GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Running a marathon? Grab a carbohydrate bar. Lifting weights? Gulp a protein shake. But climbing into a fighter jet? Butter-soaked lobster might help.
That was the surprising finding of a military- funded study that sought to figure out what foods were best for pilots when missions restricted when or what they could eat. University of North Dakota researchers found that 45 pilots who ate the fattiest foods such as butter or gravy had the quickest response times in mental tests and made fewer mistakes when flying in tricky cloud conditions. High-carb diets trumped high-protein ones in performance tests.
Researchers said the study was not aimed at weight control and noted that because the pilots were young, they were able to absorb a high amount of fatty acids for brain development.
Military experts hope the research will eventually help improve pilots’ performance.
