CARBS GET A bad rap. With the exclusion of them in the majority of the most popular diets, it’s not surprising that most of us are reluctant to enjoy them. However, as we know, the key is moderation. Plus, high carb foods could be your new training superpower.
According to a review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, ‘one of the best ergogenic aids available for athletes and active individuals alike, is carbohydrate.’ Meaning, your pre-workout carbs could be the missing piece to the training results you’ve been longing for.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients in our diet and are an essential nutrient for our health and, of course, performance in the gym. The other macronutrients being protein and fat. High carb foods include pasta, oats, bread and various other starchy foods. As explained in an article published by Science Direct, after digestion and absorption, carbohydrate is metabolised to provide energy (4 calories per gram) or is stored in muscle and liver as glycogen. Glucose is an essential fuel for the brain and for some other cells, notably red blood cells.
To get the most out of your training it’s important to be eating a diet rich in carbohydrates. End of.
What foods are high in carbs?
While we don’t have to completely eliminate less nutrient dense versions of food from our diet, it’s important to moderate them. Less nutritionally dense food is less likely to fill us up for very long due to their low fibre content. As a result, many of us consume a higher amount of calories throughout the day – such as crisps, biscuits and so on.
An increase in the fibre contained in nutritious foods could support your physique goals. In a 2020 review published by nutrients, participants eating more fibre cut down on how often they ate and how much, resulting in weight loss. The researchers also found a positive relationship between fibre intake and several long-term illnesses.
With this in mind, it is best to focus on a diet that consists of these nutrient dense high carb foods when shopping in supermarkets:
- Whole grain carbohydrates like brown bread, pasta, rice and oats.
- Starchy vegetables and fruits like potatoes, bananas, parsnips and carrots.
- Legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils.
Alongside the rest of your varied and balanced diet.
What are good high carb foods for pre-workout?
For our pre-workout snack or meal, the inclusion of high carb foods could benefit performance. A review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition mentions that studies have routinely shown the ability of carbohydrate ingestion to maximise glycogen utilisation and promote carbohydrate oxidation. In other words, your high carb food choice pre-workout could help you push yourself more in your training session.
When choosing high carb foods for your pre-workout hit, it may be beneficial to focus on foods that are easier to digest. This might mean choosing foods that are lower in fibre for the purpose of improved performance without gastrointestinal disturbances (problems with digestion).
Some good choices of high carb foods for energy before training could be:
- Crackers or rice cakes
- Bananas
- Popcorn
- Cereal bars or cereal
Your own individual needs, exercise choice and length will ultimately determine the choice of food. But, for the majority, a light pre-workout snack of easy to digest carbs should be sufficient whilst managing overall sugar intake.
How many grams of carbohydrates should I eat a day?
According to the review published by the ISSN, the requirements for carbohydrates are as follows:
- General fitness: Individuals engaged in a general fitness program can typically meet macronutrient needs by consuming a normal diet including 45-55% carbohydrates (3-5 grams per kg of bodyweight a day)
- Moderate to intense training: Athletes involved in moderate and high volume training need greater amounts of carbohydrate in their diet. Athletes involved in moderate amounts of intense training (e.g. 2-3 hours per day of intense exercise performed 5-6 times per week) typically need to consume a diet consisting of 55-65% carbohydrate (5-8 grams per kg of bodyweight a day or 250 – 1,200 grams/day for 50 – 150 kg athlete) in order to maintain liver and muscle glycogen stores.
- Endurance training: Research has also shown that athletes involved in high volume intense training (e.g. 3-6 hours per day of intense training in 1-2 workouts for 5-6 days per week) may need to consume 8-10 grams/day of carbohydrate (400 – 1,500 grams a day for 50 – 150 kg athletes) in order to maintain muscle glycogen levels. This would be equivalent to consuming 0.5 – 2.0 kg of spaghetti.
18 best high carb foods
High carbohydrate foods are essential for your gym gains, here are the ones which will supercharge your sessions:
1. Rice
Rice takes the number one spot in the best high carb foods due to its 76.2 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams uncooked. It’s the preference of bodybuilders and a staple of many meal preppers. Depending on the variety of rice you include in your diet, you will also reap the benefits of fibre and several micronutrients. For example, brown rice is high in fibre and contains folate, riboflavin (B2), potassium, calcium and manganese. Fantastic for muscle gain goals, white rice can be a brilliant addition to your muscle building meal plan with it also containing manganese, iron and B vitamins (thiamin, niacin and riboflavin).
