Hello,
I read an article by "Bigcat" on bodybuilding.com entitled I.C.E.-very informative and I learned a lot. There is a section in the article entitled "Anabolic Nutrition" which can be found here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ice19.htm
Within this article he states the following:
"Protein/Carb Relations
In a meal that contains both proteins and carbs, you should take care to make sure that most of the carb sources, if not all of them, are simple carbs like mono- and di- saccharides. The reason is that when you digest a protein or a fat you use acids to degrade to the nutrients that finally enter the blood. But carbohydrates use alkalines to be digested and if alkalines and acids are present at the same time they neutralize each other. Through insulin stimulation and water retention we have shown that carbs are beneficial to protein absorption, and rightly so. That is why you can add carbs, as long as they are simple sugars. They don't require much digesting and thus they don't add much alkaline to the mix. Glucose (natural blood-sugar) and sucrose and so don't even need any digestion they just enter the blood, as does most of the fructose and dextrose (corn-sugar, similar in structure to glucose). Lactose breaks down immediately into the two simple counterparts and is absorbed. So these sugars will not hinder the absorption of large amounts of protein, but complex carbs take a while to digest, some as long as three hours, during which alkalines are gushing into the stomach. Not only do you not disallow protein to be absorbed, but also the carbs, because the acid cancels out the alkaline needed to digest them.
How do you include complex carbs? Easy, by themselves. Usually a good way to replenish lost glycogen and assure enough energy for the entire day is to eat an all complex carb meal in the mid-morning. Nowhere near your times of rest or post-workout nutrition. That can fuel you for the entire day and it should be all digested by the time you get to lunch. That means 150 grams of spaghetti with a baked potato and a few slices of bread would make a great midmorning snack. And it really fills you up. This also means that when you eat meat, an important compound of healthy fat and protein, you can't eat potatoes or bread with it. And you should avoid as much complex carbs in post-workout nutrition as well since this is the time you need more protein. If you do take complex carbs, use maltodextrin because it is broken down easier and much more efficiently, but the best mix is still your protein requirement (35-50) with an equal amount or higher in simple carbs and some clean fats. So if you are looking for a quality weight gainer, you know what to watch. Protein and sugar."
Basically it says that one should eat more simple carbs w/ protein for better absorption-particularly postworkout to replenish glycogen. And that one should eat most complex carbs (pasta, brown bread, etc.) earlier in the day ALONE.
Can complex carbs eaten w/ high protein work against one another in terms of absorption?
Thoughts please. Thank You.
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Originally Posted by MuscleScience
