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Why Consuming Carbohydrates is Essential for Muscle Growth

Hey Angels and Alphas,

When you think of muscle growth, you may instantly think of protein – and you’d be right. Protein is one of the most important nutrients to building muscle, but carbohydrates are equally important as they provide your body with the energy necessary to exercise hard and recover from your workouts. 

This guide explains why consuming carbohydrates is essential for muscle growth, how carbs work to improve your performance, and the best types of carbs to consume if you want to get lean and muscular.

Why complex carbohydrates are better 

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the body and one of the three main types of nutrients in a healthy diet. If you don’t consume enough carbs, your body will start to break down muscle mass in order to use it as fuel. This can lead to a condition called ketosis, which results in ketones being broken down in the blood and released through urination. 

This process can be unhealthy if it’s prolonged. The best option is to combine whole grains with protein and fat at every meal to stabilize your blood sugar levels throughout the day. This allows for stable moods and improved cognitive performance, which will help you get through your day-to-day tasks more easily.

Carbs provide energy

Carbohydrates are a vital source of energy, so it’s understandable that many people have a strong aversion to them. Carbs can be fattening, especially when they’re consumed in excess. But they also play an important role in providing fuel to muscles during exercise and even throughout the day. 

Without sufficient carbs, athletes could experience muscle cramps and weight loss as their glycogen stores become depleted. The moral of the story? Eat your veggies! They contain plenty of carbohydrates!

What happens if you don’t consume carbs?

Protein provides the building blocks for muscle development, and carbohydrates provide the fuel needed to convert protein into muscle. Thus, when you don’t consume enough carbs, your body has a harder time building and maintaining muscles. This will have an adverse effect on your physical strength and athletic performance. A lack of adequate carbohydrates also slows down post-workout recovery.

How many carbs should you eat per day?

Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient that provides fuel to muscles. Without enough carbohydrates, the body will start to break down protein into amino acids to produce glucose. When you do not consume enough protein and carbs, your muscle mass will decrease as you lose body fat. 

The general guideline is that carbohydrate intake should make up between 5% and 10% of your total caloric intake each day. This translates to 55-110 grams of carbohydrates per day for a 2,000 calorie diet (200-350 grams per day). 

And while many people consider these recommendations high, they actually reflect more of a moderate intake based on total calories when compared with most peoples’ current consumption habits.

What foods can you use to energize your workouts?

For people looking to exercise, carb-rich foods are a perfect choice. They can be consumed as part of a meal or snack before, during, or after your workout to keep you energized and feeling good. 

-Carbohydrate-rich foods provide fuel for the muscles during and after exercise. 

-People who do not consume enough carbohydrates are at risk of burning muscle protein instead of fat because their body does not have the glycogen (the sugar stored in muscles) it needs to burn fat for energy. This can happen when people skimp on carbs without realizing that they need to eat them too.

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