“This is nutrition for action.”

Everyone talks about food, and so do we. But what is the right diet, especially for emergency and special forces? Sports scientist Daniel Kaptain presents a compact guide to proper nutrition in the SPARTANAT Black Book “Tactical Nutrition.” (german language book) Enjoy!

SPARTANAT: Daniel, there's an old military saying, “No food, no fight.” Does that still have any meaning today?

Daniel Kaptain: Today more than ever. Because the demands (in special applications) have increased significantly. Not only for the body, but also for the brain. Both need high-quality food to function. Not only in quantity, but also in quality.

SPARTANAT: The body is a performance machine, and when it comes to special forces, we often talk about “tactical athletes.” What does the machine need as fuel?

Daniel Kaptain: The organism is actually designed for a “mixed diet.” 40–30–30 (% carbs/protein/fat), because all macronutrients have their function and necessity. Flexibility is also important because in certain scenarios there may be no choice. Therefore, the body should be able to “cope” with everything. The same applies to the “animal/plant” ratio – here, too, a mixture is recommended (60/40%).

Of course, if you have the choice, quality is paramount. Comparable to an F1 racing car – the highest quality is a must and is not up for discussion.

SPARTANAT: What does a soldier need to know about nutrition? Shouldn't that be taught separately?

Daniel Kaptain: Yes and no! First of all, nutrition is quite simple: “eat everything that has not been processed or has been processed as little as possible.” That means junk food/processed food should be avoided! And divide your food according to the seasons or the above rules (40/30/30; 60-40). Fine-tuning is necessary for the “elite” – an individual approach is essential here. That's why I use typologies and, if necessary, values (laboratory) to determine the composition of food (and supplementation if necessary).

“Food is a performance booster, cognitively and mentally. That's why nutrition is also the basis for holistic high performance!”

SPARTANAT: Sugar water in many variations, fast food, junk food – how do you avoid the modern pitfalls of nutrition? Is “eating clean” a must?

Daniel Kaptain: Never go shopping when you're hungry. You'll buy the wrong things. Plan your meals so that there is some variety and follow the “eat clean” rule for 18 out of 21 meals a week. Because enjoyment is important, as is a certain amount of “resistance” – that's why strict prohibitions or ‘canceling’ are not very effective.

SPARTANAT: What can you take away from your new book, “Tactical Nutrition”?

Daniel Kaptain: You get an overview, learn strategies, and, above all, discover the comprehensive effects that nutrition has on human performance. You also learn about the importance of food and supplement quality. There are a lot of things you should avoid.

On the other hand, an individual nutrition strategy can be an absolute performance booster, both physically and cognitively and mentally. That's why nutrition is also the basis for holistic high performance!

DANIEL KAPTAIN – biography.