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Carbohydrates are the most effective energy providers (with or without the help of oxygen). They also make food taste delicious and are a basis for mental and physical fitness. Nutritionists differentiate between two kinds of carbohydrates:
Simple carbs include:
- sucrose ("normal" table sugar used in most households)
- dextrose (also called glucose or grape sugar which is often used in tablet form as workout supplements)
- fructose (found in most fruits, honey, and some vegetables).
Complex carbs are found in starch-based food like potatoes, pasta or breads. Since starch has to be broken down into smaller molecules, complex carbs take a bit longer to provide energy.
During metabolism, carbs are converted into large molecules called glycogen, which are stored in muscles and in parts of the liver. Muscle glycogen contains most of the body's ATP. Athletes can store up to 900 grams of glycogen in muscles, which is equivalent to 3600 kcal.
Marathon runners, in particular, "load up" on carbs before the race. First, they deplete the glycogen reserves during major training runs and fill them up again over the next three days without much physical activity. This way the muscles' glycogen storage capacity can be increased threefold. When runners deplete their glycogen reserves during a race, they may experience the so-called "bonk:" their mental concentration fades, the body starts to shake, and the runner feels dizzy. Many top athletes have lost competitive races because of a "bonk." That's why they have to take in sufficient carbohydrates before and during the race.
Amount of carbohydrates contained in 100 grams of the following foods:
- Corn Flakes: 80
- Pasta: 70
- Müsli/Granola: 62
- Whole Wheat breads: 41
- Bananas: 20
- Potatoes: 16
- Cola Soft drink: 11
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