What Are Carbohydrates: Carbohydrate is the technical term for all sugars, starch and fiber. It is the body’s ideal fuel for most functions. Carbohydrates supply the body with the energy needed for the muscles, brain and central nervous system. If you cut carbs too much, your physical performance and your mental sharpness will take a plunge. In fact, the human brain depends exclusively on carbohydrates for its energy.
During digestion, all carbohydrates are broken down into glucose before they can enter the bloodstream where insulin helps the glucose enter the body’s cells. Glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles for future use. If there is extra glucose, the body stores it as fat.
Food Sources: The healthy sources of carbohydrate are unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans which promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.
Unhealthy sources of carbohydrates include white bread, pastries, spaghettis, cookies, soft drinks, sodas, and other highly processed or refined foods. These items contain easily digested carbohydrates that contribute to weight gain and promote diabetes and heart disease.
Carbohydrates stored in the body are known as glycogen. The glycogen is stored in the liver and in the muscles.
The exercising muscles rely on carbohydrate as their main source of fuel. Carbs are required for the body to continually produce energy during physical activity. However, muscles have limited glycogen and they need to be topped up regularly to keep the energy up as it can affects both the length of time you can exercise and the intensity level of that exercise. A diet low in carbs can lead to a lack of energy during exercise, early fatigue and delayed recovery.
Just after your workout is the best time to eat carbs. This is a time when insulin spike is very important. Since during a vigorous workout your body turns to your glycogen stores to get energy it needs, the stores get depleted and have to be replenished. Carbs ingested at this time, raise your blood sugars levels leading to release of insulin in great amounts. The work of insulin at this time is to shuttle all the nutrients straight into the muscle to restore the glycogen levels rather than to store them as fat. This would help you to maintain and build lean body mass.
Ingesting carbs throughout the day especially simple carbs is not recommended since they are released into the bloodstream and if you do not need them at that specific time, your body’s insulin will help to store the unused portions as body fat.
Therefore, insulin is neither good nor bad. It has to be managed properly by simply making right carb choices.
In order to burn fat, build muscle, optimize your health and increase your energy the three key factors to consider with regard to carbs are:
The Bottom Line: Carbohydrates are neither good nor bad. The key is choosing them wisely, and timing them properly. When used properly, carbs can enhance your fitness regime.