Sugar: A Tool For Muscle Building?

Sugar gets a bad reputation among fitness fanatics. Most people tend to avoid it like the plague. Yes its true that sugar, when consumed too much, can have a devastating effect on your midsection. There is, however, a valid reason to include sugar in your diet: it can help you build lean muscle tissue. Why is this a huge deal? Because you can now indulge in your sweet tooth and still see some fitness gains. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can consume sugar at every opportunity. What it does mean however, is that you can be more selective about the times you eat sugar. 

Here is how it works: sugar promotes an increase in insulin levels. While many people advocate keeping a steady level of insulin in the blood stream, a sudden spike in insulin levels will help promote post exercise recovery in your muscles. Why does this happen? Insulin helps transport nutrients into the muscle cell. Intentionally spiking your insulin levels post workout will help insure a more efficient recovery for better fitness gains. 

How do you successfully incorporate this tactic into your post workout nutrition? You could start by drinking chocolate milk. It has the right balance of carbohydrates to protein to help you recover. Alternatively, you could pair whey protein with a sugary type powder, Nesquick works particularly well for this purpose. One scoop of whey protein and one scoop of Nesquick powder mixed with water or milk will provide adequate nutrients for building lean muscle mass. 

Apart from the physical benefits to drinking this kind of carb/protein blend, it also helps you save money. Protein powders can be particularly pricey. Truthfully, most proteins work the same way. Avoiding the hype and sticking to the good old fashioned whey protein will help you avoid overspending on your fitness budget and still allow you to see fitness gains.

A word of caution about this nutritional tactic: spiking your insulin levels works best only after you workout. At other times during the day it is best to avoid a high carbohydrate diet if you’re an average gym patron. Remember that everyone’s nutritional needs may differ based on their goals and fitness level. Understanding sugars role in post workout recovery  gives you an advantage for your next workout.