Can a sweet snack fuel your muscles? Many athletes turn to Rice Krispies Treats® as a secret weapon. Recent studies reveal that athletes can enhance their performance by consuming more carbohydrates than previously believed during intense competition. (1)
Rice Krispies Treats® are a source of simple carbs, which offer a quick and affordable energy boost. Are they or homemade equivalents suitable for every athlete? When is the best time to enjoy them — before, during, or after a workout? Let’s break it down.
Why Athletes Eat Rice Krispies Treats®
Carbohydrates provide energy for muscles, enhancing endurance and training performance. They replenish muscle glycogen stores and aid recovery after exercise. Rice Krispies Treats®, made from simple carbs in the cereal and the sugar that binds it together, deliver a quick energy boost. A 22-gram pack provides 90 calories, comprising two grams of fat and 17 grams of carbohydrates, eight of which come from added sugars.
Simple carbohydrates are rapidly digested into the bloodstream, making them a convenient option for meeting carbohydrate needs.
“Simple carbohydrates are excellent for performance and for restocking glycogen stores,” sports dietitian and researcher Meghann Featherstun explained, “There’s no simpler carbohydrate than a Rice Krispies Treat® that has marshmallows, which are sugar, and processed white rice.”
Rice Krispies Treat® Pre-Workout
Pre-workout nutrition helps reduce fatigue and enhance exercise performance. (2) Two-time Olympian long-distance runner Molly Huddle, who formerly held records in the 5,000-meter and half-marathon, swears by this breakfast cereal. Before a race, she prioritizes carb-loading.
“I wanted something I liked eating so it wasn’t a chore…that wasn’t going to set off my gut the next day,” Huddle explained. “Any rice-based food sat really well with me. Put a little sugar on the rice, and there you go.”
A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences highlights how consuming carbohydrates before exercise can boost performance. (3) Huddle isn’t the only one fueling up with Rice Krispies Treats® before training. South African bodybuilder Noel Deyzel recommends eating them 30 minutes to an hour before a workout to enhance your pump.
Rice Krispies Treat® Intra-Workout
Consuming simple carbohydrates during endurance or high-intensity exercise can help delay fatigue and improve performance. According to a study published in Sports Medicine, even small amounts of carbs taken during activities lasting one hour can provide measurable benefits. (4)
Professional road cyclist Nick Schultz, who finished the 2022 and 2023 Tour de France, incorporates simple carbs into his daily training. “On race days, I’ll almost certainly snack on one or two between breakfast and the race start time,” Schultz explained. “I will fill my pockets with at least four squares to go with gels, bars, and drink mix from Nduranz.
Rice Krispies Treat® Post-Workout
Bodybuilders can opt for Rice Krispies Treat® as a post-workout snack; there’s science to back it up. Consuming carbs after a workout accelerates glycogen resynthesis, helping to replenish muscle glycogen stores. According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, post-workout carb intake promotes a positive muscle protein balance, supporting repair and growth. (5)
Another study highlights that athletes consuming up to 120 grams of carbs per hour experienced faster muscle recovery and reduced muscle damage than those consuming 60–90 grams. (6)
The Role of a Proper Diet
Geoff Burns, a physiologist and member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, suggests that indulging in the kind of snacks your eight-year-old self dreams of is helpful during training sessions. However, this doesn’t mean abandoning a balanced diet of essential nutrients.
While Rice Krispies Treats® and the like can be a fun addition, they shouldn’t replace meals or snacks that provide the vital nutrients and calories your body needs. Proper nutrition, comprised of balanced macro and micronutrients, remains the foundation of performance.
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References
- Kanter M. (2018). High-Quality Carbohydrates and Physical Performance: Expert Panel Report. Nutrition today, 53(1), 35–39. https://doi.org/10.1097/NT.0000000000000238
- Kaczka, P., Batra, A., Kubicka, K., Maciejczyk, M., Rzeszutko-Bełzowska, A., Pezdan-Śliż, I., Michałowska-Sawczyn, M., Przydział, M., Płonka, A., Cięszczyk, P., Humińska-Lisowska, K., & Zając, T. (2020). Effects of Pre-Workout Multi-Ingredient Supplement on Anaerobic Performance: Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(21), 8262. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218262
- Hargreaves, M., Hawley, J. A., & Jeukendrup, A. (2004). Pre-exercise carbohydrate and fat ingestion: effects on metabolism and performance. Journal of sports sciences, 22(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/0264041031000140536
- Jeukendrup A. (2014). A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 44 Suppl 1(Suppl 1), S25–S33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0148-z
- Figueiredo, V. C., & Cameron-Smith, D. (2013). Is carbohydrate needed to further stimulate muscle protein synthesis/hypertrophy following resistance exercise?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-42
- Urdampilleta, A., Arribalzaga, S., Viribay, A., Castañeda-Babarro, A., Seco-Calvo, J., & Mielgo-Ayuso, J. (2020). Effects of 120 vs. 60 and 90 g/h Carbohydrate Intake during a Trail Marathon on Neuromuscular Function and High Intensity Run Capacity Recovery. Nutrients, 12(7), 2094. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12072094
Featured image via Shutterstock/Elena Veselova
