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Carbo load: Pasta or Corn?

1K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  theMeat 
#1 ·
Kenyan marathoners eat nothing but corn (maize) and there seemed to be more Kenyan marathon champs than Italians (who eat pasta). Going through the nutritional values of ordinary corn (yellow corn) looks like they have more carbohydrates than cooked pasta, bread, rice, potatoes. And more number of Potassium as well.

Corn:per 100g serving
Calories: 365
Carbohydrates: 74g
Potassium: 287mg

Cooked spaghetti: 100g serving
Calories: 124
Carbohydrates: 27g
Potassium: 44mg

Cooked spaghetti: 100g serving
Calories: 124
Carbohydrates: 27g
Potassium: 44mg

Cooked white rice 100g serving
Calories: 130
Carbohydrates: 28g
Potassium: 35mg

white bread 100g serving
Calories: 266
Carbohydrates: 51g
Potassium: 100mg

Nutrition experts please pipe in.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I'm no expert but....
In general...it's not so much the amount per since you could simply eat more or less.
Sugar is the simplest carb. The more complex the carb the longer it takes for it to be broken down into usable energy(sugar). Corn is a more complex carb then pasta so it will last longer but won't be available as soon. Ripe fruits provide some of both. The flip side is the faster it is available to be used, the faster it gets stored if not used or depleted.

As far as why so many Kenyan's are so good at marathons....it has more to do with thousands of years of genetics.
 
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