Carbohydrates are an essential component to any diet and nutritional program, and are one of the most important sources of energy for any athlete.
True—carbohydrates are a great source of power for muscles and an important source of fuel for muscle contractions; but because of their thermal effect, a carbohydrate that is not used as energy in the body right away is broken down into glycogen, and stored in the body to be used as energy later. But when that stored glycogen is not burned as energy, it is converted to fat.
But this doesn’t mean carbohydrates should be removed from your diet, nor should you drastically cut your intake of them to an unhealthy level. Carbohydrates are essential to athletes when exercising, particularly if you’re working out to build muscle mass and size, because they prevent your body from burning stored protein—the building blocks of muscle—as energy. For this reason, carbo-loading before a major workout, such as a marathon or triathlon, is popular among many since stored glycogen only supplies the body with energy for roughly thirty to ninety minutes.
But not all carbs are created equal and for anyone not looking to gain size—and who have struggled to see results on the scale despite intense workouts—you might need to look no further then the kind and the amount of carbohydrate put into their body. Following something called the glycemic index (which ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels) there are two basic types of carbs; simple and complex.
Simple carbohydrates can be converted into energy very quickly and also increase the level of blood sugar.
Examples include: fruits, dairy products, honey, and maple syrup contain large amounts of simple carbohydrates, which provide the sweet taste in most candies and cakes.
Complex carbohydrates are larger and therefore take longer for the body to absorb, and are less likely to be converted to fat. They also increase blood sugar levels more slowly and to lower levels than simple carbohydrates but for a longer time.
Examples include: starches and fibers, which occur in wheat products (such as breads and pastas), other grains (such as rye and corn), beans, and root vegetables (such as potatoes).
The glycemic index tends to be lower for complex carbohydrates than for simple carbohydrates, helping to regulate blood sugar and also weight, so when planning your diet to meet your fitness goals, keep in mind the type of carbohydrate you consume.
