When is it better to take carbs: before or after training?

There are many theories about carbohydrate intake in our diet and, more so, if we do sport. In recent years, this food group has gained many detractors because of the emergence of protein diets that limit this type of food to the maximum.

However, carbohydrates are vital for our body, even more so if we exercise regularly. It is the food group that provides us with the most energy and is essential for our body to work at full capacity. However, when is it better to take carbs: before or after training? In this article, we will resolve your doubts so that you can feed yourself in a healthy way.

It’s better to eat carbohydrates BEFORE training

If you were wondering if it’s best to eat carbs before or after training, you should know that it’s best to take them first. Why is that? Because these foods give us a lot of energy that, later, the muscles will use to be able to perform physical activity with maximum performance.

In this sense, you should know that complex carbohydrates are the most recommended to eat before going to the gym. These foods will give us a lot of energy that will be released during training.

Why are carbohydrates good before training? Because they will help us improve the performance of our training, and so let’s work our muscles in a much more complete way. For this reason, training on an empty stomach is a practice that is NOT recommended if you want to optimize the results and if your working hours bear fruit.

When you finish training, it is recommended to take protein within an hour of exercising so that muscles can synthesize more, and the results look better in your body. But, for more visible results, ideally, after training you take proteins and simple carbohydrates. Yes: carbs again. This food is therefore perfect to take before and after training.

It’s good to eat carbs AFTER training

Yes, you read well. Carbohydrates are also recommended after training, as the body has spent glycogen reserves during physical exercise and therefore needs to replenish them for the body to work hard.

For this reason, it is recommended that you ingest simple carbohydrates within 45 minutes of training. Some athletes bet on drinks rich in carbohydrates and that are fast-digesting; but, if you can, the healthiest thing is to take some fruit, a rich source of simple carbohydrates that is highly recommended to improve your muscles. You can also opt for cereal bars or nuts, which are very nutritious and ideal options to replenish our body’s reserves.

If you consume carbohydrates after training, you will increase insulin in your body so that more nutrients reach the muscles. This will result in greater results, and your muscles will look stronger and more toned.

Then what’s better?

Carbohydrates should be part of your diet, especially if you do physical training. For you to organize a good diet and bet on healthy habits, you should consider the following:

Before training: take complex carbohydrates
After training, take protein and simple carbohydrates

If you are going to do a very long and intense workout, carbohydrates should also prolong the exercise. This is why cyclists or marathon runners always carry an energy bar made from carbohydrates.