Do you have questions about nutrition? Send them to comer@lavanguardia.es, our nutritionist Aitor Sánchez will answer all your questions.
What are energy gels for athletes made of? Do they really work? (José Ignacio Miranda, reader)
Hi Jose Ignacio,
Gels for athletes are generally made from a mixture of carbohydrates and water. They have the main function of replenishing glucose during sports practice so that you can perform for longer and also be a replacement to take with you.
From that point of view, yes, they work, because they fulfill the simple function of energy fuel. Studies show us that replenishing during sports practice with any source of glucose, especially in long-duration disciplines (beyond an hour and a half or two hours), can be useful to delay symptoms of fatigue and improve performance. .
Nor can we think that they are magical or that they have special properties. If we take them and our body really does not need fuel, they will not make a difference. We could also use any other source of carbohydrates, but gels are very popular, especially among runners and cyclists because they are easy to carry, and also to place at different supply points.
Hello, Aitor. Should he chill the cooked potatoes in the refrigerator before eating them? I have read on the Internet that they are healthier this way. Thank you (Yolanda Morro, reader)
Hello Yolanda,
You have found one of the fashionable tips in the world of dietetics. The easy answer is that they are a little healthier, but the complex answer is that not as much as they sell it to us.
For a few years it has been studied that when a product that has already cooked starch is cooled, during the cooling process part of that starch can be transformed into resistant starch, a type of fiber.
That is the reason why many people are recommending cooling rice or potatoes after cooking: so that the product has a little more fiber, and less absorbable carbohydrates. Furthermore, the presence of this resistant starch is showing to have different benefits for our intestinal health and also to contribute to a better microbiota.
In theory it is good advice, but ultimately it is a small detail that should not gain much prominence ahead of the bases of our diet.
I'll give you an example: sometimes we meet people in consultation who are very excited about refrigerating already cooked potatoes or a plate of leftover rice because they believe it is a great contribution to their health, however, they have unconsciously increased the amount of potatoes. or pasta that they now consume, and they even pay less attention to the amount of fruit and vegetables they eat.
Therefore, we can use it as a small plus, but knowing that it is much more important for our health to eat fruits, vegetables and legumes regularly.
