Carbohydrates: Fuel for Your Cycling

By Edmund R. Burke, Ph.D. of Active.com
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Many cyclists consider sports bars and gels high in carbohydrates to be handy pre-ride snacks and a good source of calories during rides.

These energy sources help provide ample carbohydrates, with minimal amounts of fat and protein.

Many cyclists eat irregularly or skip meals due to the time constraints of work, social events and training. When you forgo meals, however, your blood glucose drops and you’re more likely to get the “bonk” on a ride.

Eating a high-carbohydrate sports bar an hour or so before cycling will help to maintain your blood glucose levels so that you can perform optimally.

Filling Up

High-carbohydrate foods such as sports bars, Fig Newtons, and bananas provide a feeling of “fullness” that you won’t get from drinking fluids or sucking down gels. Sports bars and gels purposely have a very low water content so that they can be compact and easily carried. By comparison, high-carbohydrate foods that have a high water content, such as bananas, take up more room.

For example, to get the amount of carbohydrate supplied by one Clif Bar (40 to 45 grams), you’d have to eat 1.5 bananas (45 grams). One gel packet supplies only slightly less carbohydrate (25 grams) than one banana (25 to 30 grams).