Indeed, there are only two periods in the day when it is advisable to consume simple carbohydrates: in the morning when you wake up and after training. First, when you get up in the morning, your body needs a certain amount of energy to activate, and it is best to consume simple carbohydrates and proteins that are easily digested. If you plan to do cardio training, skip the carb intake and drink a small protein shake and this way you will be consuming fats as an energy source rather than carbs. When you're done with cardio, get carbs and protein in your body.
So, as you may have already read, the second period of the day, when the right time for simple carbs is the post-workout period. This is the period when the recovery phase begins, the process of muscle growth and regeneration. The body consumes a large part of glycogen and glucose during training and therefore needs carbohydrate intake to compensate for the energy expended and to begin the complete process of muscle recovery.
During training, muscles work hard and consume glucose (useful energy) and glycogen (stored energy) as fuel for energy. Because of that, it happens that the levels of glucose and glycogen in the blood become so low that it is impossible to continue exercising. There is simply not enough energy needed for the muscles to continue working. Thus, cotisol, a hormone that has a catabolic and stressful effect on the body, is secreted. This hormone eats muscle tissue and converts it into glucose, followed by the process of gluconeogenesis, more precisely the production of glucose in the liver, and the result is the loss of muscle tissue.
Shake after training prevents a scenario like this from happening. It allows the secretion of insulin, which, as most of you know, is one of the anabolic hormones in the body (especially if you are a natural exerciser and want maximum release of all your body's anabolic hormones by all methods).
So whey> protein is your best source of protein at the time due to easy absorption, but what is the best source of carbohydrates? We want a high glycemic source of carbohydrates. This term refers to carbohydrates with a high glycemic index (from 70 to more). The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly food raises blood sugar levels, and thus insulin levels. It is best to consume foods with a low glycemic index (55 and below) that do not raise insulin to a high level. But after training we need the opposite situation.
During this period, it is crucial to get carbohydrates and proteins into muscle cells as quickly as possible. Higher insulin levels will help move nutrients to muscle cells, delivering nutrients to hungry muscles. High glycemic carbohydrates are best for this purpose.
Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates, better known as simple sugars, are mostly present in fruits and milk, as well as in other foods.
The two main types of sugar are:
- Monosaccharides - consist of one sugar molecule
- Disaccharides - consist of two sugar molecules
Monosaccharides
Fructose - fruit sugar. Its glycemic index is only 11 per 25 gram serving. This means that it is digested slowly and does not stimulate insulin secretion to a significant extent, which means that fruit is not the best source of carbohydrates after training.
Dextrose - also known as glucose. It has a glycemic index of 96 per 50 gram serving. So, it is one of the most commonly used sugars in a post-workout meal. Dextrose is a good choice, but some exercisers gain weight after consumption because they cannot determine the right ratio that is optimal for a post-workout meal.
Disaccharides
Sucrose - common table sugar. It is composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose.It has a glycemic index of 60 per 25 gram serving
Lactose - milk sugar. It has a glycemic index of 48 per 25 gram serving.
As you can see, apart from dextrose, most of these sugars are not the most ideal choice for a post-workout shake.
Complex carbohydrates
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate derived from rice, corn or potato starch, and its molecular chain is shorter than other complex carbohydrates. It consists of loosely bound glucose molecules and, like dextrose, is directly absorbed in the digestive tract. It raises blood sugar and insulin levels as much as dextrose.Before maltodextrin is used, it must pass through the liver to break down the bonds between glucose molecules. It takes more time than dextrose to replenish glycogen stores, because it takes longer to digest. However, his metabolism is slower so there will be no rapid drop in blood sugar and insulin, which happens after dextrose is consumed. It is not a supercharger of unnecessary excess fat deposits, so it is a common choice for exercisers.
Two good options
So we have two good options: dextrose and maltodextrin. You can try each one individually and see which one suits you best, but what has shown the best results is their combination in a 50:50 ratio. This makes sense because dextrose consumption alone can be inferior for several reasons.Studies have shown that gastric emptying (the process of digesting and emptying food from the stomach) slows down when the concentration of dissolved particles in the solution increases (osmolarity). Dextrose will increase osmolarity and thus slow down gastric emptying. Combining dextrose with a glucose polymer (processed in the form of complex carbohydrates, in this case maltodextrin) enables digestion without slowing down the process. So, this combination will optimize glycogen replenishment, hydration and performance.
Optimal ratio
When it comes to the optimal ratio of protein and carbohydrates, training intensity and weight are two key factors. Most sources recommend 0.5 grams (definition phase) to 1 gram (gaining muscle mass) per kilogram of body weight.
Protein should be in a ratio of 2: 1, which means if you weigh 75 kilograms, in the definition phase you should take 42 grams of carbohydrates and 21 grams of protein, while in the phase of gaining muscle mass you should take 85 grams of carbohydrates and 43 grams protein. A meal rich in this ratio of protein and carbohydrates, of course, depending on whether you worked on the definition or gaining weight, consume within 30 minutes after training, and an hour after consuming shake eat one quality meal.
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