CARBOHYDRATE
& SPORTS PERFORMANCE
What is Carbohydrate and why do you need it?
Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred source of fuel for the
brain and muscles. Having adequate carbohydrate is important for
good health and is crucial for achieving maximum performance during
training and sports events.
CARBOHYDRATE CAN BE
CLASSIFIED AS:
1. SUGARS – These are typically used to
provide instant energy during exercise
and can be helpful for recovery. They can
be added sugars such as those found in
lollies, sports drinks, jam, sports gels and
fizzy drinks or they can be natural sugars
found in milk products, fruit and fruit juices.
Foods containing natural sugars often
have the advantage of providing the
body with other important nutrients such
as calcium or fibre and not just kilojoules
alone.
2. STARCHES – These are made up of
many sugars joined together. Starchy
foods typically make up the base of
meals and snacks which is especially
important for active people. The rate
at which these lengthy sugar chains
are broken down is classified by the
glycemic index (refer to GI nutrition
advice sheet for more information).
Examples of starchy foods include:
bread, wraps, muffins, pasta, rice,
potatoes, cereals, kumara, taro, green
bananas and oats.
HOW MUCH DO YOU
NEED?
The quantity and type of carbohydrate
you need will depend on your weight,
body composition and your specific
training goals as well as the duration and
intensity of your training sessions. When
you are very active, it is useful to work out
the amount that you need based on the
number of grams of carbohydrate per
kilogram of your body weight i.e. g/kg.
When you know roughly how much carbohydrate you need
each day, you can then plan to divide the total amount into
different meals and snacks, as well as including some for longer
training sessions. This is a rough guide as to how much carbohydrate
you may need for different levels of activity and various situations:*
CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE
TARGETS (g PER KG OF
ATHLETE’S BODY MASS)
TRAINING
LOAD
Light
Low intensity or
skill-based activities
3-5 g/kg/d
Moderate
Moderate exercise
program
(i.e. -1 hour per day)
5-7 g/kg/d
High
Endurance program
(e.g. 1-3 hours per
day of mod-highintensity exercise)
6-10 g/kg/d
Very High
Extreme
commitment (i.e. at
least 4-5 hours per
day of mod-highintensity exercise
8-12 g/kg/d
For example:
A 60kg cyclist doing intense, endurance style training, 6 days per week is likely to
need between 6-10g of carbohydrate per kg:
60 x 6 = 360g or 60 x10 = 600g/day » therefore needs between 360-600g/day
An 85kg golf player, training for about an hour 6 days per week is likely to need 5-7g/kg:
85 x 5 = 425g or 85 x7 = 595g » therefore needs between 425-595g/day
A sports nutritionist or dietitian will be able to determine your exact needs and can
show you how to spread your carbohydrate intake throughout your day
By Nutritionist Claire Turnbull - www.claireturnbull.co.nz
The following is an example of how to
tailor your carbohydrate intake around
your training schedule.
BEFORE EXERCISE
Ideally include a low fat, carbohydrate
rich meal or snack 1-4 hours before
exercise to provide fuel for the training
session.* The exact time of this meal will
vary depending on individual
preference and the type/intensity of
training. Carbohydrate rich foods
which release energy slowly (low GI)
may be helpful as part of this meal or
snack. Examples include: HOT OATS with
berries, GRAINY TOAST with poached
eggs, PASTA in a tomato sauce with
shredded chicken.
For those who train very early in the
morning, or find a lighter snack works
better for them before training, cereal
bars, fruit and low fat yoghurt, creamed
rice and smoothies are suitable.
DURING EXERCISE
In aerobic exercise, the primary fuel
used is carbohydrate. Initially, your body
will start to use carbohydrate that is
circulating in the blood. After this, your
body will have to rely on carbohydrate
stores (glycogen) from the liver and
muscles. In total, these fuel sources can
only last between 60-90 minutes.
So, if you are doing any training or
an event longer than 60 minutes
duration, you will need to have some
carbohydrate at regular intervals during
your session.
