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How quickly carbohydrates are metabolized
is measured by something called a
glycemic index.
A high glycemic index (large increase of serum glucose) means the
carbohydrates are metabolized quickly; a low index (relatively small
increase of serum glucose) means they are metabolized more slowly or
differently. Simple carbs are now categorized as those with a high
glycemic index (fruits, processed sugar), and complex carbs are
characterized by a low glycemic index (starches, cellulose). Carbs with
a low glycemic index provide their energy over a period of time, and
therefore have a kind of time-release effect.
Ice cream, because of the fat it contains,
has a relatively low glycemic index. The kind of rice you get in a
Chinese restaurant, has a surprisingly high glycemic index
.Carbohydrates are the easiest form of food for the body to convert into
energy. Once ingested, they are turned into glucose, which circulates in
the bloodstream and fuels muscular contraction, and glycogen, which is
stored in muscles and the liver for future use. Adequate supplies of
carbohydrates are essential for the serious bodybuilder for a number of
reasons:
1) Carbohydrates are a primary form of
energy. The carbohydrates stored in the muscles as glycogen are what
allow you to do heavy and intense bodybuilding training.
2) Muscle size increased when the body
stores glycogen and water in the individual muscle cells.
3) Carbohydrates in the body have a
"protein-sparing" effect, keeping the body from burning up excessive
protein for energy.
4) The carbohydrates glucose is the
main source of energy that fuels the functioning of the brain, and
deprivation can have severe effects on mood, personality, and mental
ability.
The reason that carbohydrates are so
important as fuel to intense bodybuilding training is that most workout
like this is anaerobic- that is, it takes place in short, intense bursts
and outruns the ability of the body to supply enough oxygen to sustain
the effort. But the structure of carbohydrates is such that they can
continue to fuel exercise for short periods in the absence of oxygen, So
when you do a hard set of bodybuilding training or run a 100-meter
sprint, the source of your energy for those efforts is primarily
carbohydrates.
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