Carbo-Gy

Yes, the Etixx Carbo-Gy Orange and Red Fruit can perfectly be prepared as a hot drink. This is why this energy drink is also excellently suited for exercise in cold weather conditions.

You can only perform exercise when our body and muscles receive sufficient fuel. This is logical, as exercise is performed through muscular work, which is only possible when there is energy available to make our muscles function. This can be compared to a car that has no fuel. It will not be able to drive far, and the same applies to an athlete who has not taken on sufficient fuel before or during exercise.

Carbohydrates (sugars) are the best source of fuel for generating muscular work. Fats can also provide energy and have the advantage of producing more energy compared to carbohydrates. 1 gram of fat provides 9 kcal of energy, while 1 gram of carbohydrates provides only 4 kcal. However, fats have the disadvantage that they are not suitable as a fuel source in every sports situation. An athlete can only use fat as an energy source if a few conditions are met:

1. First of all, a sufficient oxygen supply is required for fat burning. Research has shown that for effective fat burning, the heart rate should not exceed 60 to 70 percent of the maximum heart rate.
2. Carnitine is an important substance needed to burn fat. Without carnitine, an athlete is less able to burn fat efficiently. This is important information for vegetarians, as carnitine is abundantly present in animal products.
3. An athlete who is not trained to use fat as energy will find it more difficult to utilise fats during exercise. Training on an empty stomach is the best way to teach your body to use fat as energy. During such a fasted training session, our body is forced to use fat instead of carbohydrates. In doing so, our body produces fat burning enzymes that are needed to convert fat into glucose. An athlete who does not have these enzymes during a competition will find it more difficult to burn fat and will only be able to use carbohydrates.

It is important for an athlete to consume sufficient building blocks for optimal muscle recovery. After intensive exercise, the muscles are damaged and require protein to repair this damage and build additional muscle mass.

Athletes generally have a higher need for protective substances, namely vitamins and minerals. Due to over cultivation and excessive fertilisation, our agricultural soils have become depleted, meaning that our fruit and vegetables today contain far fewer vitamins and minerals than they did 50 years ago. This reduced presence of vitamins and minerals in our fruit and vegetables, combined with an insufficient intake, means that athletes need to pay extra attention to consuming adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables. Variety is also a very important factor in this regard.

Drinking sufficiently on a daily basis, as well as before, during and after exercise, is of crucial importance to avoid dehydration and prevent a loss of performance. It is well known that from a fluid loss of 2% of body weight onwards, a significant drop in performance occurs.