Carbohydrates - of which sugars?

[Lien Sdrawde]

I'm rubbish with nutritional stuff - with carbohydrates ' of which sugars' is a higher a mount better for cyclists or the lower amount?

I ask cos I've just compared Bassets Jelly Babies to Haribo and the Shot Blocks and found cost per unit 100g is worth exploring for me. :-)

 

[Randomnerd]

You need to get out more, mate.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm rubbish with nutritional stuff - with carbohydrates ' of which sugars' is a higher a mount better for cyclists or the lower amount?

I ask cos I've just compared Bassets Jelly Babies to Haribo and the Shot Blocks and found cost per unit 100g is worth exploring for me. :-)

Depends...
If you need an instant hit, you want a higher amount of sugar. For longer term release you want less sugars as a percentage of the carbs.
My advice? Eat real food and buy cheap and cheerful Dextrosol tabs for instant boosts...

 

[Milzy]

I'm rubbish with nutritional stuff - with carbohydrates ' of which sugars' is a higher a mount better for cyclists or the lower amount?

I ask cos I've just compared Bassets Jelly Babies to Haribo and the Shot Blocks and found cost per unit 100g is worth exploring for me. :-)

The shot blocks are a much slower release. I used to use them in my marathon days.

 

[mgs315]

I tend to go for low sugar. Even for an energy hit my gels are 36g carb per 100g but only 1 gram of sugar. Slow release stuff like Porridge is the same too. Then again I’m a boring farker who eats chicken salad most days.

Having said that higher sugar things like bananas or the odd Haribo on a long ride make me feel better.

 

[Fonze]

Orange jelly babies are better for you, they contain vitamin C in extra high doses ..

 

[Blue Hills]

nd buy cheap and cheerful Dextrosol tabs for instant boosts...

Had never heard of them. They sound interesting.
Are they good for dropping in water bottles?
Do you have a preferred/handy source/supplier?

My current source of quick sugar is lidl wine gums but these may be more compact and handier for my longer rides.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Had never heard of them. They sound interesting.
Are they good for dropping in water bottles?
Do you have a preferred/handy source/supplier?

My current source of quick sugar is lidl wine gums but these may be more compact and handier for my longer rides.

They are called ‘Dextrosol’, you can find them in supermarkets and chemists. Break in half to put in a water bottle as they dissolve quicker. They tend not to go sticky either.

 

[400bhp]

Just reading “faster” by Michael Hutchinson (great read by the way). I’m on the chapter about diet. Interesting stuff and I’m learning a little.

Answer seems to be it depends. Certainly if your doing riding around threshold (racing I suppose) then your carb intake is key whilst riding. Longer distance appears to be more of a fat reliance.

But it’s complicated. Sorry.

 

[Alan O]

Longer distance appears to be more of a fat reliance.

Ooh, that'll be why I'm so good at distance

 

[keithmac]

Is that not when people hit "the wall", all carb energy stores depleted and body has to start metabolising fat?.

Could be wrong mind..

 

[confusedcyclist]

Is that not when people hit "the wall", all carb energy stores depleted and body has to start metabolising fat?.

Could be wrong mind..

Yes, if you are burning muscle glycogen faster than your body can regenerate it, you will bonk. Well trained athletes can go for around two hours of 'moderate' intensity exercise, because fat is also being metabolised to supplement muscle glycogen. It's a bit like living off your salary (fat), whilst also dipping into savings (glycogen) to cover your monthly expenses, eventually you'll run out of savings, and you'll have to live on your salary (fat) alone. You won't be able to utilize refined sugars fast enough, its dangerous to leave it floating around in your blood, so it will get converted to fat, even whilst riding, but if you concentrate on eating 'real' food you'll likely release glycogen into the blood more slowly and you'll boost your 'savings' meaning you can work harder for longer, or to continue the analogy, spend more for longer.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Yes, if you are burning muscle glycogen faster than your body can regenerate it, you will bonk. Well trained athletes can go for around two hours of 'moderate' intensity exercise, because fat is also being metabolised to supplement muscle glycogen. It's a bit like living off your salary (fat), whilst also dipping into savings (glycogen) to cover your monthly expenses, eventually you'll run out of savings, and you'll have to live on your salary (fat) alone. You won't be able to utilize refined sugars fast enough, its dangerous to leave it floating around in your blood, so it will get converted to fat, even whilst riding, but if you concentrate on eating 'real' food you'll likely release glycogen into the blood more slowly and you'll boost your 'savings' meaning you can work harder for longer, or to continue the analogy, spend more for longer.

If you’ve depleted your glycogen store, any glucose sugar in your blood will be used directly by your brain first and formost (it can’t run directly on fat), the rest will be prioritised for glycogen replenishment not fat.
Muscles can’t use sugar from the blood unless converted to glycogen first.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Thanks for the clarification, I could do with brushing up on the topic!

 

[Fab Foodie]

I recommend this book too. Funny and informative.

On the subject of metabolism, what it taught me was: It's really complicated. If someone has a simplified explanation: it's probably going to be at least partially wrong.

Correct!