Our test subjects have now been in bed, tilted six degrees head-down, for three weeks and have become accustomed to performing all activities in this position. Nutrition is particularly important, not only for the results of our bedrest studies but also in terms of the subjects' mood.
Weighing ingredients
The nutrient intake for the participants must be calculated precisely, so all ingredients are weighed to the nearest gram
With the kitchen open from 06:00 to 23:00 CEST, our 15-person nutrition team provides the test subjects with a balanced diet that includes all essential nutrients. The early shift weighs ingredients, prepares breakfast, lunch and a snack, chops fruit and vegetables, does the washing up and takes care of inventory management. Then the late shift takes over and prepares dinner and everything for the next day.
Controlling food inventory, so that all ingredients are available according to the previously calculated nutrient intake, plays an important role in the catering. The food is weighed to the nearest gram, and to avoid water loss from cooking, the components are pre-cooked and then weighed cold. Meals are then heated before serving.
All participants receive the same standardised diet to exclude any influence of food intake on the study results. The portion sizes are individually adjusted to the energy and nutrient requirements of each person and may vary over the course of the study as energy requirements change. The nutrition team adjusts the plans accordingly to keep the subjects' weight stable – even for those who exercise while lying down to counteract muscle loss.
Eating while lying down like Roman nobility
During the bed-rest study, all of the participants' activities must be performed lying down
The meals for the test subjects must not only be balanced and healthy, but also tasty. The nutrition team take great care in preparing the food 'with love'.
In the ongoing study, the team has already created 438 individual menu plans and weighed 1752 meals and 1860 drinks. All subjects agree that the dishes are very tasty and prepared with great care. Particular favourites include the vegetable bowl with couscous, pasta with salmon, cream and spinach sauce, and Backfischbrötchen (fried fish in a bead roll). The cheesecake is very popular for dessert, and the recipes have already been swapped among the participants. After meals, the plates all come back to the kitchen empty, which is a positive sign as the better the test subjects follow the nutritional guidelines, the higher the quality of the data collected. In fact, the participants are happy to reach for a spatula to mop up every last morsel.
A thank you from participants
The test subjects show their appreciation: the nutrition crew are particularly pleased with the highly original messages and texts they have received
The fact that the food is well received is also confirmed by the little messages that the team repeatedly receive when the plates are returned. One participant penned a short verse: "Roses are red, violets are blue, thanks Nutrition Team for feeding our crew". The team are very happy about the positive feedback and the great praise from the test subjects, all of which puts a spring in their step as they labour away in the kitchen!
And what's for dinner tomorrow?
With the great feedback from the participants, the team are motivated to get to work on the next meal
