Road Cycling - Low Carb Snacks

I find that all the high carb snacks & power type bars and lollies and stuff just don't do it for me on a long ride. They give me a buz for a while but thats it. I tend to get much more benefit out of higher protien & fat content food. i proved this by having a big feed before a ride, then stopping after 2 hours to have another high protein meal. i felt like i could ride all day.
So is there such a thing as low carb power bars? Because all food gets turned into glycogen for energy it's just that we get sold the high carb junk by the big boys.

You could always carry lots of Slim Jims and beef jerky. I tend to eat a low carb diet in general. The day before a big ride, I load up on carbs to give me energy through the morning. A decent lunch and a power bar in the afternoon will get me through the day. Works for me!

Macadamia nuts. MetRX Protein bars, the big ones. Cheese....

I'm an Atkins cyclist and through experimentation have learned what low glycemic foods power me and which don't.

Macadamias are the best, I'll carry a baggie in my jersey pocket if I'm going to be out for more than 2 hours.

you need the carbohydrates, but what you need are lower glycemic carbs that take longer to absorb in your system. try dried fruit, trail mix, and high-fibre carbohydrates over the sugary stuff.

"we get sold the high carb junk by the big boys"

Now that's a real "Richard Cranium" statement.

Perhaps hypoglycemia is causing your delirium.......

Beef jerky, almonds, peanuts, cheese. There are some decent protein bars out there too.

There's a difference between complex and simple carbohydrates.

The sugary stuff you referred to is quickly metabolized and broken down by the body, so if you use stuff that's mainly sugary (simple carbohydrates) while exercising, you will soon notice that you will need another feeding sooner than later.

If you were to integrate some complex carbohydrate foods into your diet, your body will tend to take longer to break down the carbohydrates, which will result in keeping the food in your body longer, which will result in being able to perform longer while exercising (ie: maltodextrose in power bars).

If you can combine both, you may be able to help yourself through a workout. For instance, if you need the quickie energy, grab some Gu and use that for nutrition, then eat a powerbar so that you have longer absorbing carbohydrates that can sustain you over the long haul so you can perform for a longer period of time.

I do this for long rides, and I can ride for much longer than I normally do if I just stock up on gatorade.

Koffee

I eat peanuts/nuts & cheese when I'm worried about carbs...they work good. There are good bars out there, but haven't tried them.

I know that I sound like a broken record, but Payday candy bars work for me. Carbs, fat and protien.

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
I do this for long rides, and I can ride for much longer than I normally do if I just stock up on gatorade.

Koffee [/B]

You know... although I don;t generally drink gatorade I found myself having a good idea for those who do the other day.

Where I live the 7-11s (convieniance stores that I assume exist all over North America) offer Gatorade (usually lemon lime, or punch flavors) in the soda fountain.

This way you can get 64 ounces, no ice, for a mere $1.20 or so. As far as I know this is MUCH better than the price by the bottle.

Back on topic... I like this snack bar I get from the grocery store that is mostly nuts, granola and crunchy things all held together by a little bit of honey. It's fairly slow carb fuel with a little fat thrown in for good measure... I eat it halfway through my 30 mile route.

cAPS

Another vote for Payday Bars. Easy to eat on the fly and tasty also. Good ole bananas aren't too bad either.

My local supermarket sells bags of a mixture of chocolate drops, nuts and raisins; it was recommended to me by my school rowing coach, a kiwi who always called it "scroggin". If nothing else it tastes good.

Team