Whether you practice physical activity at a competitive/competitive or amateur level, what is the right daily dose of carbohydrates to take so that the body responds optimally to challenges? That is, how many carbohydrates should you consume per day?
It’s a question that many athletes ask themselves. Often encountering false myths and false beliefs around carbohydrates and their inclusion in a balanced dietary plan. Let’s try to find some answers and clarify things.
Are you sporty? Here’s how many carbs to eat per day
We rely on Dr. Michelangelo Giampietro, specialist in nutrition science and sports doctor: “A healthy lifestyle, based on the Mediterranean dietary model and any daily physical activity of moderate intensity, involves the intake of no less than 2-3 grams of carbohydrates for every kilo of your desired body weight (pcd)”.
The doctor adds: “An athlete who trains daily, for several hours a day, triples this dosage, reaching 6 to 10g per kg and close to a race, especially in long-term competitions, it even reaches 12 g per kilo of PCD. The same goes for proteins, although with a smaller increase.”
Dr. Giampietro further says: “The experts in dietetics applied to sports disciplines agree on the fact that the daily protein intake should not go beyond 2g/kg bw (i.e. just over double the recommended limit for those who don’t do sport). A diet of this type is not even suitable for those who practice sports at an amateur level as they have different nutritional needs.”
How many carbohydrates to consume per day in the Mediterranean Diet
Therefore, leaving aside the great champions who follow in the race or pre-race phase some very peculiar food proposals (discover the strange diet of the Norwegian footballer, Erling Haaland), it can be recommended in the training phase of amateurs and top players player to best combine sport and nutrition to be inspired by Mediterranean food model, which has proven to be perfect for covering the nutritional and energy needs of athletes.
“The Mediterranean Diet, in fact, includes foods belonging to all groups and guarantees a balance in the intake of energy nutrients (carbohydrates, fats and proteins), fiber (legumes, fruit, vegetables and also whole grains) and all nutrients non-energy (water, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and bioactive compounds). – Dr. Giampietro clarifies further and concludes – Obviously, every diet must take into account the individual physical characteristicsof the specific training programs and of planning of competitive commitments”.
“So the amount of carbohydrates to consume depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity and the objectives you wish to achieve, but if you practice sport regularly the optimal diet should provide the body with at least 6-10 grams of carbohydrates per kg of desired body weight (approximately 55-60% of daily energy)”, clarifies the specialist.
What a gloss: “Usually, carbohydrates are used in three moments: before exercise, to optimize glycogen stores (muscles and liver); during exercise, to prevent the depletion of muscle glycogen and avoid drops in blood sugar; after the effort, to rebuild muscle glycogen and quickly recover the energy spent”.
