Best Carb Supplements For Digestion, Taste, And More

Carbohydrates are a main source of energy for the body, helping to fuel your organs and central nervous system. They’re also one of the three macronutrients that your body needs on a daily basis — the other two being protein and fat. Carbs are broken down into three different categories: starches, fibers, and sugars. Carbs are stored in both your muscles and liver, and are put to use when you are in a deficiency — a deficiency can lead to headaches and fatigue among other negative side effects. (1)(2)

When it comes to weight training, supplementing carbs can be extremely beneficial to your gains by potentially sustaining your energy and assisting in your recovery. Using carbs as a pre-workout or intra-workout supplement can help keep the glycogen that fuels your muscles available for immediate use, and it can help replenish lost glycogen when taking it after your workout. Like all supps, not every carb supplement is the same; in this article, we walk you through a few of the best carb supplements for digestion, taste, and price, among other deciding factors. (3)

Best Carb Supplements

• Best Overall Carb Supplement: Xwerks Motion
• Best Unflavored Carb Supplement: Transparent Labs Carb Powder
• Best Cheap Carb Powder: Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb
• Best Waxy Maize: NOW Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize
• Best HBCD Supplement: Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
• Best Bulk Carb Powder: Nutricost Maltodextrin

Best Overall Carb Supplement: Xwerks Motion

Pros

• This carb supplement has an impressive amount of cluster dextrin carbohydrates (25 grams), which your body absorbs quickly — ideal for performance.
• You also get BCAAs and electrolytes, which can help keep your body fueled during exercise.
• This product dissolves easily in water, so you can sip on the go.

Cons

• You only get one flavor option here.
• Those on a budget will be able to find cheaper alternatives on this list. 
• Other products have creatine included in their carb supplements, which may be better for some athletes.

When looking for a solid carb supplement, you’ll likely want a product that contains slow-release fuel for sustained energy — this supplement has 25g of cluster dextrin, which may support long-lasting energy. 

“Xwerks Motion feels like a 2-for-1 formula,” explains Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, a registered dietitian and BarBend‘s expert reviewer. “The Cluster Dextrin supports your workout in the moment and the BCAAs support your recovery after you leave the gym. I love love love that its ingredients are backed by clinical trials, and I love the 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine.”

This intra- and post-workout supplement is designed to provide extended energy to get you through grueling workouts, or to keep you replenished after your workout is over. One study found that consuming carbs after an intense workout could rapidly recover glycogen stores in the body, which may improve your body’s ability to maintain muscle mass. Glycogen is stored energy from carbohydrates, and when we are low on glycogen, our body uses muscle stores to create energy. (4)

With 24g of cluster dextrin along with 3g of BCAAs, this formula should keep you feeling energized throughout or after your workout (depending on when you take the supplement). Although the price tag is a bit higher at $1.63 per serving, the potent amount of cluster dextrin and BCAAs may make it worth it. Plus, the product is easily digested with no bloating, which is ideal during a long run or bike session. 

Best Unflavored Carb Supplement: Transparent Labs Carb Power

Pros

• This product has minimal ingredients and zero additives — just carbs and nothing else.
• Since this is unflavored, you can easily add it to your electrolyte supplement during a workout.
• Transparent Labs contains zero sugar, so you don’t have to worry about a post-workout sugar crash.

Cons

• Athletes wanting to bulk may prefer a carb supplement with more than 100 calories.
• If you just want to mix with water, you may prefer a flavored option, as unflavored will still add a little taste to your H2O.

With no sugars or insulin-spiking fillers like corn maltodextrin, Transparent Labs Carb Powder contains clean complex carbs in an unflavored powder you can add to any drink. 

Containing Cluster Dextrin, Transparent Labs is packed with 25 grams of carbohydrates and only 100 calories. Its unflavored option is king compared to its competition as it is made of just pure carbs with zero added ingredients. While the other flavors Transparent Labs offers do contain additional ingredients like natural flavors, it’s truly one of the cleanest carb supplements out there.

It’s worth noting this only comes in an unflavored option, which may be great for those looking to stack their supplements. Plus, it allows you to throw this powder in virtually any smoothie, juice, coffee, or other beverage without altering the taste. At $1.50 per serving this is pretty reasonably priced, especially considering the quality. 

