We live in an age where consumption of sugar and sweets has climbed to an all-time high and it's been associated with obesity and countless diseases such as diabetes and heart failure. But, what if we can actually consume sugar as part of a healthy diet and not store fat in the process?
Read on for the answer.
First, let me say that whole grains are a staple in any healthy and balanced diet. Foods such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread and sweet potatoes should be consumed on daily basis. These carb sources are low-glycemic, which means slow-digesting. They will supply the
body with a steady dose of blood sugar, while providing a sustained energy and satiation for a longer period of time. Not only that, but they contain fibers and they're rich in vitamins and minerals.
But there's a time of the day where simple sugars are a king. I'll let you in on the science:
Your body stores carbohydrates inside your muscles. After an intense workout session, the glycogen stored in those muscles is burned for energy and gets depleted. The body then starts to get into a catabolic state, which means it will start looking for source of energy inside of the body it can use. To prevent it from tapping into your muscle reserves and prevent muscle breakdown, we need to provide it, within 30 minutes after training, a supply of glucose to restore glycogen reserves and start the recovery process.
Intense training depletes muscle glycogen |
This is the time we need simple sugars, such as glucose, to have along our protein shake.
Simple sugars such as Skittles and Gummy Bears are a great option because they're mostly made of dextrose (another name for glucose).
smart post-workout nutrition: a small bag of skittles along with a protein shake |
Why not having some fruits instead?
Sugar in fruits is called fructose and this form of sugar is mostly low-glycemic, which means slow-digesting. What happens is that after consumption, it has to get into the liver and be processed before getting into the bloodstream, which takes time and makes it less than ideal to have after training (Only a small number of fruits is high-glycemic and suitable post-workout such as watermelon and dates).
While glucose on the other hand is like injecting sugar right into the bloodstream. it's not really processed by the liver so they're in there quick.
consuming glucose is like injecting sugar right into your bloodstream |
When the body detects that glucose, it secretes insulin which will cause an insulin spike, and that's exactly what we need after workout.
What is an insulin spike?
Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. What happens is that it drives glucose into our cells quickly.
so, that insulin spike is beneficial to let the glucose into the muscles quick while pushing essential nutritions like the amino acids consumed from a protein shake.
How much of a dose?
After a real vigorous training session, reward yourself with about one small bag of Skittles or 20-30 gummy bears. Enjoy it guilt-free, as it will help push nutrients to your muscles which is necessary for recovery and lean muscle development.
Skittles can be found at major supermarkets across Lebanon |
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