There is no proof that having
malto while cycling helps performance. There is evidence that raising your GI before exercise helps, but none that supports having a high GI during exercise has any benefit. I also stick with tap water on rides shorter than 60 miles. For me, all the excess sugar turns to fat because I don't burn enough of it during the ride. If you are going to ride hard just eat correctly before and after. We are not all pro cyclists that need to eat every 15 minutes of riding, keep that in mind.
http://www.health.arizona.edu/health...cemicindex.htm
Those interested in exercise metabolism look at consumption of low vs. high GI foods before exercise to see if there is any effect on performance. The data from recent studies suggest that consumption of lower GI foods 30-60 minutes prior to exercise has the following effects:
- minimizes the hypoglycemia which occurs at the beginning of exercise
- increases the concentration of fatty acids in the blood
- increases fat oxidation thereby reducing reliance on carbohydrate as fuel
The idea is that these effects may enhance performance by perhaps prolonging the onset of fatigue during endurance exercise. Enhanced performance, however, has not been proven in these studies. The GI of carbohydrate is not as important during exercise because the insulin response is blunted during exercise. After exercise, it is actually beneficial to consume high GI foods to enhance muscle glycogen resynthesis, which relies on the presence of insulin.
TLDR Version: 30-60 minutes before consume low GI foods. During, if you are hungry eat. After eat high GI foods to replenish (Choco Milk etc)