Healthy Carbohydrates - Which Are Worth Eating?

Carbohydrates, also known as sugars, are undoubtedly an important component of an athlete's diet. While most of the warnings against their consumption are based on unproven myths, we must remember to include them wisely in our menu. In this short article, you'll learn why carbohydrates are essential for strength training, what the glycemic index is, and how to choose foods with valuable sugars.

What do athletes need carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are an essential source of energy for the human body. We produce it in the oxidation of glucose - the most popular simple sugar that our body stores in glycogen chains. Without the supply of carbohydrates, there can be no efficient training, because sooner or later tired muscles will cease to obey us. The most committed athletes consume as much as 10-12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day.

Carbohydrates are not only fuel during training, the energy derived from them is also used to burn fat and develop your dream figure. It is the driving force of the human body's metabolism, and its deficiency destabilizes blood insulin levels, which can lead to frequent and unpleasant hunger pangs.

What is the glycemic index?

Okay, but are all carbohydrates healthy? Our intuition rightly tells us that it is not. The criterion that will allow us to distinguish good carbohydrates from those that negatively affect our health is the glycemic index.

The glycemic index tells us how quickly a given complex sugar will turn into glucose. If it is high, it means that carbohydrates are absorbed slowly, and therefore blood sugar levels are not changing rapidly. Its stabilization is very beneficial for us and has a positive effect on the endurance of the body. It is the carbohydrates with a high glycemic index that are most conducive to fat burning.

What about compounds with a low glycemic index? They lead to sudden spikes in blood sugar levels, but the energy drawn from them runs out just as quickly.

Foods high in carbohydrates

Now let's take a look at the products that will help you build a diet rich in carbohydrates. In some situations, we will also use sugars with a low glycemic index, although the basis of the menu should of course be slowly absorbing carbohydrates.

Sugars that will charge you in no time

• Bananas, grapes, corn, and fatty milk all contain carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. You should avoid them on a daily basis, but they can be helpful if you feel an undesirable drop in energy before the workout you need to supplement.
• Allowed sugars with an average glycemic index

Slightly safer carbohydrates that we can eat calmly in moderation are found in the following products:

• White bread, rye bread;
• Potatoes, rice, fine groats;
• Skim milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese;
• White flour pasta;
• Dried plums;
• Strawberries, apples, peaches and other juicy fruits.

Sugars with a high glycemic index

Below you will find a list of products that you should reach for if you want to provide your body with healthy, slowly absorbing carbohydrates. Their great advantage is maintaining a constant level of glucose in the blood. The meal based on them should be eaten 2 to 4 hours before exercise, which will give you confidence that the training will be efficient and satisfying. The beneficial carbohydrates are hidden in:

• Wholemeal bread;
• Fish meat, beef;
• Soybean products;
• Bran, oatmeal and barley flakes;
• Coarse-grained groats;
• Carrots, celery, beetroot, tomatoes, cucumbers and cherry fruit;
• Almonds;
• Chicken eggs.