Less than 60 mins
– no extra carbohydrate needed
Over 60-90mins
– aim for 30-60g carbohydrate/hour*
In low intensity exercise or when solid
food is required, fruit and cereal bars
provide additional carbohydrate. During
intense exercise, sports drinks and gels
taken with water may be more suitable.
AFTER EXERCISE
After training or an event your body
needs carbohydrate to recover and
help replenish glycogen stores which
are likely to have become depleted.
When you are training at a recreational
level, it is ideal to have a recovery
snack as soon as possible after exercise
which contains both carbohydrate and
protein.
Some great ideas include:
- Muesli bar and a glass of low fat milk/
or flavoured milk
- Banana and low fat yoghurt
- Smoothie with fruit, low fat milk,
yoghurt and honey
- Liquid breakfast drink
- MILO with trim milk and a piece of fruit
- Creamed rice
If you are doing very high intensity
exercise and/or do training twice
or more each day, you will need a
recovery snack which is more rapidly
absorbed than the ideas above
immediately after training
to increase the speed of recovery. This
is where a sports drink, sports gel or jelly
beans might be appropriate.
This needs to be followed up with a high
carbohydrate meal as well.
HOW CAN I CHECK THE
AMOUNT OF CARBOHYDRATE
I EAT EACH DAY?
The list to the right shows you the
carbohydrate content of some
common foods. Each serving is
equivalent to 20g of carbohydrate. You
can use this information to help plan a
daily menu or to work out how much
you need to be eating, before, during
and after exercise. Check food labels
to help you work out the carbohydrate
content of other foods you eat regularly.
*Louise Burke et al, 2011. Carbohydrates for training
and competition, Journal of Sports Sciences.
FOOD PORTIONS PROVIDING
APPROXIMATELY 20g OF
CARBOHYDRATE:**
BREAD AND BAKED PRODUCTS
1 thick slice of bread
5 cream crackers
2 thin slices of bread
5 Ryvita crackers
½ long bread roll
½ pita bread
½ fruit bun or bagel
1 muesli bar
1 crumpet or English muffin
1 small muffin/scone
1 tortilla wrap
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND GRAINS
1 cup light or flaky cereals e.g. corn
flakes or rice bubbles
Breakfast cereal
1 cup cooked hot oats
½ cup All-Bran
½ cup muesli
½ cup cooked pasta/noodles/rice
2 cups plain popcorn
VEGETABLES
1 cup soya beans (edamame)
½ cup yams or cooked lentils
1¼ cups peas
1¼ cups mixed vegetables/beetroot
1 cup pumpkin
½ cup kidney, chili, baked beans
or chickpeas
FRUIT
1 medium banana
2 large apricots
1 apple/pear/peach/orange
12 strawberries
20 grapes/cherries
1 cup stewed/canned fruit
6 dates/prunes
3 dried figs
2 tbsp sultanas/raisins
8 dried apricot halves
1 thick slice pineapple
2½ cups watermelon
DAIRY PRODUCTS
400ml plain milk/1 cup flavoured milk
300ml plain yoghurt
2 scoops icecream/frozen yoghurt
200ml fruit yoghurt
SWEET FOODS
1 cup sports drink (250ml)
10 jelly beans
2 tbsp MILO
½ -1 sports gel
200ml unsweetened fruit juice,
cordial or soft drink
1 ice block
1 tbsp honey/jam/syrup
**Sports Nutrition for New Zealand Athletes and
Coaches, J. Pearce, I. Hellemans & N. Rehner,
Raupo Publishing, 2002.
By Nutritionist Claire Turnbull - www.claireturnbull.co.nz
For more information and to obtain further copies
of any of the Eating for Your Sport Nutrition Advice
sheets, visit www.nutrition.nestle.co.nz
or www.autmillennium.org.nz/nutrition
© Nestlé New Zealand Limited &
AUT Millennium. Issued September 2014