Carbohydrates as an energy- giving macronutrient
Carbohydrates are a material class of macronutrients that are important for the human organism and have a calorific value of 4.5 calories per gram. Carbohydrates are mainly used by the body for energy supply processes - for example muscle work , mental performance or transformation processes. The main difference between carbohydrates is the molecular chains they contain. Short-chain carbohydrates can be converted into energy more quickly by the body because they can be broken down more easily. In contrast, long-chain carbohydrates are more difficult to break down and therefore provide the body with long-lasting energy. Natural occurrences of the macronutrient carbohydrates in the normal diet can be found for example in whole grains , rice , pasta as well as potatoes and sugar . Since carbohydrates are an energy source that provides the necessary energy to build muscle , this is especially important for physically and mentally active people. Depending on the sporting activity, the recommended daily carbohydrate intake is 2 to 5 grams per kilogram of body weight . It is advisable to consume long-chain carbohydrates that do not cause the blood sugar level to rise excessively. Short-chain carbohydrates in the form of simple and dextrose can be metabolized particularly well by the body, but they cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and thus hunger. In addition to the supply of carbohydrates via the normal diet, food supplements also offer a variety of ways to supplement this macronutrient. Appropriate supplements are available either in powder form or in the form of finished drinks and can be ideally used as a high-energy snack.
› read more Use carbohydrates as a dietary supplement for muscle building and competitive sports
As a dietary supplement , carbohydrates are particularly good for building muscle and for gaining weight. Long-chain carbohydrates as a supplement are available, for example, in the form of instant oatmeal , which are available in powder form and can be easily added to shakes . There are also short-chain carbohydrates in the form of glucose or malt sugar , which can act as an important ingredient in post-workout shakes . After a training session, the body's glycogen stores are usually empty and have to be replenished to provide energy during the subsequent muscle regeneration. The utilization of carbohydrates works particularly well in a time window of 30 to 90 minutes after training. Simple sugar, glucose and malt sugar, all of which are short-chain carbohydrates, can be considered an important ingredient of the protein shake after training in this phase. So-called weight gainers , which usually contain a mixture of 20 to 30 percent proteins and 70 to 80 percent carbohydrates , are also popular here and can be used accordingly to gain weight. An even more rapid supply of energy, however, offer energy drinks or workout drinks that besides short-chain carbohydrates in the form of sugar and natural stimulants such as caffeine or taurine contained, its effect is intensified by the rapidly available carbohydrates even.
