Steve Howard What is the best time to eat carbohydrates? We reveal everything you need to consider to consume this macronutrient.
Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of energy in our diet, along with fats and proteins, although they are often identified as harmful foods that cause weight gain in people.
Can You Lose Fat By Eating Carbohydrates?
This is one of the issues of greatest concern in people who care about maintaining an adequate state of health and, of course, try to improve their body composition.
In general, there is no interaction to suppress carbohydrates and continue to lose fat
To be sure, high-carb diets do not they are a problem. Obviously, nobody should ingest an excessive amount of this nutrient for no reason (athletes …), but rather adapt the caloric amount to our .
Many diets combine terms that initially seem to agree on the fact that calories do not matter, but once you are convinced of this statement, they suddenly conclude by declaring that calories do matter … 🙄
You want to win the battle in taking fat, start by avoiding those foods they provide
What Kinds of Carbohydrates-Choose?
It is also It is important to know what type of carbohydrates to consume as not all of them have the same characteristics and properties.
A good option is to opt for foods with a high fiber content , which provide energy, delay digestion and give us a very important feeling of satiety , as well as having a low glycemic index (although this may be a questionable nuance).
When it comes to carbohydrates, it’s not just pasta and rice. They are options and each will provide a certain amount of carbohydrates and other nutrients. In this case, the best options are fresh fruit and vegetables and, if possible, in season.
Can you eat starches and flours?
Mentioning the word “flour” in a paleo circle will be synonymous with immediate expulsion
Foods that are denser in carbohydrates, such as rice and pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes ( sweet potatoes are perfect for paleo), cereals such as oats, wheat …, can be arranged in a healthy food structure .
As long as we do not have allergies, of course, and we opt, without eliminating gluten from the diet for no apparent reason
Myth of carbohydrate meals
A healthy option, which in principle most of the population would consider good, would be to follow the mythical pattern:
“Have breakfast like a king, have lunch re like a Prince, and Dine like a Beggar … “
And, exemplifying with food, we would be left with something like: …” whole grains for breakfast, we complement this carbohydrate intake with a meal that includes rice or pasta, minimize the consumption of carbohydrates in the snack and eliminate them completely at dinner … ”
Well, I’m sorry to tell you it’s not that cool and like our grandmothers told us. Furthermore, possibly and based on each person’s lifestyle, it could be that the reverse scheme was even more beneficial .
Why does the myth arise?
The explanation that almost everyone can imagine would be: “… if you don’t burn carbohydrates, they become fat …” and “… our metabolism slows down …” . However, it is known that carbohydrates must trace the metabolic pathway and be converted into fatty (a process known as Novo lipogenesis ) to be administered in certain conditions as well as being rare in humans.
The other reason is because insulin sensitivity is regulated by circadian rhythms (they control our internal or biological clock), in a a way that encourages our body to “work” more in the early hours of the day, to gradually reduce hormonal activity as we approach the night.
From there it was established that it is not possible to ingest carbohydrates after 18:00…
What if I am in a calorie deficit?
However, in a low calorie scenario , these premises could be left a bit in limbo, since if you spend more than you consume you will not gain weight … And on the other hand “… if I train in the afternoon and after training I eat carbohydrates …”
Debunking one of the most widespread myths in the fitness world: Can You Dine With Carbohydrates?
If you are an athlete do not deprive yourself of Carbohydrates
They should not be neglected and are a fundamental complement in the diet of any athlete
Although we need to know when to consume carbohydrates to optimize our goals, as well as control the quantities and qualities of this type of nutrient, especially if our goal is to maintain a certain weight for a category or we want to apply certain training strategies, such as training on an empty stomach.
What should a performance athlete eat?
How to take-the-Carbohydrates?
As we said, carbohydrates are fundamental in the diet of an athlete , as they clearly help to improve physical performance . In this sense, you can follow these guidelines as a recommendation and distribute carbohydrates throughout the day at these times:
Before Workout
Eat carbohydrates a few hours before exertion physical can also be vital, as it will allow us to maintain a high level of energy for a longer time. Additionally, these types of nutrients can be very helpful in maintaining mental performance, as various studies have shown that they promote focus, which can be essential for an athlete to improve their decision making and speed up their reactions.
In this case, we can take a type of carbohydrate that is digested slowly and provides us energy progressively , as in the case of oats.
During Training
One of their points in favor is that they delay physical fatigue, so it is often important to take them during sports , for example under form of isotonic drinks, to maintain energy reserves in our body and delay the onset of fatigue.
Through a combination of rapidly assimilated carbohydrates together with mineral salts we will guarantee the replacement of the mineral salt (hydration) and the continuous supply of glucose
After the Workout
Once you have finished physical activity, it is time to replenish energy and lose hydrates to promote recovery . Both foods and drinks with a high carbohydrate content promote muscle recovery by replenishing the levels of glucose and glycogen in our body, which will allow us to be prepared and to give our best in our next physical effort.
After training, one of the options we have available will be to eat a liquid meal of carbohydrates and proteins ?? , in a ratio of 2 a 1. amylopectin and whey isolate will be an excellent choice
Conclusion
As we have seen, we can conclude that the argument of the most appropriate time for carbohydrate intake, on the one hand, can go according to the time in which we perform physical activity , with the aim of maximizing performance and recovery; and on the other, from the nutritional point of view, maintaining an energy balance according to our goal, carbohydrates can be consumed with any meal.