This unflavored powder contains clean ingredients and a high level of carbs with minimal calories, putting nothing extra in the way of you and your gains. 

Best Cheap Carb Powder: Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb

Pros

• You get a high number of carbs (30g) at a lower price. You’re only paying about $0.50 per serving here. 
• This product contains 120 calories, which is above average and ideal for long endurance activities.
• The dextrose here can be quickly absorbed, which is great for replenishing post-workout.

Cons

• Anyone who is allergic to eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, or fish should steer clear of this product.
• This contains 58 percent of your daily sugar intake.

For those who may be trying to avoid overpriced supplements, this is a cost-effective option that can still provide the high-quality ingredients you look for in a carb supplement.

Replenishing muscle glycogen in your body as much as you can after a workout is essential when it comes to both muscle recovery and growth, which is the potential benefit of Post-Jym Fast Digesting carbs. One scoop of this supplement contains 30g of carbohydrates from dextrose, which is an ideal amount to potentially replenish that glycogen your body needs.

Post-Jym can help your body in achieving elevated insulin levels, which in turn, can help glucose, amino acids, and creatine be taken up by muscle cells to potentially increase growth. Dextrose may also be one of the fastest-absorbing carbs available on the market. For under $20, you’ll get a 30-serving tub, making this one of the least expensive options on our list. 

If you are looking to get glycogen to your muscles as fast as you can after a workout, this is a good option to consider. The formula contains dextrose, which may be absorbed by your body faster than other carb supplements. Plus, the low price makes Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb a bonafide steal.

Best Waxy Maize: NOW Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize

Pros

• Customers looking for a slow-absorbing carb supplement that can be easily taken in by muscle tissue may prefer this type of complex carbohydrate. 
• This product is free of gluten, soy, and wheat among other common allergens.
• At about $0.37 per serving, this is one of the most budget-friendly products.

Cons

• This product is completely tasteless, so you need to mix it with other supps.
• For those looking for a powder that is considered fine, you may want to look elsewhere as this product is more “chalky” than your normal carb supplement.

Waxy Maize is a tasteless corn starch that some people may want to choose over a normal carbohydrate supplement for its potentially slower absorption. Amylopectin — the main chemical in waxy maize — can help allow this product to be slowly absorbed by the body and easily taken in by muscle tissue. 

NOW Waxy Maize is a complex starch derived from non-GMO corn that contains 90 percent amylopectin — a chemical that may help this carb supplement absorb slower over a longer period of time. Waxy Maize is a complex carbohydrate that can help support glycogen re-synthesis after a workout, allowing for sustained energy levels throughout the day.

This product is also free of gluten, soy, wheat, milk, fish, and egg. Priced at $37.99, each of the 62 servings in this tub consists of 37g of carbohydrates and 150 total calories. It is also an unflavored supplement, so you can mix it with any other supplements or any beverage of your choosing. 

Not everyone is going to see the same results from the same products. If you are looking for a change in the way you intake your carbs, waxy maize is slowly absorbed by the body to potentially boost sustained energy throughout the day. Plus, this product is much cheaper than many of the other options on this list. 

Best HBCD Supplement: Redcon1 Cluster Bomb

Pros

• Athletes who are looking for that extra boost during their endurance workouts will like that they can sip this throughout their session.
• This contains highly branched cyclic dextrin, which may be more quickly absorbed by the body than other carb supplements. 
• You can choose between two flavors: Strawberry Kiwi and Grape. 

Cons

• If you already use a pre-workout, you may not want to use another energy-boosting supplement.
• There are no unflavored options.
• This product does include some artificial ingredients.

HBCD (highly branched cyclic dextrin) supplements are designed to potentially allow you to exercise for longer periods of time before you start to feel fatigued. Redcon1 designed their HBCD to be taken during your workout. The ingredients are formulated so that they can help with quick absorption, offering more immediate results.

