Sugar has become one of the most controversial substances for bodybuilders. In general it causes weight gain, fat storage, high levels of blood sugar, which is a great diabetes risk. But is it the same for bodybuilders? Or, maybe, there is a certain time, when bodybuilders need sugar, for example, post-workout? Let’s find it out.
Why Sugar Is Bad in Diet
Although everybody somehow includes sugar into their daily diet, sugar is associated with a whole range of health problems:
- dental diseases,
- obesity,
- diabetes,
- cardiovascular diseases,
- cancer,
- gout,
- increase of PMS Symptoms.
Moreover, sugar is also supposed to be addictive. Together with it, it contains no nutritional value. But to get all the listed health problems, one would need very high amounts of sugar consumed on a daily basis. All the facts mentioned above don’t mean, that one should consume no sugar at all, as it is something our bodies don’t need – it can be beneficial, if consumed at the right time.
Is Sugar Good for a Bodybuilder’s Diet?
Normally bodybuilders are recommended to avoid eating simple sugars. But sugar is a form of energy, which every bodybuilder misses at post-workout time. This is the time, when the muscles are tired and need some source of energy. Remember one of the negatives of consuming sugar, insulin rise? It is associated with health problems, but it is exactly what your muscles need after workouts. Insulin levels rise drives nutrients into the muscles and replenish them. Insulin rise makes your body highly anabolic.
Best Time and Way of Sugar Intake for Bodybuilders
The more you wait after workouts to eat sugar, the less beneficial it is to you. If you eat some sugar right after workouts, it will not be stored as fat, but give your muscles more energy, provide them with necessary nutrients, which were lost during your workouts.
Avoid eating large amounts of sugar alone throughout the day, combine it with other foods to make your diet more balanced. As for the amount of the sugar needed after workouts, it depends on your weight, but on average 50-65 grams are the best. During the day you may consume around 15 grams of sugar per meal. You may also substitute it with honey, if you want.
Although sugar consumption is linked to health hazards, it is quite beneficial to bodybuilders, if eaten at the right time. There are bodybuilders, who always add some sugar into their post-workout diet and have already achieved fantastic results. You may also do it, but note, that sugar consumption should be optimally balanced.