Michael Ryan of RnR Fitness in Tralee talks about carbs and how they can help your exercise regime…
Carbohydrates can be a useful energy source for fuelling your workouts and achieving your fitness goals, however they must be treated with a certain degree of caution.
Below I will tackle and answer some of the common questions about them and shed some light on areas of question:
What’s the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules. Complex carbohydrates have 3 or more sugar molecules composing it.
In essence this means it takes a little bit longer for your body to break down them down, and use it to keep your sugar levels in equilibrium.
On the other hand simple carbohydrates can alter your sugar and energy levels very quickly as they contain fewer sugar molecules for your body to breakdown and convert.
What are the best sources of carbohydrates?
Vegetables are the best source of carbohydrates because they also provide good levels of different nutrients such as fibre, which help the body, manage the spike in sugar levels much more easily.
If your exercise routine is one of high intensity, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and potatoes help rise energy levels.
Wheat should be treated with caution as if it is highly refined can be more difficult for the body to digest effectively.
Are Carbohydrates good or bad for me?
This is a multifaceted question and there is no direct answer as it depends on, the type, source and the time of the day you consume them, keeping in mind your fitness goals and aspirations.
How can I tell the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates?
The simple answer lies in an index called “The Glycaemic index”. This index tell us how quickly each type of carbohydrate will raise our sugar levels in your body.
The index is ranked from (1-100) with 100 being the fastest. Any carbohydrate ranked below 65 can be deemed a complex carbohydrate.
However as carbohydrates are rarely eaten alone, i.e. with other foods types, then this will alter the GI of the carbohydrates so caution needs to be taken when using the GI Index
How important are carbohydrates to performance/ muscle growth and fitness goals?
Carbohydrates are the most accessible energy source for your body, but how many and types you need are purely based on your fitness goals.
If your workouts consist of high intensity, high energy bouts of exercise, carbohydrates have a bigger role to play than those who participate in a less intense form of exercise, as the body can convert proteins and fats into glucose in the absence of carbohydrate if necessary.
A well balanced diet, with good sources, of protein, fats and nutrients is far more vital than just merely focusing on carbohydrates alone.
Does the consumption of carbohydrates lead to weight gain?
It’s all about moderation, the type you consume combined with the type/intensity and the level of activity of your lifestyle.
• Michael Ryan is part of RnR Fitness: Qualified and Certified Personal, Trainers, Fitness Instructors and Sports Nutrition Consultants. See their Facebook page here
