So think about adding some more whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and starches as you get closer to your activity. No matter if you're carb loading for multiple games, or just looking to increase energy in general, carbs are your best friend! Sweet potatoes are one of my favourite carbohydrate loaded foods.
Sweet potatoes have a lot of carbohydrates. One 5-inch sweet potato has about 26 grams of carbohydrates. In a low-carb diet, one sweet potato has half of the calories from carbohydrates that you may be allowed. But that's still less than the carb content of a white potato: 35 grams, on average.
Loaded with vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, manganese and other nutrients that are essential for runners, sweet potatoes are a great pre-run snack; and for runners looking for a natural alternative to gels, they can even be enjoyed as a mid-run energy source.
Capone suggests: Three to four days out from race day: Your plate can be 1/2 carbohydrates such as rice, legumes, potatoes, 1/4 protein, 1/4 vegetables leading up to the race.
If you're someone new to carb-loading, a really simple implementation could be to add a moderate extra portion of carbohydrate (white rice, potato, pasta) to each meal, at the expense of other foods in the last couple of days prior to competition starting...
The Best Marathon Foods
Sweet potatoes – By far, my favorite marathon food because of their carbohydrate and antioxidant content. They are great at reducing inflammation, enhancing immunity, and giving you short and long lasting fuel.
Beans, broccoli, and berries: remember those three B's as you don't want to eat them just before a run or a workout. The same goes for apples, lentils, anything whole grain, and other brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale). These are some of the top foods that runners should avoid.
Sweet potatoes also contain 27 grams of carbohydrates, and those carbs are considered complex, says Pritchett, so they can provide runners with steady energy. This is because, Foroutan explains, complex carbs can be broken down in the body more slowly than refined carbs.
Carb-loading can also cause digestive problems such as bloating. Many foods that are rich in carbohydrates also contain dietary fiber which, while beneficial in small amounts, can lead to constipation and diarrhea in large doses.
Also, if you are doing 90-plus minutes of continuous activity the next morning, but you haven't been focusing on carb-loading in previous days, it's not enough to eat carbs just the night before. Your body will need at least a full day before the event (preferably 48 hours or more) to increase glycogen stores.
Best food for carb loading: fruits such as bananas, oranges, white rice, grapes, vegetables such as potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and whole grains.
As long as the texture of the sweet potato is firm and there are no other signs of expiration (such as mold), there is nothing to worry about. However, if the texture is mushy and you notice liquid oozing out, the sweet potato has expired. There will also be other signs such as mold, sprouts or a bad odor.
Boiling retained more iron and copper while frying retained more zinc, magnesium, sodium and calcium in both Irish and sweet potato tubers. Boiling retained more carbohydrate while frying retained more vitamin C and minerals.
Eating sweet potatoes regularly is even good for your skin. “Beta-carotene is an antioxidant, so it helps to reverse damage from the sun,” Lehmann explains. “It also improves wrinkling and sagging of the skin.”
Before any big race, build up your energy reserves by loading on carbohydrates, starchy vegetables, fruits and lean protein for three days. Inexperienced runners often make the mistake of taking heavy meals the day before the race. Overeating can overwhelm your digestive system.
As such, it's important that your meals leading up to the race have some carbohydrates to top off those glycogen stores. Healthy carbs for runners include grains like quinoa, pasta, sorghum, and rice. Starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and white potatoes are also great options.
Eating for your 5K race actually starts the night before. For dinner, choose a meal rich in carbs and a moderate amount of protein and fat. “The protein—like chicken or fish—provides an opportunity for recovery after your race,” Dunn says.
Eating a sweet potato post-workout is ideal as they contain copper, which can help replenish energy levels and protect the cardiovascular, nervous and skeletal system. It also strengthens the tendons needed to lift weights. Just one cup of baked sweet potato contains 36% of your daily copper needs.
It is rich in starch and fiber. The glycemic index of this vegetable is much lower than that of the potato. sweet potato index of 70 against more than 100 for the potato. This nutritional quality is ideal for athletes who want to lose weight or gain muscle by eating a healthy food.
Sweet potatoes feature in many a bodybuilder's daily diet. Alongside rice, potatoes, oats and pasta, sweet potatoes are a top source of carbohydrate, meaning they're a good source of energy for anyone hitting it hard in the gym.
A good rule of thumb, Sklaver says, is to eat 25 percent of your daily carbohydrate allotment 1 to 4 hours before a workout and another 25 percent within 45 minutes of finishing your workout. The remaining 50 percent of your carbohydrates should be evenly distributed throughout the day.
But consuming carbs earlier in the day may be better if you: Want to lose weight or improve blood sugar levels: “Most Americans are active early in the day and more sedentary at night,” says Patton. “Having your biggest portion of carbs in the evening can cause a blood sugar spike.
You can't completely stock your muscles and liver with glycogen in just a single meal, 'which is why you should start carb-loading two or three days before your race,' says Ryan. As you're on low mileage at that point (and tapering), the glycogen will accumulate in your muscles.