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FAQ #3 - Beer; can it be used for post workout rehydration and refueling?
Known as the beverage of the gods, brewed from carbohydrate rich plants, and apparently a source of antioxidants and chock full of plant based chemicals, beer has been the choice of brew throughout time as an elixir to celebrate the comradeship of a sporting lifestyle and the physical demands of training. But by the time the beer is brewed only a measly 2-5 grams of carbohydrates are left in a bottle of light beer and an average of 10-12 grams of carbohydrates in a regular Canadian bottle of beer. This paltry amount of carbohydrate doesn’t even come close to the 70-80 grams of carbohydrate the typical male endurance athlete needs in the first hour post workout to get a jump on refueling after a tough training session. This refueling is important as it gives you the energy to get through the next day’s training session feeling energetic and raring to go! Well…. many masters athletes complain about poor recovery after tough training sessions, difficulty with maintaining muscle mass, declining power and general fatigue. A quick look at training and nutrition logs may link some of these issues to events occurring when healthy food choices are being left out of a post workout meal plan to make way for an evening of beer and foods with little nutritional value. This doesn’t mean that beer can’t fit in – it can, if you take care of your sport nutrition needs with a little planning. Here is one easy tip: use the beer to “chase” a carbohydrate rich meal or snack. Meal examples include pasta, rice and legume based dishes such as curried chicken with pasta, vegetable beef stir fry with rice or a spicy bean wrap. If you are into fast food go for a small burger on a large bun with a side serving of fries and salad to go along with your beer. Snack suggestions include a baked potato with salsa and cheese topping, salted pretzels and nuts with dried fruit thrown in for extra carbohydrate or pita chips and veggies with hummus dip. To top it off, turn that beer into a shandy (mix ½ ginger beer and ½ beer) to increase the carbohydrate content and minimize the effect of the alcohol in the beer. Cheers!
Copyright © 2005 Peak Performance. All Rights Reserved.
