Introduction
Carbohydrate intake plays a crucial role in optimizing athletic performance, particularly in high intensity events that also rely upon endurance. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for the muscle and brain and are used up rapidly.
Carbohydrates are stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen, these small fuel tanks are depleted after roughly 70-90-minutes of intense activity.
At this point fatigue occurs and the intensity of exercise has to decline as the body shift to less efficient fuel sources.
It is now well established in both research and practice that beginning activity with higher concentrations of muscle glycogen is likely to enhance performance during exercise longer than 60-90-minutes.
Further, the consumption of carbohydrate in the hour leading up to exercise and during can help maintain performance in numerous athletic domains.
Initial recommendations suggested that 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour was the upper limit of carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. Although it was subsequently found that higher rates of carbohydrate oxidation were possible when multiple-transportable carbohydrates were consumed simultaneously.
Notably, specific ratios between 2:1 and 1:1 of glucose and fructose were found to increase carbohydrate oxidation by as much as 75%.
These developments have led to significant improvements in endurance performance in recent years, by delivering larger quantities of fuel while minimizing the associated stomach issues.
The innovative Cadence Core 40 Fuel Formula has been developed and refined from the knowledge of years of research and elite athlete trials. Combining 3 food-based sources of carbohydrate, each unique in composition at a 1:1 ratio of glucose and fructose, delivers fuel efficiently at different rates to help maintain blood glucose levels, spare glycogen stores, delay fatigue, and ultimately sustain performance.
Food First Approach to Performance Nutrition
Within the realms of sports nutrition the food-first approach is garnering more attention from both athletes and researchers, as they look to leverage the power of more natural solutions. A food-first approach to carbohydrate intake offers several advantages for endurance athletes. Whole foods provide additional nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and polyphenols, which support overall health and other aspects of performance such as energy metabolism and recovery.
Furthermore, research has demonstrated that certain foods have shown comparable performance benefits to commercial gels and drinks, demonstrating their potential as effective alternatives prior to and during exercise.
However, some limitations exist. Achieving the recommended carbohydrate intake through food alone will require significant volumes of food, potentially causing gastrointestinal discomfort.
Similarly, foods rich in certain sugars such as fructose or galactose might also result in digestive issues, and the transportability of certain foods can be challenging during exercise. To overcome these challenges, athletes are encouraged to adopt a mixed approach, combining whole foods with carbohydrate supplements, such as gels or drinks.
This growing interest and research into the food-first approach has led to the innovation of the Cadence Core 40 Fuel Bar. Combining white puffed rice with dates and honey to deliver 40 grams of carbohydrate per bar, this bar meets the pre, during and post-exercise carbohydrate requirements of training and can be used as an additional fuel source to meet the elevated requirements of competition.
Core 40 Fuel Formula
Puffed Rice for Performance
Puffed white rice cereal is the primary ingredient within Cadence Bar 40 and for good reason.
It is an excellent carbohydrate source due to its high glycemic index, providing fast fuel to rapidly raise blood glucose levels and top up glycogen stores.
It is primarily starch, which is broken down into glucose and absorbed rapidly.
Its low fiber and fat content make it easy to digest, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort before and during exercise. Puffed white rice cereal is also incredibly lightweight and easily transported during longer runs.
Additionally, it leaves minimal digestive residue, making it a practical choice for pre-race meals. This incredible source of carbohydrate is the ideal fuel before, during and after training competition.
Dried Fruit for Performance
Dried dates are naturally rich in carbohydrate, with around 85% of their energy coming from sugars such as glucose and fructose in a roughly 1:1 ratio.
Theoretically, this dual fuel composition is likely to offer great benefit to endurance.
Dates also have a relatively low fiber content, although may lead to gastrointestinal discomfort if consumed in large quantities. They also contain a host of micronutrients such as minerals potassium and magnesium, B vitamins and polyphenols.
These phenolic compounds and flavonoids offer unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits that cannot be obtained from commercially available carbohydrate supplements.
Research has demonstrated that the consumption of dried fruits, such as dates and raisins are equally effective in maintaining 10 km time trial performance and power output of athletes as commercially available carbohydrate supplements.
Interestingly carbohydrate rates were the same, at around 2.1 - 2.2 grams per minute in both conditions, fat oxidation rates were also similar. This demonstrates that the refined composition of carbohydrate supplements does not necessarily impact the rate at which carbohydrate fuels performance. The participants within this study actually favoured the natural taste of the dried fruits as opposed to the artificially flavoured supplements.
Organic Honey for Performance
Honey is another strong food-first carbohydrate source for endurance athletes, providing comparable performance benefits to commercial sports gels and drinks.
Honey has a similar carbohydrate content to dates (roughly 80%) and a glucose and fructose ratio of close to 1:1.
A systematic review documented the effects of honey supplementation during exercise, focusing on biochemical markers, performance, and perceptual responses. That research reported that honey was equally effective as other forms of carbohydrate in maintaining performance and power output in cycling, running and soccer specific exercise.
Other studies, including those where honey was supplemented over longer periods of time demonstrated that inflammatory markers were reduced, antioxidant capacity was elevated and immune function maintained with honey consumption.
Conclusion
The Cadence Core 40 Fuel Bar has harnessed the latest scientific evidence as it relates to a food-first approach to sports nutrition to develop the innovative fuel formula, which combined with the core electrolyte blend delivers the perfect, practical solution to sustain your performance.