2. Pasta
Regardless of your preference of spaghetti, fusilli or penne, pasta packs a punch at 65 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams uncooked. When choosing brown variations you are also benefitting from additional fibre to aid your health and digestion. Along with iron zinc, copper, vitamin B, folic acid (folate) and magnesium.
3. Oats
Starting your day with oats is a great way to kick start your mornings. Oats contain 67 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. Overnight oats, porridge, muesli and even pancakes with blended oats are great options. They are rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making them a fantastic easy option to add to your meal prep.
4. Bread
Convenient to pack your bag with for a sandwich on the go, bread is a staple in many of our diets. If muscle gain is your goal, bread is a great choice with 49 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. Opting for brown and wholewheat variations will bolster your fibre intake to make you feel fuller for longer and benefit your health.
5. Potato
Potatoes are high in starch and very satiating when boiled. They contain 25 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams and are a great choice when enjoyed in moderation to achieve your weight loss goals due to how filling they are. Whether you include Maris pipers or sweet variations, both have great nutritional benefits. For example Maris piper potatoes are high in vitamin C and potassium, whereas sweet potatoes contain high amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, and manganese.
6. Quinoa
Quinoa is an underrated choice of high carb foods with 64.2 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. It is packed with magnesium, potassium, iron, folate and fibre. There is also an additional protein boost at 16.5 grams. You can add them in a salad for some variety in your lacklustre lunches.
7. Couscous
Couscous has a surprising amount of carbohydrates, with 72 grams per 100 grams making it a great post workout carb choice. With many recipes available to spice up your meal prep, it is a suitable addition to your lunch box as it can be enjoyed eaten hot or cold.
8. Buckwheat
Thrown into salads and eaten in soups, buckwheat is a satiating high carb food. It contains 33.5 grams per 100 grams uncooked making it a more moderate carb options. It is also high in fibre to keep you full and aid in digestion.
9. Bananas
Bananas are a firm favourite amongst gym goers and athletes alike, due to their fast releasing readily available energy at 23 grams per 100 grams. A study published in PLOS concluded that eating bananas before and during prolonged and intensive exercise are an effective strategy for supporting performance. Making them an even stronger contender amongst the top high carb foods to pack in your gym bag.
10. Dried fruit
Another great addition to your pre-workout snack routine. Dried fruit is a very high carb food source at 83 grams per 100 grams. Brilliant to power you through long hikes, runs and cycle rides, dried fruit enjoyed in moderation could supercharge your training goals. Keep an eye on the sugar content, whilst your weekend long runs will need it, desk jockey days may not.
11. Cereal
Breakfast cereals are often frowned upon due to their high sugar content, however when keeping an eye on the ingredients, they can be a useful addition to power up your performance. Corn flakes contain fast releasing carbs due to their low fibre content and contain a whopping 84 grams per 100 grams. For a higher fibre, slower releasing option, with additional health benefits, you could include bran flakes which include 67 grams per 100 grams.
12. Popcorn
This favourite snack to accompany your cinema trips contains 74 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. Another fast releasing carbohydrate that is easily digested, making it a great pre workout snack without the high calorie content.
13. Beans
Whilst beans contain a large amount of fibre and some protein, they are great sources of starchy carbohydrates. Baked beans are a convenient and cost effective choice at 15.5 grams of carbs per 100 grams and 64 grams in the tin.
14. Parsnips
Parsnips contain 18 grams per 100 grams of carbohydrates and carry additional health benefits to accompany your Sunday roast. High in potassium, vitamin C and B6/Folate, parsnips are a nutritious high fibre, high carb food.
15. Carrots
Containing 10 grams of carbs per 100 grams, carrots are a brilliant choice of high carb foods. Carrots also have nutritional benefits by being a good source of potassium, biotin, and vitamins A, K1 and B6.
16. Pineapple
Pineapple is high in fructose and could be an ideal superfood to power up your endurance training. According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it noted that pre exercise fructose can elevate liver glycogen and spare muscle glycogen, which can prolong exercise duration before fatiguing. There is also good evidence to indicate that the addition of fructose to the diet during ultra-endurance events can improve performance by 126%.
17. Chickpeas
Per 100 grams, chickpeas contain 13 grams of carbs along along with 7 grams of fibre. They’re also a helpful boost towards your protein goals with 7 grams per 100 grams. Great for topping salads, or add them to soups and stews for some more oomph in your pre-workout meals.
18. Crackers and rice cakes
In a pinch, crackers and rice cakes are great on the go before training or when you’re short on time and need to get out the door. Spread them with a protein source like low fat cheese for a decent pre-workout hit. At roughly 6 grams of carbohydrates per cracker, they’re a low fibre way of including carbs before your workout that are less likely to cause digestive issues.
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.
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