Intra-workout supps are a sometimes overlooked category of supplementation. Redcon1 Cluster Bomb is designed to be taken mid-workout, which may help you unlock new strength as you go. The 25g of Cluster Dextrin can help this supplement pass through the stomach quickly, allowing it to be absorbed by the body and available for energy while exercising.

For just under $45, you’ll get 30 servings of 100 calories and 25g of carbs — however, you will find additional artificial flavors and sweeteners here to help create the Strawberry Kiwi and Grape flavors. 

In a market of pre- and post-workout supplements, the intra-workout supplement can be overlooked. Cluster Bomb from Redcon1 may be quickly absorbed during your workout to potentially boost workout capacity through energy, hydration, and recovery.

Best Carb Powder To Buy In Bulk: Nutricost Maltodextrin

Pros

• At only 60 calories per serving, this product has fewer cals than others.
• This product is all-natural and gluten-free.
• Folks who want a high-quality bulk-buy product for one of the cheapest rates you will find on the market.

Cons

• Maltodextrin may not mix as well with other products.
• There are no flavor options with this product.

If you are planning to buy in bulk and potentially save money, you should make sure the product you are buying is something that is actually going to help you enough for you to commit to finishing out your bulk purchase. With that being said, we believe this is the best bulk option when it comes to a high-quality and versatile carb supplement. 

Nutricost Maltodextrin comes in three different purchasing options: two pounds, four pounds, and eight pounds. When purchasing the eight-pound option, you are getting 242 servings for $35.95, which comes out to $0.28 per ounce. Even the two-pound tub is only $0.47 per ounce, and comes with 60 servings. Nutricost Maltodextrin Powder is also very versatile. You can add it to your pre-workout, intra-workout, or post-workout drinks and shakes.

Made from tapioca, this maltodextrin powder is all-natural, gluten-free, and does not contain GMOs. Unlike dextrose (which is a simple sugar the body doesn’t have to break down), maltodextrin is a string of glucose molecules that has to be broken down by your body to be used. Because it’s made up of glucose molecules though, it may be broken down pretty quickly, similar to dextrose. Nutricost Maltodextrin 14g of carbs and 60 calories can be a solid way to get in those extra carbs and calories without dehydrating. (6)

Maltodextrin is a popular option for gymgoers who are looking for a carb supplement that can be easily broken down. The ability to buy this product in such a large quantity for a relatively cheap price allows this product to stand out from its competition.

The Benefits of Carb Supplements

Contrary to what many people believe, carbohydrates do not make you gain weight outright. In fact, studies show that there is zero difference in body fat when low-carb and high-carb diets are matched in calories. They are the body’s main source of energy, as they can help fuel your organs, muscle groups, and central nervous system.

In the strength and conditioning world, using a powder to supplement carbs along with protein powder can potentially help you see that extra boost when it comes to building muscle while also providing an increase in energy. Since your body also needs glycogen for fuel, a carb supplement can help that glycogen remain ready, to replenish what you lose while exercising. Your body can also store extra carbs to be released when you are not getting enough in your diet.

Outside of fitness goals, if you are in a carb deficiency, you may experience headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating among other symptoms, which could be another reason for taking a carb supplement. (1)(3)(7)

How We Chose the Best Carb Supplements

There’s a wide range of carbohydrate supplements available on the market today. When deciding which ones we thought were the best of the bunch, we considered the flavoring, pricing, amount of carbs per serving, digestion, and added ingredients to build out this list. Check out our supplement testing methodology for more information.

Carbs Per Serving

Since this list is specific to carbohydrate supplements, we wanted to make sure we highlighted options that offer an ideal amount of carbs for a supplement. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, about 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories should be from carbs. This means you should ingest between 225 to 325g of carbs daily, and all of these options are the ideal supplemental amount to help fill the gaps in your diet to reach that goal. (8)

Flavor

While there are unflavored options on this list for those who prefer them, we wanted to put what we thought were the carb supplements that didn’t make you regret your purchase after every sip. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to taste, but we believe the flavored options on this list are all objectively tasty. 

Price

We understand that not everyone has the same budget, and that price and results do not have a direct correlation. There are some expensive items on this list — though you can rest assured that all of these pricier picks are worth the extra cash for their high-quality ingredients and robust ingredient lists. However, we mainly tried to include affordable products. The reason being, if you’re looking to buy a carb supplement, chances are it’s not the only supplement you’re taking (or thinking about taking), so we don’t want you to spend all of your money in one place. 

