Carbohydrates for competitions
Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in the muscle and liver. In order to best fill this store, a carbohydrate-based diet is recommended, particularly one to two days before exertion. During exertion, high-carb stores also assist performance and prevent premature fatigue.
Carbohydrates for muscle gain
Carbohydrates are also important when it comes to building muscle. Muscle gain is only possible through a greatly increased and regular supply of nutrients and calories. Carb-rich products provide an effective way of ensuring the necessary calorie surplus of around 500 kcal per day. Carbs provide the necessary energy for intensive training - a fundamental requirement for building muscle. After training, it is important to provide the body with the necessary nutrients in order to repair any micro-injuries to muscle tissue that are incurred during workouts, thereby allowing the muscle to grow.
Carbohydrates for body weight management
Various studies have shown that an energy-reduced diet with high-quality protein combined with exercising can lead to significant weight loss and positive changes in body shape. A further study backs up the long-term success in maintaining body weight if the glycaemic index (GI) is also lower. Low-GI foods include eggs, fish, meat, vegetables, salad, some fruit and nuts. Foods such as potatoes, pasta, sweets and some fruit juices have a high GI. It is definitely important to increase protein intake to have a healthier, more figure-conscious diet. Protein supplements such as shakes are ideal for this, as they are low in calories and at the same time contain very little fat.