refreshing to see how little the athletes fretted over what they were eating: like many aspects of the life of an athlete in rural Ethiopia, their food was simple, frugal and repetitive.
So many Western athletes obsess over macros, supplements and exorbitant protein consumption, planning their meals to allow peak performance in training and rapid recovery. In Ethiopia there was no emphasis placed on the nutrient content of the food, but rather how it made them feel either before or after training. During our month in Ethiopia we ate with the athletes on multiple occasions; what we observed will be a bit of a surprise to you as well.
In many ways the diet of athletes in Ethiopia was similar to that of the athletes in Kenya, predominantly a whole food plant-based diet. Most of the food is locally grown, organic, straight from the surrounding farms. The protein consumption of the athletes is quite low. However, athletes here seemingly consumed meat more regularly than Kenyan athletes, and much of their food was more flavoursome, with chilli and other spices permeating the cuisine.
Interestingly, meat consumption seemed to have a positive correlation with the stature of the athlete. For athletes who were not under management and hadn’t won many races, meat was an expensive luxury, and they ate a diet much more grounded in vegetables and grains. Whereas athletes who had been more successful and had a higher income, much higher levels of meat were consumed. Eating whole plates of goat meat was a status symbol and eating the finest cuts of raw steak was reserved for celebrations: Kenenisa Bekele’s coach treated us, along with some of his other athletes, to raw meat on Ethiopian Christmas Day.
So, what is it that they are mainly eating? There are several staples which most meals seem to revolve around.
Injera – A sourdough risen flat bread which is made from teff. Generally larger than a large-size pizza, food would be served inside the injera and chunks of the injera are broken off with the hands, used to scoop up whatever is served inside.
Shiro – a stew made from chickpeas or broad beans with tomato and spices added, this was one of the easiest foods to find and was served at all times of the day. Generally served with injera.
Spaghetti – Ethiopia is one of the only countries in Africa not to be successfully colonised by a European power, however the Italians tried and failed, leaving spaghetti as part of their legacy. A common meal for athletes here is spaghetti with a tomato and chilli sauce, often served with injera.
Beyanetu – Ethiopians are predominantly orthodox Christian, and on Wednesdays and Fridays they would ‘fast’, eating a vegan diet. One of the most popular meals on these ‘fasting’ days was Beyanetu. This is a mix of several different spicy lentil dishes, some cabbage, beetroot, potatoes, and whatever else is available, served as a collage on top of injera.
Tibs – this generally consisted of a bowl of off cuts of different meat, normally either goat or beef.
Snacks – the most common snacks eaten by the athletes there were fruits: bananas, apples, mango. These were cheap and plentiful.
Drinks – Coffee is ubiquitous in Ethiopia, found at little stalls by every road, where it is freshly roasted brewed. Some athletes said they avoided it as it wasn’t good for their stomach prior to running, however many athletes drank plenty of it – generally black. Tea was also consumed in vast quantities. Both of these drinks commonly had a lot of sugar mixed in. Another very popular drink was the fruit juices that could be purchased at many small shops, especially avocado juice! This was often mixed with either papaya or mango juice to make a sweet, viscous smoothie.
In an average day, the athletes that we trained and ate with would rarely consume foods outside the above list. Sometimes athletes would consume electrolyte powders at the track or following long runs, however other than this there was a notable absence of sports supplements, and most processed foods. Overall the diet is very high in unprocessed complex carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and micronutrients. There is also quite a lot of refined carbohydrates added in the form of sugar to their beverages, they see this as an important addition for replenishing energy after a workout.
An interesting part of the culinary traditions of Ethiopia is that nearly all meals are consumed without cutlery: people eat with their hands. They normally share meals, with family or friends sitting down to eat a large dish of food together. Often people would even sit down and share meals with complete strangers in restaurants, we had many people invite us to sit and share their lunch with them.
Many people would be alarmed by the simplicity and repetitiveness of the dietary regime followed by the athletes, and how the low the protein content is. However, such a large number of athletes are following a similar formula, and their success speaks volumes about the benefits of such a diet for training as a long-distance athlete.
