Great snacks to keep you energized on your commute to and from work
Being a cyclist is hungry work. Whether you’re making your morning commute or going on extended rides, you need to stay properly energized. The key to success is by eating the right snacks at the right time. A lot of cyclists are stuck in the past and still base their diet on outdated nutritional fads. After reading our guide, your backpack will be full of snacks to keep you energized and on track for the finish line.
Carbohydrates vs. fats and protein
If you’re partial to going on more strenuous rides, you’ll need a source of glucose to keep your muscles fueled. What’s the best source of glucose I hear you ask? Carbohydrates. Thanks to their chemical structure, they can be quickly and efficiently turned into useable glucose.
Fats and protein are a source of glucose too, but the time it takes to convert those into usable energy make them a poor choice for cyclists. If you’re eating foods packed with fats and protein before a ride, you’ll probably not see the benefits until after the ride is over. Here’s a good article to help you choose the best carbs to eat before cycling.
What should I eat?
As you’ve probably figured out already, foods high in carbohydrates aren’t easy to eat on the go. You don’t often see cyclists chowing down a bowl of pasta mid-way through a race. Unless you want to become a fat rider, you probably want to stay away from junk food. You want to look for high-carb, low-fat snacks that are easy to carry and eat while riding. Low-fat cookies, raisins, dates and energy bars are all perfect examples of this. It’s important these snacks are partnered with plenty of water though, so that they don’t sit at the bottom of your stomach doing nothing. A regular supply of H20 will ensure that the carbs are quickly transferred into blood glucose that you can use.
When should I eat?
Eating on the go isn’t easy, but the temptation to skip it entirely is. Don’t do this. If you’re not supplying your body with a sufficient amount of food and water, then you’re going to have a terrible ride. You’ll experience a loss of energy, strength and general awareness before inevitably becoming frustrated and irritable. As a rule, eat before you’re hungry and drink before you’re thirsty.
If the reason you’re not eating is because the energy bar you picked up tastes like sawdust then you need to explore alternative snacks. The most nutritional food in the world is of zero use to you if you don’t like the taste of it; so find something you like.
Read the nutritional information, fill up your basket and begin experimenting. Strike the perfect balance between high carbs, low fats/proteins and good taste. Ethical Superstore supply a fantastic selection of organic food that will be right at home in a cyclist’s backpack and stomach.
