Intake During Exercise
A mental image of someone eating a bowl of spaghetti while running a marathon may pop into your head when thinking of intake during exercise. Intake during exercise seems counter-intuitive. After all, why would you want to eat in the middle of exercise? However, intake during exercise usually pertains to foods that can help provide that energy boost you need to finish a marathon, in a simple to consume package.
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One common item that athletes use to boost performance during exercise is Gatorade. Gatorade comes in a variety of forms nowadays, including liquids, gels, and chews. Riska Platt (M.S., RDN) recommends making a "pit stop" during extended workouts, suggesting small snacks such as a banana and granola bars (American Heart Association 2015).
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These items have some things in common. Besides being easy to transport and consume, all of these items contain a substantial amount of carbohydrates and electrolytes. Carbohydrates are the backbone of what your body uses for fuel, and proper electrolyte balance ensures proper muscle function.
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During exercise, you body uses up glucose, or sugar, as fuel. As exercise continues, your blood glucose drops and can cause fatigue. To avoid this, glucose must be replenished. A study conducted by Asker Jeukendrup recommends about 16 grams of carbohydrate per hour, as anything above that doesn’t show improvements in performance (Jeukendrup 2004).
So, what is the best way to take in these carbohydrates and electrolytes during exercise?
From the Pepsico website, one fluid ounce serving of Gatorade contains 22 grams of carbohydrates, and lists multiple trace mineral micronutrients in their ingredients, such as sodium citrate (a salt), and monopotassium phosphate (postassium). However, take into consideration that during prolonged exercise (such as a marathon), carrying fluids with you can be cumbersome.
Alternatively, Gatorade also offers energy chews, which is basically a solid form of Gatorade. Along with B-complex vitamins, this form also includes 24 grams of carbohydrate per serving and the same electrolytes. This can be a more convenient option as opposed to fluid.
Gatorade also has what they market as “Energy Gel”, which is a gel that contains 20 grams of carbohydrate per packet. This may be the most convenient option, as they are generally light and do not require chewing like the energy chews.
What about actual food? To emulate the effect of Gatorade, you may want to choose foods that are high in carbohydrates and electrolytes, as aforementioned. This can include energy bars and fruit, as they tend to have a decent amount of carbohydrates in a small package. Some products are geared to be consumed during a workout.
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One example of this are the products offered by RXBAR (more information can be found here). These products are specifically tailored to provide energy before, during and after workouts. As with all foods, however, all factors (such as sugar content, ingredients and additives, etc.) must be taken into consideration.
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If you want an energy bar, you can make one yourself. There are a multitude of recipes online, and they vary in carbohydrates based on the ingredients used. Here is an example recipe from Heidi Heaton, a user on allrecipes.com. Her recipe has 10.6 grams of carbohydrates and 28 mg of sodium per serving. Based on your needs, your specific energy bar can be suited to your needs, such as being gluten-free, or vegan-compliant.
So, overall, what is the best way to consume carbohydrates during exercise? Ultimately, that is up to your personal preferences. Some individuals prefer the convenience of energy gels, and some people would prefer a liquid energy drink. Others may want actual food such as energy bars. Your avenue of intake is up to you, so the next time you work out, feel free to experiment to see what works with you!