Digestion

Nobody wants a product that will leave their stomach in knots, causing them to immediately regret their purchase. We picked carb supplements that have formulas designed around potentially easier digestion. We also made sure to point out products and ingredients — like Cluster Dextrin — that can be more easily absorbed by the body, offering a quicker release to your muscles.

Additional Ingredients

More ingredients don’t always mean more results, but we also understand that some products featuring added vitamins and minerals could potentially be beneficial for your body. For this list, we wanted to offer a mix of products that contain just pure carbs, as well as some that offer protein, and even vitamins and minerals — no matter if you’re looking for a minimal ingredient list or a robust ingredient list, we have a pick for you. 

We do not include any products with straight-up harmful ingredients. However, we have included a few products with artificial ingredients. Since some people may try to avoid these, we have pointed them out when they pop up on our list. 

How Much Do Carb Supplements Cost?

You can expect to spend anywhere between $15 to $80 on one tub of carbohydrate powder. But the cost you want to look at is actually the price per serving, which can range anywhere from around $0.30 to $2.15. We found the average price per serving to be about $1.21, and many of our picks fall right around this price. 

Best Overall Carb Supplement	Xwerks Motion	$49 $1.63 per serving
Best Unflavored Carb Supplement	Transparent Labs Carb Powder	$44.99 $1.50 per serving
Best Cheap Carb Powder	Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb	$14.74 $0.49 per serving
Best Waxy Maize	NOW Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize	$28.34 $0.45 per serving
Best HBCD Supplement	Redcon1 Cluster Bomb	$44.99 $1.50 per serving
Best Bulk Carb Powder	Nutricost Maltodextrin	$17.95 $0.30 per serving

There are several basic picks that fall under $0.50 per serving, making carb supplements a relatively inexpensive and easy addition to your stack. Just because something is expensive does not mean it will offer the best results, and vice versa. You should decide what you are looking to gain from your purchase and which ingredients can be the most helpful before picking which brand to go with.

What to Consider Before Buying Carb Supplements

With such a variety of carb supplements to choose from, it’s important to consider your personal needs, budget, and flavor preferences before hitting the market. 

Personal Needs

One thing to consider when deciding which carb supplement to buy is if you are in a carbohydrate deficit. If you don’t get enough carbs in your diet, you may have headaches or have a difficult time concentrating or focusing during your workouts. If that is the case, you may want to look at one of the options on this list that offers the most carbs per serving, or pair that powder with more carbs from sweet potatoes and other whole foods. 

If you are taking a carb supplement to help meet your fitness goals, it’s important to incorporate the number of carbs you get from your diet into your calculations, so you can find a supplement that supplies the right number of carbs to meet your goals — whether they are pre-, intra-, or post-workout. 

Budget

Budget is typically a pretty big consideration for most people. The more expensive carb supplements will likely include clean, whole-food ingredients, and/or have quite robust ingredient lists. The less expensive products may have shorter ingredient lists, but that does not mean they can’t be just as effective. Decide how much you are willing to spend on a carb supplement, and no matter your budget, you can find a high-quality pick on this list to meet your needs. 

Flavor

Nobody wants a product that is chalky or makes them regret their purchase with each gulp. Weigh your options on flavor, and if there isn’t one you are particularly drawn to, try something unflavored that you can add to a protein shake or smoothie. 

Final Word

Carbohydrates are one of the most essential macronutrients that you need on a daily basis. They are your main source of energy, and carb supplements are a great option for anyone who is in a deficiency or is looking to replace what they burn while exercising. No matter what side of the spectrum you find yourself on, you likely will not regret your decision to add more carbs to your diet, and you may even see yourself finally reaching those goals you set in the gym. 

This list is full of great options for both beginner- and expert-level athletes looking to get that added boost of carbs throughout their day. Be sure to consider your budget, goals, and flavor preferences before hitting the market. After that, rest assured that this list can help you find the best option for you. 

FAQs

References

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