So no time for a cosy coffee break during training. But even if we just reach for a bar, this sometimes takes up far too much of our precious time during exercise. Opening the packet, taking a bite, chewing, swallowing - until the bar has been eaten. This can take far too long for the impatient.
So what's the alternative to replenish energy reserves that are running low? The perfect solution is - liquid! Drinks containing carbohydrates fulfil several objectives at once: Saving time, hydrating and energising.
If you often don't have time for an extended snack during sport, top up your energy levels with a drink that contains carbohydrates. In the following article, you will learn lots of interesting facts about carbohydrates in sports drinks.
Carbohydrates provide the body with the energy it needs
Even when we are in the land of dreams in a cosy state of rest, our body consumes energy. It actually does this around the clock, 24 hours a day. A very large proportion of this energy is used to maintain the body's basal metabolic rate.
This includes the functions of our body that we generally do not consciously control. Without us actively doing anything, we breathe, our heart beats, our body maintains a constant temperature and our metabolism functions as it should.
Of course, the body doesn't just get the nutrients it needs from carbohydrates. Proteins and fats also contribute, as do vitamins and minerals. We find these important elements in plant and animal foods, which we consume in various forms.
Once the food enters the digestive tract via the mouth, the carbohydrates, fats and proteins are broken down there. The vital nutrients - in the truest sense of the word - are then transported to the individual cells of the body via the blood.
Carbohydrates: What exactly are they?
In a balanced diet, carbohydrates make up the largest part of our food in terms of volume. They provide the energy we need, especially when we exercise. And we do this extensively during sport.
Carbohydrates consist of sugar molecules. We need them both for our brain to function and for our muscles to work. But don't let the term "sugar molecule" mislead you. Foods that contain carbohydrates are not automatically sweet in flavour.
Carbohydrates are found, for example, in potatoes, rice, vegetables and products made from cereal flour such as pasta and bread. Fruit - some varieties more than others - also contains carbohydrates due to the sugar in it. Grapes, bananas and even lychees have a significantly higher sugar content than strawberries or limes, for example.
The body stores the carbohydrates it receives in the form of glycogen. Around two thirds of this is stored in the muscles, the remaining third in the liver. During physical exertion, the body draws on this glycogen store, which in turn can - and must - be replenished by consuming the carbohydrates in food.
Carbohydrates: monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides
For a healthy diet - which, according to the relevant scientific recommendations, should consist of at least 50 per cent carbohydrates - it is better to choose the complex variety. While simple carbohydrates tend to lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, complex carbohydrates keep you full for longer.
Carbohydrates are also known as saccharides and are organic chemical compounds. Saccharides are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. The chain of carbon atoms is shortest in the so-called monosaccharides (simple sugars) - they have at least three carbon atoms as the basic structure. Monosaccharides are found in foods such as honey, fruit and sweets as fructose (fruit sugar) or glucose (grape sugar).
Disaccharides (disaccharides) are formed by dehydration between two monosaccharides. For example, sucrose is formed when glucose and fructose form a compound. Industrially produced cane sugar and beet sugar are representatives of disaccharides, as is lactose. The disaccharide is also found in fruit and vegetable juices and is mainly used to sweeten our food. However, it is not an essential part of our diet.
At least eleven monosaccharides are combined in polysaccharides (polysaccharides). Examples of polysaccharides are starch, pectins and cellulose. They are found in potatoes, cereals and pulses, among other things. Polysaccharides must first be broken down in the digestive tract after ingestion, which leads to a significantly slower rise in blood sugar levels.
The intake of complex carbohydrates leads to a long-lasting feeling of satiety. They also contain a lot of fibre and minerals. They have a positive effect on the stomach and intestines and are known to lower cholesterol levels.
Sports drinks with carbohydrates - the perfect snack between meals
Every sportsman and sportswoman knows how important the right nutrition is for successful training. Gym and cream cake are just as incompatible as competition and fast food. Superfood is better. And if you're looking for a quick energy boost between meals, you usually don't want to eat anything that will distract you from your training goal for too long.
Drinks with carbohydrates are not only useful for providing the necessary power during sport because they supply energy. After all, they also provide you with hydration at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.
Take a short break, open the screw cap and enjoy the delicious flavour. And then you can continue at full speed. There are even situations where you don't even have to stop what you're doing! The treadmill, for example.
Incidentally, a drink containing carbohydrates is also great for before and after training. The drinks provide the body with a good portion of energy before exercise to prepare it for the effort ahead.
And after a strenuous workout, they help to rebuild glycogen stores. Whether in preparation for or after your usual training or a competition - these drinks are as practical as they are helpful.
Carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves
We draw around 70 per cent of our energy from carbohydrates. They are the main source of the energy we need for our muscles and brain. Give your body this welcome power - it will thank you for it.
Drinks with carbohydrates are the practical alternative to solid food supplements. Of course, you can also combine the two perfectly. Biting into a crunchy bar is just as much fun as putting a small drinking bottle to your thirsty lips.
Treat yourself to an extra portion of energy during your strenuous workout - and ideally before and after too. The drinks with carbohydrates are available in different flavours. There is something to suit every palate. They are always delicious.
Incidentally, we also recommend consuming the drinks during non-training periods. They are a fantastic addition to your meals on the way to the body you are working towards. Good luck with that!
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