What is carbohydrate and why are high carbohydrate foods important?
Carbohydrate is a major nutrient found in all our staple foods such as bread and potatoes which provides the body with energy. It is stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen and here it is readily available as a source of energy for all activities. Your muscles are only capable of storing a limited amount of glycogen and during exercise this supply is used as energy for muscle contraction. During exercise, glycogen is burned up quickly, and as this store decreases, fatigue sets in. To try and delay fatigue in training and matches it is important to start any exercise session with full stores of glycogen. This is achieved by eating plenty of carbohydrate rich foods. Carbohydrate rich foods can be either sugary (simple) or starchy (complex). It is more important to eat complex carbohydrates, as they are also good sources of other nutrients and make the diet more balanced and healthy.
