When and how much carbohydrate is needed
Q. When and how much carbohydrate is needed?
Answer.
Before exercise
- A meal 2 to 4 hours before exercise which should include 60-120g of carbohydrates as part of total energy. See carbohydrate content of food table.
- Food intake 1 to 2 hours prior to exercise should be light and easy to digest. At this time the key is to prevent hunger and indigestion.
- Less than 1 hour and immediately before exercise to prevent hunger, sports drinks, moist fruits and dilute juices would be more tolerable.
During exercises and races
If exercise duration is longer than 90 minutes, eating carbohydrates after the first 30 minutes permits longer and more intense exercise. The recommended amount of carbohydrates to be ingested is about 15-30 g every half hour depending on the type of exercise and intensity. Tolerance of carbohydrate intake can vary according to individuals. Therefore, it is best to experiment with carbohydrate supplementation forms during non-critical training sessions.
