Runners work very hard at their intervals runs, long runs, and rest days. Why are we so controlled with our runs but feel so out of control with our food intake especially sugar? Some of us can go all day without eating sugar until night time than…we eat everything in sight. Other runners will crave sugar right after the run and continue to eat sugar all day long. Then there are the runners who eat very little to no sugar and don’t even crave it throughout the day. Is this normal? Do runners need sugar?
While running, our bodies use carbohydrates as fuel. Simple carbohydrates (white refined carbohydrates) and complex carbohydrates (whole grains foods) are composed of sugars that are turned into glucose in our blood and then stored in our muscles as glycogen. Glycogen provides fuel for aerobic activities such as running.
During our runs, our bodies will first burn glucose the immediate energy that is readily available in our muscle. As our miles add up and our runs become longer, our bodies will tap into our glycogen that has been stored in our muscle over the past few days. Runners need both glucose and glycogen for optimal performance. The best way to achieve this is to eat a diet high in carbohydrates. Does it matter which ones?
There are three main types of sugar:
• Monosaccharides are carbohydrates that do not hydrolyze, such as glucose, fructose, and ribose. Our bodies digest monosaccharides naturally and very quickly.
• Fructose is the sweetest monosaccharide which is found in fruit and honey.
• Galactose is found in milk.
Glucose is the most important monosaccharide in nature; it is the main source of energy for body cells and the simplest for our body to breakdown and use for fuel. The sweetness of fruit is also simple to breakdown into glucose and used right away for fuel. Fruit is a great pre run fuel or if you feel faint during or after a run.
2. Disaccharides are two simple sugars linked together in a double ring. Your body must break down disaccharides into a single monosaccharide, before you can get energy from them.
• Maltose, consists of two glucose molecules,
• Sucrose, a combination of glucose and fructose which composes into table sugar
• Lactose, the sugar found in milk composed of glucose and galactose
Disaccharides are a great fuel for runs but need time to breakdown for glucose and stored as glycogen. Disaccharides such as milk, yogurts, and whole grain breads are best to be consumed an hour before the run or after a long run.
3. Polysaccharides are large chains of simple sugars, consisting of many monosaccharides. Examples of polysaccharides include starch and glycogen, both of which consist of hundreds of glucose units and different types of bonds holding them together. Polysaccharides serve two main functions: storing energy that your body can use when external food supply is low for long distance running and provides structural support and protection for the body.
Yes, runners need sugar for various reasons. Simple carbohydrates high in glucose will give you quick energy before running, since glucose can be burned immediately or be stored in muscles as glycogen. Monosaccharides and disaccharides are simple carbohydrates, while polysaccharide are complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates such as milk, fruits, potatoes and grains are high in glucose and provide runners with immediate fuel before a run. Be careful of the simple carbohydrates that are high in sugar such as candy, sweets, and baked goods.
Complex carbohydrates are in legumes, grains and starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas and corn. While whole grains are an important part of a runner’s diet, the fiber in whole grains may be hard for some runners to digest before a workout. Therefore, runners may prefer to stick to white bread, rice or pasta as a pre run meal. Pair your carbohydrates with a small amount of fat and protein, such as peanut butter, for added satiety to power through your run.
The National Institutes of Health suggests eating more complex carbohydrates, especially whole grains and beans, while limiting sugars from candy and sweets, which have little or no nutritional value. Avoid unhealthy sugars such as cookies, cakes and high-fructose corn syrup as these sugars can adversely affect running performance.