Carbs

I find quite a few people on the boards really have no clue what a simple or complex carb actually is. Here's a very brief, hopefully simple explanation.

Carbohydrates are sugars and starches which are the primary source of fuel for the body. Your body uses carbohydrates found in food and turns this into energy, the energy from carbohydrates are broken down and stored as glucose in the body.

There are several good sources of carbohydrates, but before I give you a basic list you should know that there are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates (sometimes referred to as simple sugars) are found naturally in fruits, milk and milk products and also found in processed foods such as candy, cakes, chocolate etc.

Simple carbohydrates are chemically made of one or two sugars, simple carbohydrates are quickly digested into the bloodstream, which causes your blood sugar levels to rise quite rapidly. Have you ever noticed some runners will eat a chocolate bar or sports drink while running? It's because the simple carbohydrates are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, creating energy within minutes, not hours.

Complex carbohydrates are found in wholemeal breads, muesli, brown rice, oats, wholegrain pastas, potatoes etc.

Complex carbohydrates are chains of three or more single sugar molecules linked together. Complex carbohydrates are broken down more slowly compared to simple carbohydrates and thus provide a steadier stream of energy throughout the day.

To put it simply you should stick to a diet that consists mainly of complex carbohydrates as there will be healthier foods with a greater nutrition value. Obviously you can consume fruits even though they contain simple carbohydrates, just try to avoid as much as possible the “bad” simple carbohydrates which are candies, chocolates, cola drinks etc.

There are 4 calories in every gram (g) of carbohydrate, so if you are consuming food that has 10g of carbohydrate it means you have consumed 40 calories (4 calories x 10g = 40 calories).

If you are serious about building muscle you must ensure you receive enough energy from carbohydrates to cope with all strenuous weight lifting, remember it’s all well and good getting adequate protein intake to repair and build muscles after a workout, but if you don’t receive adequate carbohydrate intake you won’t have the energy to train several times per week to a high intensity.

Carbohydrates should be consumed throughout the day, however there are certain times that consuming carbohydrates will be advantageous, such as for breakfast when you need the most amount of calories to recover your energy after sleeping and also in your pre and post workout meals.