Carbohydrates provide important nutrients to our bodies. Carbohydrates are converted into blood sugar called glucose and the latter fuels our body and gives it the energy it requires to perform our daily activities. For those who exercise regularly, having sufficient amount of carbohydrates is fundamental as these will be used as energy to fuel your workouts and training. It's not recommended to train on an empty stomach. For those who are trying to build muscle mass, this is even more crucial. Eat adequate amount of carbohydrates before exercising because if not, your hard worked muscles will be used as energy.

There are two types of carbohydrates ie simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are usually absorbed quite fast by the body while complex carbohydrates take more time to digest.

Below is a good carbohydrate food list for your needs:

Simple Carbohydrates

Honey
Milk
Yoghurt
Sugar
Fruit
Fruit Juice
Jam
Chocolate
Cake
Biscuit

Complex Carbohydrates

Oatmeal
Potato
Sweet Potato
Manioc
Taro/Yam
Rice
Bread
Pasta
Dry Beans
Asparagus
Brussel Sprouts
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green Beans
Garlic
Green Peppers
Onion
Pumpkin
Tomatoes

About the author

Jean Lam is the webmaster of Body Building Resource which provides articles on weight training, nutrition and fitness, body building book and DVDs.