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View Full Version : Nutritianal Value of MREs?



SilkSeaWater
21st October 2001, 22:24
Greetings. This is often a subject of debate. Are MREs good for you?

Thank you.

:confused:

MarkF
22nd October 2001, 10:26
No, but it certainly beats all out hunger.

SilkSeaWater,
Please sign your name to your posts. You can fix your prefs to do this automatically, or sign manually. The choice is yours.

Welcome to E-Budo!:wave:

Mark

SilkSeaWater
22nd October 2001, 15:20
Thank you for the kind follow-up. It seems they are not good then.

As to signing my name, do you mean place my given name at the end of a post?

Thank you.

scoundrel
23rd October 2001, 02:04
While they have been much maligned for appearance/taste/effects on intestinal motility, they have been vastly improved in their latest generation of offerings. They feature interesting menus, condiments, and name-brand snack/candy items. And for you doubting Thomases out there, I have tasted EVERY generation of MRE's, from the very first. As far as their nutritional value, let me quote from an excellent reference, "The Navy SEAL Nutrition Manual" (1994, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)

page 124

"Many people think that military rations are sub-optimal: Not enough calories, too much fat, bad tase, and too much salt are some claims leveled against military rations. The revised Meal, Ready-To-Eat, Individual (MRE) ration consists of 12 meals; each meal, or menu, contains an entree, crackers, a spread (cheese, peanut butter, or jelly), a dessert, beverages, and an accesory package. No rehydration of these meals is necessary. This ration will certainly keep you going and based on energy requirements, you will need to eat 2 to 4 MREs per day.

EACH MENU PROVIDES 1300 CALORIES

49% CHO, 15% PROTEIN, 36% FAT

It is also important to note that some components of the MRE have been supplemented with selected vitamins (A, B1,B2, niacin, B6 and C) and minerals (calcium). Fortified items include cocoa beverage powder, cheese spread, peanut butter, crackers, oatmeal cookies coating, and brownies coating."

Note these are COMBAT field rations. Designed to fuel your body for sustained, physically demanding activities like...well, combat :eek: If you are sitting around fulfilling REMF-ly duties :toast: they may not be optimum nutrition. However, if you are out there breaking things and killing people, it's good fuel.

SilkSeaWater
23rd October 2001, 21:26
First, my apologies to the moderators. I have altered my account accordingly.

Thank you all for the follow-ups on the MRE debate. I don't worry about what my food tastes like, so this isn't an issue for me.

Rather, I do lead a very busy lifestyle (full-time professional job, full-time college, physical training), so the allure of the speedy MRE has gotten to me. My wife and I both come from military families, so we have supped on them before. I don't find them disagreeable; though I do throw away the sugary junk.

Again, thanks.