Why is correct nutrition so important?
Ok folks, let’s talk fuelling up. After all, who doesn’t love a good evening of carb loading the night before a big run or ride?
Carbs are the the go-to before a long endurance session as they’re the ideal energy source for our bodies. This is because they can be converted more easily than protein or fats into glucose, which is the main form of sugar that's transported and used by the body. This is often considered to be our primary energy source.
During our regular daily activities, carbs and fat help to keep our energy levels up. As we increase the intensity of our activities, the contribution of energy from fats diminishes and the carbohydrate contribution increases. That's why VALA includes high carb ingredients, such as maple syrup and dates. Consuming a concentrated hit of carbs via an energy gel allows the body to quickly convert the glucose into energy, resulting in us having more energy to do our chosen exercise.
When choosing carbohydrates to fuel up your exercise, always opt for complex wholegrain carbs. These include wholewheat bread and pasta, quinoa, brown rice, oats, sweet potato and kidney beans. If you want to brighten up your porridge, try a drizzle of VALA over the top for a sweet hit too.
It’s always best to choose complex carbs, as they’ll provide sustained energy over a longer period of time. It takes longer for the body to break these down than refined simple carbs like white bread, white pasta, biscuits and rice cakes, which provide a quick spike and crash in blood sugar.
Although carbs are an ideal source of energy, consuming too much of them can sometimes upset the body's delicate blood sugar level and result in tiredness and irritability. It's often recommended to balance the intake of carbs with protein, fat and fibre in order to keep blood sugar levels stable.
If in doubt, speak to a registered sports dietician to find out more information and get a nutrition plan that is tailor made for your requirement. I’d highly recommend friend of VALA @victoriaprendiville, who has a wealth of sports nutrition knowledge!
Carbs are the the go-to before a long endurance session as they’re the ideal energy source for our bodies. This is because they can be converted more easily than protein or fats into glucose, which is the main form of sugar that's transported and used by the body. This is often considered to be our primary energy source.
During our regular daily activities, carbs and fat help to keep our energy levels up. As we increase the intensity of our activities, the contribution of energy from fats diminishes and the carbohydrate contribution increases. That's why VALA includes high carb ingredients, such as maple syrup and dates. Consuming a concentrated hit of carbs via an energy gel allows the body to quickly convert the glucose into energy, resulting in us having more energy to do our chosen exercise.
When choosing carbohydrates to fuel up your exercise, always opt for complex wholegrain carbs. These include wholewheat bread and pasta, quinoa, brown rice, oats, sweet potato and kidney beans. If you want to brighten up your porridge, try a drizzle of VALA over the top for a sweet hit too.
It’s always best to choose complex carbs, as they’ll provide sustained energy over a longer period of time. It takes longer for the body to break these down than refined simple carbs like white bread, white pasta, biscuits and rice cakes, which provide a quick spike and crash in blood sugar.
Although carbs are an ideal source of energy, consuming too much of them can sometimes upset the body's delicate blood sugar level and result in tiredness and irritability. It's often recommended to balance the intake of carbs with protein, fat and fibre in order to keep blood sugar levels stable.
If in doubt, speak to a registered sports dietician to find out more information and get a nutrition plan that is tailor made for your requirement. I’d highly recommend friend of VALA @victoriaprendiville, who has a wealth of sports nutrition knowledge!