Power Pasta with Mikaela Shiffrin

Top athlete Mikaela Shiffrin shares why pasta is not only her favorite, but is also a necessary performance staple.

By Vicki Martinez

Food equals fuel. Now, what type of fuel you use—low-grade, watered-down regular (sugar, soda, empty calories) or super-premium unleaded (protein, fat, carbs)—makes a big difference.

“Eating right is the key ingredient to keeping yourself and loved ones fueled and feeling unbeatable every day,” says two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin. For those who push themselves to the limit, asking their bodies to perform past its current potential, complex carbohydrates are a necessity.

A carb-rich diet is vital for endurance in high-intensity performance. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) notes that research supports the fact that athletes involved in intense competition or training need to regularly replenish the body's stores of carbs.

Comparing carbs to fat and protein, carbohydrates “are the most efficiently broken down and metabolized form of energy for the body,” says the USADA.

“Eating right is the key ingredient to keeping yourself and loved ones fueled and feeling unbeatable every day.”

- Mikaela Shiffrin

Photo Credit: U.S. Ski Team, Max Hall

For Shiffrin, pasta is a diet staple. “On race day I need carbs and protein for peak performance,” she says. One of Shiffrin’s go-tos, garlic chicken penne, does the trick.

It seems Shiffrin is on to something by partnering pasta with protein. A 2018 meta-analysis found that athletic performance improved significantly when carbohydrates were consumed together with protein.

In fact, when discussing another pasta meal she eats regularly—nutty rotini with chicken and raisins—Shiffrin says: “This is race-day food!”

Photo Credit: U.S. Ski Team, Max Hall

Photo Credit: U.S. Ski Team

Another reason Shiffrin considers pasta a must-have: “My schedule is packed. It seems like I am always headed to practice or a race ... or running for an airplane to get there. That's why I always reach for meals I love, loaded with good stuff to keep me going.”

As far as an all-time favorite pasta dish, Shiffrin doesn’t hesitate to answer: “Crispy prosciutto and feta penne is my favorite! Prosciutto and feta make for a great combination of flavors, and the peas make it taste so fresh.”

There are plenty of reasons the 25-year-old Colorado native is known as the “Winningest Slalom Skier of All Time.” Her backyard is a training ground, her dedication from a young age is unparalleled, and her passion for pasta … it certainly helps.

TRY THESE HEALTHY PASTA RECIPES

Nutty Rotini with Chicken

Garlic Chicken Penne

Crispy Prosciutto & Feta Penne