Trail running champion Francesco Puppi and nutrition expert physician Michela Speciani joined the podcast to discuss sport and carbohydrates.
Are carbohydrates the enemy of training and physical fitness? Or, on the contrary, can they improve athletic performance? And if so, how? We dedicated a live episode of Campo Lungo, the LifeGate podcast that tells the story of the world and its changes through tales of sport, to this discussion, with host Matteo Serra in conversation for the occasion with trail runner Francesco Puppi and Michela Speciani, a physician specialising in nutrition and inflammation.
The special episode from last 23 February was preceded by a run with Puppi in Parco Sempione in Milan and was hosted by Miscusi in via Leopardi — a brand that has made pasta, offered in a balanced range of delicious variations, a dish for nourishment, but also for bringing people together and making them happy.
One of the first advocates of trail running in Italy and runner-up at the 2022 World Championships, Francesco Puppi trains 20–25 hours a week, covering 180 km on rugged mountain roads. He tells us about the type of diet he has chosen with his nutritionists — a simple and functional diet, sustainable in the long term, that guarantees physical and mental wellbeing: "To ensure I get the energy intake I need, I usually eat 150–200 g of pasta at lunch and dinner. The diet is certainly skewed towards carbohydrates, but proteins are not lacking — around 1.5 g per kilogram of body weight per day — along with healthy fats, vitamins and mineral salts, the latter especially in the warm season."
"I often compare our body to a large city in which many different things need to work well and all at the same time," explains Michela Speciani. "For athletes, but in general for everyone, proteins are needed for this to happen — they are the structural material of muscles and bones, but also of digestive enzymes and hormones. Fats are also necessary, preferably unsaturated ones, which likewise serve a structural function but are at the same time an energy source. Fibre is indispensable for keeping the gut functioning, and micronutrients such as vitamins and mineral salts must not be lacking either, as they play an important role in reducing inflammation."
And what about carbohydrates? "Carbohydrates are indispensable for the athlete too," the expert explains, "as they are the primary source of fast energy for intense, short-duration effort. A mindful consumption of carbohydrates can support long-duration energy management, because it ensures that proteins are also used for energy purposes. A nutritionally good carbohydrate, such as that found in wholegrain pasta, also acts as a vehicle for fibre, vitamins, mineral salts and plant-based proteins."
Carbohydrates play an important role in managing the glycaemic index — that is, the speed at which a food raises blood sugar levels: "With simple carbohydrates, sugars pass quickly into the bloodstream, which is useful when we need to tackle a short sprint; when we are talking about health or endurance, however, it is better to consume complex carbohydrates, which avoid glycaemic spikes (a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar that causes tiredness and fatigue) and instead keep blood sugar — the amount of sugar in the blood — stable, to ensure effective energy levels over a longer period."
Several factors affect the speed at which sugars act: "We have said there is the distinction between simple and complex carbohydrates to consider, but also the role of other nutrients and antioxidants and, in the case of pasta for example, the cooking time. A good wholegrain pasta cooked al dente allows for blood sugar regulation that supports stable energy management. Even better if the pasta is well dressed — with extra virgin olive oil — and properly complemented by the other nutrients in the rest of the meal."
"I believe that in recent decades," Speciani continues, "we have moved from 'looking for what is harmful' to 'looking for what is good for us' and what supports the way we function. This is true for athletes, but also in general for everyone. Nothing is truly to be demonised; the goal is to learn to use the tools we have and the things we enjoy as resources. For the athlete, moreover, the focus must not be solely on performance, but on their wellbeing. Finally, personalising one's diet remains a fundamental tool, because we are not all the same."
Francesco Puppi agrees: "Physical and mental wellbeing is the prerequisite for performance. My diet and my relationship with food have improved in step with my performance. And when I am in a recovery phase, I allow myself some deviations from my routine. I think you need the right degree of flexibility and adaptability, without excessive control, but eating with peace of mind."
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