Can I Eat Sweets to Carb Load? A Guide for Athletes

January 7, 2026 •

4 min read

According to sports nutritionists, consuming simpler carbs is actually recommended during the carb-loading phase for endurance events. This means that, within a carefully managed strategy, you can eat sweets to carb load as a way to boost glycogen stores without excess fiber and fat.

Quick Summary

Using simple sugars like those found in some sweets can help athletes reach high carbohydrate targets before an endurance event. However, it's crucial to understand the best options and potential drawbacks, such as digestive issues, to maximize performance.

Key Points

Strategic Use of Simple Carbs: For endurance events over 90 minutes, simple sugars from certain sweets can help meet high carb targets without the bulk of fiber.
Minimize Fat and Fiber: When choosing sweets, opt for low-fat, low-fiber options like gummy candies or sports drinks to prevent digestive distress on race day.
Practice in Training: Always test your carb-loading strategy with sweets during training runs to see how your body reacts before using it for a race.
Avoid High-Fat Sweets: Foods like chocolate or cream-filled pastries are counterproductive for carb loading because their high fat content slows digestion.
Spread Intake Throughout the Day: Instead of one large meal, spread your carbohydrate consumption across smaller, frequent meals and snacks to maintain stable blood sugar.
Prioritize Low-Fiber Complex Carbs: Base your carb load on easily digestible, lower-fiber sources like white rice, pasta, and potatoes.

The Science Behind Carb Loading and Simple Sugars

Carbohydrate loading is a nutritional strategy used by endurance athletes to maximize the storage of glycogen in muscles and the liver. This enhanced fuel reserve can delay fatigue during events lasting longer than 90 minutes, such as marathons or triathlons. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into simple sugars (glucose) for immediate energy or stores them as glycogen for later use.

When carb loading, the goal is to consume a very high amount of carbohydrates—often 8 to 12 grams per kilogram of body weight—in the 24 to 48 hours leading up to an event. This large volume can be difficult to consume using only bulky, high-fiber complex carbs. This is where some simple sugars, including those from sweets, can be strategically useful. Because they contain little to no fat or fiber, simple sugars can be an easy way to ingest a high density of pure carbohydrates without feeling overly full or causing gastrointestinal distress.

The Strategic Use of Sweets in Carb Loading

While a balanced diet of complex carbs is the foundation of any athletic nutrition plan, the final days of carb loading often require some adjustments. Foods with high fiber content, while healthy for daily consumption, can lead to bloating and discomfort on race day when consumed in large quantities. For this reason, some nutritionists recommend limiting fiber and fat and adding in specific, lower-fat simple sugar sources. This can include:

White bread, bagels, and low-fiber cereals
Pretzels and rice cakes
Fruit juices and sports drinks
Specific candies that are low in fat, like gummies or certain fruit chews

It is important to emphasize that this is a race-specific strategy and not a long-term dietary recommendation. The low-nutrient nature of many sweets is usually a drawback, but in this specific context, it is beneficial for hitting high carb targets without adding bulk.

Potential Risks and How to Mitigate Them

While incorporating sweets can be effective, it is not without risks. The rapid absorption of simple sugars can cause a spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar, which is the opposite of what an athlete needs for sustained performance. Overindulging in high-fat sweets like doughnuts or chocolate, for instance, can lead to digestive issues and slow down carbohydrate absorption. Furthermore, for individuals with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, such a high intake of processed sugars can be dangerous and should only be undertaken with medical supervision.

To mitigate these risks, athletes should practice their carb-loading routine during training to see how their body reacts. Opting for simple sugar sources with minimal fat, such as sports drinks or specific candies, is a safer bet than indulging in fatty pastries. Spreading carbohydrate intake throughout the day rather than in one large meal also helps manage blood sugar levels and prevents stomach upset.

Comparison Table: Smart Sugars vs. Avoidable Sweets


Feature	Smart Simple Carbs	Avoidable Sweets
Carb Source	Maltodextrin, glucose, sucrose	Fructose (high quantities)
Fiber Content	Low to none	Variable; often low
Fat Content	Very low to none	High (e.g., chocolate, frosting)
Digestibility	Very easily digested	Slower digestion due to fat content
Race Day Benefit	Efficient glycogen loading, easy consumption	Potential gastrointestinal distress, slower absorption
Example	Sports gels, gummy candies, fruit juice	Doughnuts, creamy cakes, chocolate bars

Proper Carb Loading Beyond Just Sugar

While some sweets can play a role, a successful carb-loading plan relies on a variety of carbohydrate sources. The bulk of your increased carb intake should still come from easily digestible, lower-fiber options. A classic approach involves a meal plan focusing on foods like white rice, white pasta with a low-fat sauce, and potatoes. Snacks like pretzels, crackers, and sports drinks are also excellent for supplementing your intake throughout the day. Athletes should also remember that hydration is critical during this period, as every gram of stored glycogen holds several grams of water. A well-structured plan will incorporate both food and fluids to maximize fuel stores effectively.

Conclusion

In summary, the question, "Can I eat sweets to carb load?" has a nuanced answer: yes, but only strategically and with caution. Endurance athletes can use low-fat, low-fiber simple sugars like sports drinks and some specific candies to help meet the high carbohydrate demands of the final days before a major event. This approach helps minimize gastrointestinal issues caused by bulkier, high-fiber foods. However, this method should be practiced during training to ensure a positive reaction and should not be a substitute for a primary diet of healthy complex carbs. The key is to select smart sugar sources, minimize fat and fiber, and stay hydrated for peak performance on race day. For more detailed guidance, consulting a sports dietitian is always the best course of action.

Optional Outbound Link

For further insights into sports nutrition, you can explore the recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine.

American College of Sports Medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

In the specific context of carb loading, the primary goal is to maximize muscle glycogen stores by consuming a very high volume of carbohydrates. The low-fiber, low-fat nature of certain sweets allows athletes to ingest a large quantity of carbs without feeling overly full or risking digestive issues on race day, which high-fiber foods might cause.

The best sweets are those low in fat and fiber. Good options include gummy candies, fruit chews, and low-fat sports drinks or fruit juice. Avoid high-fat items like chocolate, doughnuts, or creamy pastries, as the fat slows down digestion.

Yes, excessive consumption of simple sugars can cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, which can lead to fatigue. To prevent this, it's best to spread your carbohydrate intake across multiple small meals and snacks rather than a single large one.

Carb loading is generally only necessary for endurance events lasting longer than 90 minutes. For shorter races like 5Ks, normal daily carbohydrate intake is usually sufficient to fuel performance.

Most effective carb loading strategies involve increasing carbohydrate intake over a period of 24 to 48 hours before an endurance event. Some plans may begin up to three days prior.

Hydration is extremely important during carb loading. Your body stores water along with glycogen, so adequate fluid intake is essential to maximize your fuel stores and prevent dehydration during your event.

Common mistakes include overeating high-fat foods, waiting until the night before to load up on carbs, consuming too much fiber, or trying new foods right before a race. Practice your plan in training to avoid race-day surprises.