Of which sugars...

CleeRider

On longer rides (70+ miles) I'm eating 30g of carbs every 30mins to avoid the bonk.
The nutritional info on good packets always breaks down carbs with 'of which sugars'
E.g. Carbs 21.7g of which sugars 12.0g
Does this figure matter?
I'd imagine a low 'carbs from sugars' figure is best but is it a big thing on a century ride?

Also does 30g of carbs every 30mins sound about right for my 66kg body weight?
I'm inexperienced at these long rides.

southdownswolf

I'll admit I'm no nutritionist, so can't give a specific answer. However, are you mainly using packet energy such as bars and gels? If so, try to avoid using just those as your money can be wasted on much nicer things... Try eating jam sandwiches, flapjack, bananas.... proper food.

charlie_potatoes

A Medjool date every 20 minutes (20 grams Carbs approx) works well for me.
But I'm only 65 kgs 8)

LegendLust

southdownswolf wrote:

I'll admit I'm no nutritionist, so can't give a specific answer. However, are you mainly using packet energy such as bars and gels? If so, try to avoid using just those as your money can be wasted on much nicer things... Try eating jam sandwiches, flapjack, bananas.... proper food.

How is jam and flapjack 'proper' food?

team47b

I'm not a nutrionist but as a diabetic I know that...

Carbohydrates are a group of foods, which may include simple sugars such as glucose, more complex sugars such as cane sugar, complex carbohydrates such as starch.

All carbohydrates can be broken down in the body into sugars. Glucose is the simplest sugar and produces energy.

If you look at a packet of food containing starch, it may say there is 21g of carbohydrate of which 12g sugars this means that of the carbohydrate in the food 12g is in the simpler sugar form and 9gms of the carbohydrate is in a more complex form.

It wont make a lot of difference to you as the total calories are the same and all carbohydrates will affect your blood sugar levels.

Simple sugars are absorbed and burned as energy more quickly, complex carbohydrates need to be converted into sugar
So take longer to take effect. So a combination of fast acting for immediate energy and slow release is good for long rides.

The body can only absorb about 60gms of carbs per hour so no need to exceed this and I assume you ate your porridge before setting off

crankycrank

From my experience everyone is so different you kind of have to experiment for yourself with what works. There is so much debate about type of carbs, protein, fluids, and sugars etc. and it's constantly changing. I seem to be fine with two bananas and three bottles of Gatorade for 70 mile trips but sometimes throw in a granola bar or a Coke for something more tasty. As I said though everyone has a different body and exerts themselves in varying degrees. A good breakfast can make a huge difference as well. Experiment and don't stress too much about how many grams of anything your consuming as trying to keep up with all the latest recommendations will have your head spinning. 60 years ago having a cigarette before a race was thought to open up the lungs.

pippi_langsamer-2

crankycrank wrote:

60 years ago having a cigarette before a race was thought to open up the lungs.

I'd love to know if there's any science in this lol

More recent than 60 years ago, I recall as a youth watching shocked prior to one of the Kellogs series circuit races off of the 80s, two ANC Halfords riders having a smoke...

pinno

LegendLust wrote:

southdownswolf wrote:

I'll admit I'm no nutritionist, so can't give a specific answer. However, are you mainly using packet energy such as bars and gels? If so, try to avoid using just those as your money can be wasted on much nicer things... Try eating jam sandwiches, flapjack, bananas.... proper food.

How is jam and flapjack 'proper' food?

Graham O'Bree swears by jam sandwiches (with no butter/marg). A world hour record at one time to boot.

Jam contains sugar for immediate energy release, bread supplies a slower release of energy. White bread releases energy quicker than brown.
Flapjacks contain oats and Golden Syrup. If you make your own, you can add nuts and even dried fruit. Flapjacks are an excellent source of energy. Porage you can slice and keep in your back pocket.

At the OP: You may find that there is x,y and z things out there but not stuff that you will find palatable. If you can eat on the move, then you're doing fine. Experiment with high carb foods and see what you find easiest to eat/carry.
Chocolate gateaux is excellent recovery food

MisterMuncher

Pippi Langsamer wrote:

crankycrank wrote:

60 years ago having a cigarette before a race was thought to open up the lungs.

I'd love to know if there's any science in this lol

More recent than 60 years ago, I recall as a youth watching shocked prior to one of the Kellogs series circuit races off of the 80s, two ANC Halfords riders having a smoke...

There's some evidence that short-term CO exposure could act to enhance performance, and fags are basically stimulants. Probably all offset by the other stuff like having your lungs full of muck.