BY HAMMER NUTRITION PHILIPPINES
Most of us agree that added sugar isn't good for us. Yet when it comes to sports fuel, many athletes stop reading the label. It's worth a closer look.
READ THE LABEL
Added sugar varies a lot from brand to brand, so check the label rather than guessing. Look for "added sugars" per serving, then multiply by how many servings you plan to take in an hour and in a whole race. The total often surprises people.
"I'LL JUST BURN IT OFF"
Many athletes think training cancels it out. Burning the calories doesn't change what you are putting into your body hour after hour, race after race. Hammer's position has been the same for more than 30 years: reduce or eliminate simple sugars in your diet and in the fuel you use during exercise.
NOT ALL CARBOHYDRATES ARE THE SAME
- Simple sugars are 1- or 2-unit molecules. Glucose, sucrose and fructose are examples of simple sugars.
- Complex carbohydrates are many sugar units linked together. Maltodextrin, which Hammer uses in its fuels, is one of them.
WHY HAMMER USES MALTODEXTRIN
Hammer uses tapioca maltodextrin, which has less short-chain sugar content than many other carbohydrate sources. These are Hammer's reasons for choosing it over simple sugars during exercise:
- It provides energy quickly when you need it.
- It gives longer-lasting energy, without the "flash and crash".
- More calories can be digested efficiently than from simple sugar.
- It has less potential for stomach distress.
Hammer only recommends maltodextrin during exercise and right after it. The rest of the day, it recommends low- to medium-GI carbohydrates from whole foods.
CLEAN SINCE DAY ONE
Hammer Gel®, HEED®, Perpetuem®, Sustained Energy and Recoverite® are made with complex carbohydrates and no added refined simple sugars.
Go deeper: SUGARGATE | Sugar: The Antithetic Performance Enhancer | Maltodextrin: The Superior Carbohydrate for Endurance Athletes