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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 proteins and fats. Carbs are broken down into three different categories: starches, fibers, and sugars.
Starches or “complex carbohydrates” are found in foods like potatoes and corn; sugars, also known as “simple carbohydrates,” can be found both in processed food (known as added sugars, you’ll find these in candy, syrups, and sodas), and naturally in vegetables, fruit, milk, and honey. Fiber — found in whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and nuts — can help aid in digestion and keep you feeling full. 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 before or during a workout 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 supplement options for digestion, taste, and price, among other deciding factors. (3)
Best Carb Supplements
Best Overall Carb Supplement
When looking for a solid carb supplement, you’ll likely be on the lookout for one that is clean and contains no sugar — Jacked Factory Carb Surge checks both of these boxes.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
With only 20 grams of clean, complex carbs (from Carb10 Pea Starch® and Cluster Dextrin®) and zero sugar, Jacked Factory Carb Surge can help replenish muscle glycogen, augment protein synthesis, and boost ATP production. The unique complex carb sources can be easily digested and dissolved in liquids, which makes them ideal to consume at any point in your day — just mix in one scoop with 16 to 32oz of water.
Carb Surge contains 90 calories with 23 grams of carbohydrates, which is just about as straightforward as it gets when it comes to a carb supplement. There are two flavored options — Blue Raspberry and Peach Mango — as well as an unflavored option. Priced at $30 per 30-serving tub, Carb Surge is one of the most reasonably priced and reliable carb supplements on the market.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
This clean complex carb supplement is manufactured in the USA in a cGMP certified facility without any added sugar. Each 23.7-gram scoop provides 23 carbohydrates, 10 of which are cluster dextrin.
Who Should Buy Jacked Factory Carb Surge
Best Unflavored Carb Supplement
With no sugars or insulin-spiking fillers like corn maltodextrin, Jacked Factory Carb Surge contains clean complex carbs in an unflavored powder you can add to any drink.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
Containing Pea Starch and Cluster Dextrin, Carb Surge is packed with 22 grams of carbohydrates and only 90 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 Jacked Factory offers do contain additional ingredients like sucralose for flavoring, since this option is unflavored, it’s truly one of the cleanest carb supplements out there. Plus, you can throw this powder in virtually any smoothie, juice, coffee, or other beverage without altering the taste.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
This clean complex carb supplement is manufactured in the USA in a cGMP certified facility without any added sugar. Each 23.7-gram scoop provides 23 carbohydrates, 10 of which are cluster dextrin.
Who Should Buy Jacked Factory Carb Surge
Best Carb Supplement For Digestion
Transparent Labs Carb Powder is designed to be easily digested, so you can focus on your workout — its Cluster Dextrin can potentially absorb better than other forms of carb supplements.
Transparent Labs Carb Powder
Transparent Labs Strength Series Carb Powder Features 25 grams of Cluster Dextrin in every serving. Cluster Dextrin is a “novel highly branched, high-molecular-weight carbohydrate derived from amylopectin,” which simply put, means it can potentially be more rapidly absorbed into the intestines (rather than spike insulin levels and mess with your stomach). Cluster Dextrin also serves as an ideal source of sustained-released carbohydrates that can be easily digested.
Transparent Labs recommends using their Carb Powder immediately before training, which can help fuel your workouts and increase performance. This $40 tub contains 30 servings with 100 calories per serving, and comes in Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch and an unflavored option. (4)
Transparent Labs Carb Powder
This carb supplement is gluten-free, non-GMO, and excludes all artificial coloring and perservatives. Each serving packs 25 grams of patented Cluster Dextrin®.
Who Should Buy Transparent Labs Carb Powder
Best Carb Supplement From Whole Foods
This pick is made with 100 percent real whole foods from complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, yams, oats, and blueberries, which can help provide long-lasting energy to fuel your body for performance in the gym and to optimize your recovery. (5)
Swolverine Clean Carbs
Unlike some of its competition, Clean Carbs avoids maltodextrin, which can potentially spike blood sugar, create more body fat, and lead to an energy crash. Swolverine focuses their formula around complex carbs from oats, yams and sweet potatoes. These complex carbs are better for you than simple carbs, and can help slow the absorption of sugars, which may also help remove cholesterol and slow digestion to keep you feeling full. Swolverine suggests you mix one scoop with 8oz of your beverage of choice on a daily basis. Or you can add a scoop into your oatmeal or smoothies.
However, if you are an endurance athlete, it is suggested you take two to four scoops per day. Clean Carbs has 100 calories and includes 24g of carbs, as well as more vitamins and minerals (like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, and calcium to name a few) than your average carb supplement. With 45 servings in one tub, this sub-$60 price tag seems fair considering the quality of ingredients in this formula.
