NO! Insulin actually promotes the storage of glucose (carbohydrate) as muscle and liver glycogen, not as fat. Insulin also helps muscles absorb amino acids for muscle repair, and fat for fuel during aerobic exercise.

Lots of it! Athletes generally don't enough of this valuable energy source. Most recreational athletes need 300 to 500 grams of carbohydrate every day, while elite athletes need 500-700 grams per day. A typical serving of carbohydrates is 15-30 grams. It's no wonder that athletes feel tired. I think using the Nutripoints(TM) method is the easiest way to add carbohydrates to your diet because you don't have to figure out how many grams you are getting from various foods; it's based upon the Nutripoint value (one number=nutrient density) of a food, not of its glycemic index.

Many carbohydrate supplements come in the form of gels or powdered sugars, usually glucose-based, which is one of the least sweet sugars and can be added to canned fruit, drinks and fruit juices. Carbohydrate supplements, like sports bars, are convenient and easy to carry but aren't the "magic" answer you may be looking for. It's even better to get your extra carbohydrate from 100% fruit juices and whole grain cereals because of their high phytonutrient value. Liquid meals are easier to consume than solids and can aid in meeting the athlete's needs.

A piece of fruit is the most nutritious snack but sometimes it isn't convenient. Snacks of various kinds can offer good nutrition; such as toast, fruit muffins, fruit bread, yogurt, dried fruit, popcorn, crackers and sports drinks, to name a few. So snacking can meet your carbohydrate needs, providing you know which are the most nutritious. In our book, "The Winning Edge: Fueling & Training the Body for Peak Performance", there is a great list of "high-energy fuel" foods, drinks, and snacks.

Here is a sample of high-carb/high-Nutripoint fruits:

Nutripoints

34. 0 12 pc JP+ Gummies® (fruit)

29.0 ¼ Cantaloupe

21.0 1 Guava

20.5 ½ Papaya

19.0 1 c Strawberries

19.0 ¾ c Currants, Black

17.5 ½ Mango

17.0 1 Kiwi

15.5 ½ c Mandarin Oranges

14.0 1 Banana

14.0 ¼ Honeydew Melon

14.0 2 Plums

13.5 1 Orange

13.5 3 Apricots (or 6 pc dried)

13.0 1 Tangerine

13.0 ½ Grapefruit

13.0 ½ c Blackberries

13.0 ½ c Fruit Salad

12.5 ½ c Raspberries

11.5 6 oz Orange Juice

11.0 1 Peach

11.0 6 oz Grapefruit Juice

10.5 1 c Watermelon

10.0 ½ c Fruit Cocktail

10.0 1 Nectarine

As one of our email members, you are entitled to a FREE Nutripoint QuickCheck Evaluation. The newly developed Nutripoint QuickCheck is an online evaluation of your overall diet. It only takes 2-4 minutes to complete, and will tell you your:

• total Nutripoints per day (average)
• total number of food servings per day (average)
• Nutripoint score per serving for food (average)

For anyone wanting to make improvements in their nutrition (and energy and health), the first step is to "see where you stand." The Nutripoint QuickCheck can easily help you do this. Try it out!