Do you choose pasta for carb-loading before a big race or athletic event? You could be doing it all wrong! Or are you?
A video was recently posted by a triathlon coach about a new way to carb-load, and how pasta is the wrong way. But, as a registered dietitian who works with endurance athletes on their nutrition, I knew this couldn’t be accurate. To make sense of it for you, I dug into some research and compiled it here.
Let’s address some missing and confusing information about the coach’s video to help you better understand if you should stop eating pasta for carb-loading.
Should You Ditch Pasta for Carb-Loading?
The video I’m referring to speaks to a new way to carb load and includes loads of good carb-loading information that I completely agree with, so I’m not here to criticize the coach who made it. In fact, I asked about the science behind his suggestion to ditch pasta in the comments section of the video, and he responded that there is none! The choice to ditch pasta for carb-loading is anecdotal based on trending athlete preference and practices.
In summary: there’s no actual nutrition science that says your performance will suffer because you choose pasta over potato or simple carbs.
But are other carbs better for carb-loading than pasta? Let’s explore some other possible concerns for optimal carb-loading and performance.
Are Other Carbohydrates Better than Pasta for Carb-Loading?
The triathlon coach says pasta is not an ideal source to carb-load with compared to foods like white rice, potatoes, and simple sugars like candy. The brief but main ideas behind this seem to be that pasta has higher protein and fiber than white rice or potatoes, and that it has a lower number on the glycemic index scale.
Let’s compare:
- 1 cup of white rice has about 45 grams of carbs, 4.3 grams protein, and <1 gram of fiber.
- 1 cup of cooked pasta has about 43 grams carbs, 8 grams protein, and 2.5 grams of fiber.
Though pasta has a tad more protein and fiber, it will not impact glycogen storage and likely will not cause stomach upset if the rest of your carb-load is not high in protein or fiber. Plus, the video suggests having white rice for lunch with grilled chicken and white rice for dinner with salmon. But both chicken and salmon are protein sources, so you’re still getting a good amount of protein with the white rice.
If you choose pasta for carb-loading, you can decrease your chicken, ground turkey, or salmon portion that you pair it with, resulting in similar protein content with slightly higher fiber.
High-Glycemic Foods for Carb-Loading
High-glycemic foods are better for carb-loading because they are low-fiber, white foods, but the glycemic index assumes you’re eating that food and nothing else. Pasta has a slightly lower glycemic index compared to white rice or potatoes, but once you pair it with salmon or chicken, you’ve completely changed the way it impacts blood sugars and how quickly it’s digested. Kind of a moot point unless you’re eating plain rice compared to plain pasta.
However, if you eat your pasta with cheese and meat, as many people do, that can turn it into a high-protein, high-fat meal, which is not ideal right before a race. Both protein and fat should be kept low during a proper carb-load.
Summary: once you pair your pasta or other simple carb with protein and/or fat, your carb, protein and fiber content will likely be similar and not different enough to drastically impact glycemic index, glycogen storage, or GI upset.
Why Athletes are Choosing Potato or Rice Over Pasta for Carb-Loading
The more likely reason that more athletes are choosing rice or potato over pasta is because of gluten and fructans.
There are several studies on athlete food preferences for carb-loading and racing showing that many athletes are choosing naturally gluten-free options such as white rice and potato because of how gluten impacts digestion and GI upset.
For many people, the protein gluten can cause GI upset, whether due to the gluten itself or the chemicals used to grow wheat, barley and rye.
But what many people are less informed about is the carbohydrate called fructan, which is also found in wheat, barley, rye, and many gluten-containing foods. Fructan is often the true culprit, but it’s hard to know the difference because fructans co-occur in many gluten-containing food.
One way you can test this is by eating sourdough bread, which is lower in gluten. If you can eat it without any GI upset, it may be the fructans.
Foods with high levels of fructan are part of the FODMAP family, which I have a few other videos about. There are plenty of scientific articles about reduced GI upset in athletes when high-FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) foods are reduced.
Normal pasta is high in fructan and gluten, which is most likely the reason it upsets athletes’ stomachs, causing them to choose white rice, pasta, and candy instead.
Summary: Gluten and fructans may be the cause of athletes’ choices to eliminate pasta as a primary carb-load source, as these are more likely to cause GI upset.
How to Carb-Load to Reduce GI Upset
If you are an athlete who struggles with GI upset and can’t quite figure out why, it could be related to high fiber and high-FODMAP foods. I created a course on this specific topic because the scientific literature shows that reducing FODMAPs in the days leading up to a race can improve gastrointestinal symptoms for better performance.
The course also provides fueling strategies and numbers to help properly carb-load before race day. It comes with a downloadable PDF that you can use as a quick reference guide to prep for race week. I recommend printing it out and keeping it in your kitchen to help you plan your race week and race day meals.
If you want to know how much to eat and which foods are gut-friendly during a carb-load, then check out my course: A Runner’s Guide to Reducing Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Conclusion: Is Pasta for Carb Loading Bad?
To eat or not eat pasta during a carb-load? That is the question.
If you think you’re sensitive to gluten or fructans, or just notice that pasta doesn’t seem to digest too well, then yes, stick with naturally gluten-free, low-fiber foods like white rice and potatoes.
But if you’ve been eating it for years without any race-day GI upset, then there’s no reason to stop now if you don’t want to change. All carbs will get stored as glycogen, and when your glycogen is properly topped up, your endurance performance will improve.
Just make sure to always stick to the basics of low fiber foods, low-fat foods, and higher-sugar foods, while reducing protein during your carb-load to make room for ALL of the carbs you’ll need to eat to maximize performance.
If you need more help with your carb-loading or daily diet to improve endurance performance and reduce gastrointestinal upset, then contact me for a free consult at [email protected] or check out my online course, A Runner’s Guide to Reducing Gastrointestinal Symptoms
