Why Certain Sugars Can Be Beneficial for Training and Recovery
by Melinda Burris

For many athletes watching their diet and caloric intake, sugar has become a dirty word. However, dieticians disagree with this assessment pointing out that taken at the right time and as part of a balanced diet sugar can actually energize your workout and charge your recovery.

One such expert, registered dietician, Stephanie Miezin, emphasizes that there are four specific times when athletes can consume sugar to be used for fuel—”before, during, and after exercise, and as a fun treat (in moderation).”¹

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The confusion and stigmatization of sugar occur because coaches and trainers often confuse carbohydrates and sugars, using the two interchangeably. While sugars are always carbohydrates, carbohydrates are either simple or complex and may contain starch and fiber as well as sugar. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate which means the body can quickly process it into energy. When carbohydrates are complex, it takes longer for the body to break them down and convert them into sources of energy.¹

While Miezin concedes research does show a link between increased added sugar intake and weight gain—even obesity and other poor health outcomes, she points out that the lifestyle and activity levels of the general population and young athletes are not really comparable, making it “a big leap to say that young athletes should never have any sugar at any time. Sports nutrition and nutrition for athletes is a very specific context, and we know that many of our general nutrition recommendations do not always directly translate over to sport(s) nutrition.”¹

Miezin fights back against the notion that sugar is “inherently good or bad” declaring it is “simply a type of carbohydrate” further noting that the human body eventually “breaks all digestible carbohydrates down into” sugar.¹ As an example, she compares a potato which is a complex carbohydrate, and a piece of candy which is a simple sugar, but once the body processes the potato and the candy they are both converted into glucose which the body can use as a source of energy.¹

While Miezin maintains having sugar as part of a balanced diet isn’t bad, she does stress it is important to know when and how much sugar you are consuming. You should also be aware of hidden sugars in foods, Miezin notes there are often a high number of hidden sugars particularly in pre-prepared or processed foods. Keep in mind that although sugar can be helpful for athletes doing high-intensity workouts who need quick bursts of energy or need to jumpstart the muscle repair and recovery process, you still want to partake in moderation as you can fill up on simple sugars causing you not to eat enough nutrient-rich foods. So, journaling your food intake and limiting your sugar intake is worth doing, but you should not cut out sugar entirely.¹

To be sure you are tracking your sugar intake accurately, Miezin warns you should pay close attention to nutrition labels and look for added sugars. These are sugar sources such as honey, maple and other syrups, table sugar, or fruit juice concentrate that are in addition to the natural sugar content inherent in the food source. These added sugars can substantially increase the amount of sugar you consume.¹

Conversely, when a food label proclaims there are no added sugars, that doesn’t necessarily mean the item contains no sugar. It simply means that no additional sugars have been added to the food product.¹

The Right Times for Athletes to Consume Sugar

According to Miezin, “Sugar is a great energy source before, during, and after a workout because we know this type of carbohydrate is quickly digested and is easier on the stomach,” Miezin said. “That means we’re going to get quicker energy, which leads to more fuel in the system working to refuel the muscles.”¹ She also recommends that athletes have sugar when they have a craving as long as they consume it in moderation. As she points out, “That is really important for an athlete’s relationship with food and positive eating behaviors. There shouldn’t be a time when sugar is off-limits.”¹

The body requires carbs to fuel your workout and allow you to recover after exercise. High-quality complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should be your first choice for carbs, your body requires quicker digesting carbs while exercising and immediately following your workout to maximize performance and jump-start your recovery.²

Quickly digesting simple carbs include cereals, breads, and candy. These are highly refined carbs the body quickly converts to glucose and when that process is complete, the body treats all carbs alike whether they originated from candy or nutrient-rich carbs. Don’t mistake this for permission to eat sweets whenever you wish. The window surrounding your workout, and an occasional craving should be it. Again, moderation is key. ²

Expert Matt Plowman of Cardiff Sports Nutrition observes, “The one time sugar can be useful is after intense exercise. Eat it then and you’ll open up the muscles to absorb protein, creatine, and carnitine.”³

Plowman notes that when doing heavy strength training and HIIT sessions, the body relies on blood glucose and muscle glycogen stores for fast-acting sources of energy. Your body needs to rapidly replenish these stores once the workout is complete, so Plowman recommends “eating simple sugars” as “a fast and effective way to re-up”.²

He further declares that “Glucose is the best form of sugar, and it’s what our muscles burn during a workout, meaning they’re ready to re-absorb it like a sponge.” When doing a HIT workout, Plowman recommends eating Haribo Tangfastics.³

When running or doing aerobic workouts, Plowman observes that while the body generally has “plenty of fat to metabolize into energy…Glucose is a better fuel, but we can only store so much, so give yourself a top-up mid-run.”³ For this, he recommends taking a glucose gel cap.

References:

1. (15 March 2024). Nutrition: 4 Ways Athletes Can Use Sugar (Yes, Sugar) for Fuel.
2. Williams, L. (9 May 2022). Why Sugar Should Be Part of Your Workout.
3. Men’s Health. (25 January 2017). The Raw Truth About Post-Workout Sugar.

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