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Crazy Ab out Candy! By Eileen Seiler You’re done with a workout and you have the choice of biting into a ripe, juicy nectarine or squishing through a mouthful of Gummy Bears…face it, some days you just want the bears. No shame. No judgment. In fact, it’s perfectly fine… but only for that moment of time when your body is craving those easily digestible carbs to restore its fuel. Then, all that gooey goodness goes back in the pantry until next time. The American Heart Association guidelines for maximum added sugar consumption per day are 36 grams for men and 25 grams for women. However, the average American adult consumes about 77 grams per day (yikes!) often resulting in obesity, Type 2 diabetes and other health issues, especially if exercise is not part of the daily routine. But, when ingested at the right time, such as post- workout in this case, sweets, especially dextrose- or corn syrup-based ones, facilitate recovery and are convenient to carry around. They also hit the spot for long distance sports like cycling and running to keep athletes fueled throughout the event. Nutrition Quarterly · 2020 – Volume 4 10 What We’re Reading