As cyclists our relationship with sugar is complicated. Essentially, it's a balancing act. We need sugar to fuel our muscles while riding, but we also know that excessive sweet stuff can harm our health and performance. Like many things in life, there's a fine line between too much and just the right amount.
The NHS recommends that we eat no more than 30g of 'free', or added, sugars a day (roughly equivalent to seven teaspoons). These sugars are called 'free' because they are not bound to the structure of the food, and include all sugars added by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, as well as those contained in fruit juice and honey. The average person gobbles up 50g (12 teaspoons) a day-that's almost double the NHS's recommended dose. This overconsumption of sugar has been linked with a whole array of ailments including obesity, insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Given that our energy drinks and bars are crammed with the stuff a single energy bar can contain more than half of the recommended daily limit - I wondered whether cyclists are in danger of unwittingly storing up future health problems.
Breaking the chain
Sugars are short-chain carbohydrates, and that's exactly what fuel most of our riding. "When we exercise, we use carbohydrate as one of the main fuels," explains Dr Javier Gonzalez, professor of nutrition and metabolism at the University of Bath. "But we can quickly run out of stored carbohydrate in the liver and muscles, especially when that exercise is of higher intensity or prolonged duration. Sugar intake, in the form of sports drinks, bars and gels, is one of the ways we can help prevent depletion of glycogen and provide fuel to keep us going." A meta-analysis of 73 studies by researchers at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, found that sugar consumption during exercise led to an improvement in performance of up to 6%.
この記事は CYCLING WEEKLY の February 02, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は CYCLING WEEKLY の February 02, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Is pro racing getting more dangerous?
There are many factors that contribute to the perceived greater risks. One that does not get any attention is the greater importance of UCI points and the need to constantly collect them to avoid relegation.
A Saturday in Hell
It's the most brutal race of the year - 29.2km of the worst cobbles northern France has to offer, over 17 agonising sectors, starting in Denain and finishing in the iconic Roubaix velodrome. For the men, it's referred to as a Sunday in Hell, but for us, hell comes a day early.
Gitane - Tour de l'Avenir
Classic French brand's homage to a revered amateur race
6 WAYS TO THINK YOURSELF FASTER
However flawless your physical preparation, the mind has a tendency to throw a spanner in the works come the big day. James Witts offers six ways to keep the brain onside with the body
MAURICE BURTON'S - SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
9 life lessons from Britain's first Black cycling champion
PEAKS PRACTICE
The Peak District is home turf for Manchester-based British pro riders and has been the formative terrain of top domestic riders for decades. Adam Becket finds out why it's so effective
Zeb Kyffin: stepping out of the fish bowl
TDT-Unibet's British rider tasted the team's first World-Tour event at the Amstel Gold Race. Adam Becket finds out how the day went
Thomas to go for 'very top step' at Giro
Welshman and Ineos ready for duel with Tadej Pogačar, reports Adam Becket
Brown and Niewiadoma beat Vollering
SD Worx-Protime are far from unbeatable in 2024, as team misses out in Ardennes Classics
Pogačar lays down marker for Giro d'Italia
Liège win signals Slovenian's readiness for clash with Geraint Thomas, reports Adam Becket