Is there a better time to eat carbohydrates?

Different types of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients, along with lipids and proteins.

They are your body's favorite fuel source and provide 4 calories per gram. Most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, a type of sugar that can be easily used for energy (Source 2Trusted).

There are two main types of Dietary Carbohydrates (3Trusted Source):

• Simple carbohydrates. These contain one or two sugar molecules. Foods rich in simple carbohydrates include sugar, fruits, juices, honey and milk.
• Complex carbohydrates. These have three or more sugar molecules. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include oats, brown rice, quinoa and sweet potatoes.

In general, complex carbohydrates are healthier because they contain more nutrients and fiber and take longer to digest, making it a more consistent option (3Trusted Source).

That said, simple carbs can sometimes be a better source of fuel, especially if your workout begins within the next hour. This is because your body breaks them down and absorbs them more quickly (4Trusted Source).

Although carbohydrates are an important source of fuel, eating too much can lead to weight gain. If you eat more carbohydrates than your body needs, they are stored as fat for later use.

summary The two main types of carbohydrates are simple and complex carbohydrates. Although complex carbohydrates are generally the healthiest option, simple carbohydrates can be helpful in situations where you need energy quickly, for example an hour before a workout.

Is there a better time to eat carbohydrates?

You may be wondering if timing is important for eating carbohydrates.

The following section reviews research on the best time to eat carbohydrates for different purposes.

Losing weight

With regard to fat loss, research on the best time to eat carbohydrates is inconsistent.

In a six-month study, 78 obese adults were asked to follow a low-calorie diet involving eating carbohydrates only at dinner or at each meal. The dinner group only lost more total weight and body fat and felt more satiated than those who ate carbohydrates with each meal (5Trusted Source).

Conversely, another study of 58 obese men on a low calorie diet with either more carbohydrates at lunch or dinner showed that both diets were also effective for fat loss (6Trusted Source).

Meanwhile, a recent study showed that your body burns better in the morning and fats in the evening, which means that carbohydrates should be consumed earlier in the day for optimal fat burning (7Trusted Source).

In addition, several studies indicate that taking more calories later in the day tends to lead to weight gain, so that larger, higher carbohydrate meals can also hinder fat loss (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

Because of these mixed results, it is not clear if there is a better time to eat carbohydrates to lose weight.

Plus, your total carbohydrate intake is probably more important than the moment, because consuming too much carbohydrate or calories from other nutrients can hinder weight loss (11Trusted Source).

Try to choose higher fiber carbohydrates, such as oats and quinoa, rather than refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta and pastries, because the former are usually more consistent.

Build muscle

Carbohydrates are an important source of calories for people looking to develop muscle mbad. However, only a few studies have looked at the choice of carbohydrate intake for this purpose.

Some studies show that consuming carbohydrates and protein a few hours after a workout can help increase protein synthesis, the process by which your body builds muscle (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

However, other studies indicate that consuming protein alone after workout is as effective at boosting protein synthesis as consuming protein with carbohydrates (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source ).

That said, during resistance training, your body relies heavily on carbohydrates as a source of energy. Therefore, a meal or a high carbohydrate snack before workout can help you better perform at the gym (1Trusted Source).

In addition, carbohydrates have a protein-saving effect, which means that your body prefers to use carbohydrates as a source of energy rather than as protein. As a result, it can use proteins for other purposes, such as muscle building, when your carbohydrate intake is high (Source 18Trusted).

In addition, carbohydrate consumption after a workout can slow down protein breakdown after training, which can promote muscle growth (Source 19Trusted).

Nevertheless, for most people, it is more important to consume adequate amounts of healthy and complex carbohydrates throughout the day to develop one's muscles than to choose a suitable time.

For sports performance and recovery

Athletes and those who exercise intensely can benefit from carbohydrate consumption.

Research shows that carbohydrate intake before and after a workout can help athletes perform better and recover faster. It also reduces muscle damage and pain (1 Source inspired).

This is because exercising for long periods can deplete muscle glycogen stores (the form of carbohydrate storage), which are the main source of fuel for your body.

Eating carbohydrates at least 3 to 4 hours before a workout can help athletes exercise for long periods of time. Consuming carbohydrates within 30 minutes to 4 hours after a workout can help restore your glycogen stores (1Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).

Plus, the presence of protein alongside a carbohydrate source after a strenuous workout can help your body rebuild its glycogen stores, while helping with muscle repair (1Trusted Source).

While athletes and people who exercise several times a day can benefit from carbohydrate intake based on workouts, research indicates that it is less important to the average person.

For the ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a diet very low in carbohydrates, high in fat and protein, often used to lose weight.

This usually involves limiting carbohydrate consumption to less than 50 grams per day to reach and maintain ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as fuel rather than carbohydrates (21Trusted Source).

At present, evidence suggests that carbohydrate intake to aid weight loss during a keto diet is lacking.

However, if you are an active person, taking into account your carbohydrate intake around your workouts can improve your performance. This is known as a targeted ketogenic diet (22Trusted Source).

In addition, according to some research (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source), if you experience insomnia while on a ketogenic diet, eating carbohydrates as you approach bedtime can help you relax and stay awake. to fall asleep faster.

summary The consumption of carbohydrates at certain times does not seem to improve the weight loss during low calorie or ketogenic diets. However, carbohydrate intake based on workouts can be beneficial for athletes and athletes.