when is the best time to eat carbs?

When you want them and they fit into your calories for the day. Simple!

Some people will tell you that it doesn't matter when and others will tell you right after your workout. It's up to you to decide for yourself.

2.03 am till 2.07am

That was to cwolfman's comment.

So, they truly aren't the devil? I was put on a low carb plan- 80 g or less per day- and I simply hate it. I don't like depriving myself like that and I find that I can't stick to the plan. Could you explain to me your thinking about the carbs and losing weight. The calculator on here gives me much higher carb allowance and I feel so much better about eating healthy. I do still watch the carbs though but not so extreme.

Any info would be great.

Unless a doctor has put you a low carb diet due to a medical condition, you can eat as many carbs as you want as long as you meet your minimum fat and protein goals. There are some links that I can't link because I am on mobile but I believe they are in the getting started area as permanent links.

The only time to have carbs is whenever you decide you want some. It doesn't matter one bit for the average joe looking to make some gains when you eat them. Just make sure your calories and macros fit your goals. Meaning, if you are trying to lose weight, eat in a caloric deficit. Wanting to gain, eat at a caloric surplus. Neither of those need to be very large deficits or surpluses either. All of this is based on you not having any health issues. Good day. I SAID GOOD DAY! :laugh: :happy:

I'm not an expert on nutrition, but since I have type 1 diabetes and have to manage insulin (including timing), I do have a better than normal sense of how long it takes to digest and get glucose out of food.

Carbs - Pretty much right away they start going into the bloodstream as glucose (as in 15 min.-30 min.), depending on the type, and can last for up to a few hours. Sugar is faster than oatmeal, for example.
Protein - This can take 1.5 - 5 hours, and is not a huge release, but slower and more sustaining.
Fat - This can take up to 12 hours to release.

Carbs that are surrounded by protein and soaked in fat (pizza, for example) can take much longer to extract glucose.

With that said, I've always laughed that, when I was growing up, the high school football team would be given a huge spaghetti dinner 24 hours before a big game. Those carbs are gone long before the game....

Anyway, it seems to me that the ideal plan would be to eat carbs at every meal, more protein and fat in the morning, protein and fat again at lunch (more protein than fat), and just carbs (maybe some protein, but limited) for the evening meal (unless you are planning to be active for 5 hours afterwards.

When you are hungry for them. Fit into your daily allowance and before 7:00 or three hours before bedtime.

What happens after 7?

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I eat mine with every meal.......unless you're diabetic it doesn't really matter. A carb consumed at 5:00AM is the same as a carb consumed at 10:00PM (1 g carbohydrates = 4 cal 24/7)

With that said, I've always laughed that, when I was growing up, the high school football team would be given a huge spaghetti dinner 24 hours before a big game. Those carbs are gone long before the game...

You're mistaken.........carbs get stored in muscle tissue and your liver as glycogen. What do you think runners and other endurance athletes rely on to fuel their activities?

When you are hungry for them. Fit into your daily allowance and before 7:00 or three hours before bedtime.

So what happens if I eat carbs 15 minutes before bedtime?