Swolverine Clean Carbs
This supplement has 100 calories and includes 24g of carbs, as well as more vitamins and minerals (like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, and calcium) than your average carb supplement. With 45 servings in one tub, this sub-$60 price tag is fairly reasonable.
Who Should Buy Swolverine Clean Carbs
Best Tasting Carb Powder
If you are looking for a supplement that has an objectively great flavor, you may want to consider one of the two flavored options from Jacked Factory Carb Surge.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge (Blue Raspberry/Peach Mango)
Despite containing zero added sugars, both of the flavored options from Jacked Factory are notorious for their great taste. The formula for this supplement is centered around premium ingredients that can help fuel lean muscle growth and promote faster recovery times: 23g of Cluster Dextrin and Pea Starch. Both flavors taste great with water, but it’s worth noting that they do contain artificial flavors and sweeteners for those who may be looking to avoid artificial ingredients.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
This clean complex carb supplement is manufactured in the USA in a cGMP certified facility without any added sugar. Each 23.7-gram scoop provides 23 carbohydrates, 10 of which are cluster dextrin.
Who Should Buy Jacked Factory Carb Surge
Best Cheap Carb Powder
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.
Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb
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.
Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb
A delicious dextrose product that's enhanced with flavorings and sweeteners. 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.
Who Should Buy Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb
Best Non-Stim Carb Powder
The formula used to manufacture Performance Lab Carb is one that is centered around fast absorption and long, sustained energy. The KarboLyn® technology here may reduce the carbs’ molecular size, allowing for faster absorption.
Performance Lab Carb
Performance Lab designed their powder to be absorbed fast like a simple carb, while also sustaining longer like complex carbs, using their KarboLyn technology — which can potentially reduce the molecular size of the carbs. Performance Lab Carb contains organic flavors and sweeteners, such as cocoa, vanilla bean, and cinnamon, among other natural ingredients.
You can also find Himalayan Pink Salt in this carb supplement, which can help enhance transport into muscle tissues. This is a completely stim-free product, meaning it does not contain caffeine or any other stimulants. Each serving is two scoops, 180 calories, and is packed with 46g of carbohydrates. Though this product is a bit pricey, costing just under $80 for only 20 servings.
Performance Lab Carb
This carb supplement can support two hours of stim-free energy and muscle recovery. Each 50-gram serving provides 46 grams of carbohydrates and 180 calories.
Who Should Buy Performance Lab Carb
Best Waxy Maize
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 Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize
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.
NOW Sports Nutrition Wazy Maize
A no frills, unflavored, athlete-friendly carb supplement that's third party tested to ensure it's free from banned substances. It contains 90 percent amylopectin — a chemical that may help this carb supplement absorb slower over a longer period of time.
Who Should Buy NOW Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize
Best HBCD Supplement
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.
Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
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.
Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
A tasty carb supplement that might be particularly well suited for endurance workouts. The 25g of Cluster Dextrin here can help this supplement pass through the stomach quickly, allowing it to be absorbed by the body and available for energy while exercising.
Who Should Buy Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
Best Carb Powder To Buy In Bulk
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
Nutricost Maltodextrin comes in three different purchasing options: 2lbs, 4lbs, and 8lbs. When purchasing the 8lb option, you are getting 242 servings for $35.95, which comes out to $0.28 per ounce. Even the 2lb 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)
Nutricost Maltodextrin
A very inexpensive carb supplement that's all natural, non-GMO, and third party tested. Nutricost Maltodextrin comes in three different purchasing options: 2lbs, 4lbs, and 8lbs.
Who Should Buy Nutricost Maltodextrin
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.
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. (7)
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. 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 doesn’t always mean more results, but we also understand that some products featuring added vitamins and minerals could potentially be beneficial...
Click here to view the article.
Starches or “complex carbohydrates” are found in foods like potatoes and corn; sugars, also known as “simple carbohydrates,” can be found both in processed food (known as added sugars, you’ll find these in candy, syrups, and sodas), and naturally in vegetables, fruit, milk, and honey. Fiber — found in whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and nuts — can help aid in digestion and keep you feeling full. 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 before or during a workout 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 supplement options for digestion, taste, and price, among other deciding factors. (3)
Best Carb Supplements
Best Overall Carb Supplement
When looking for a solid carb supplement, you’ll likely be on the lookout for one that is clean and contains no sugar — Jacked Factory Carb Surge checks both of these boxes.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
With only 20 grams of clean, complex carbs (from Carb10 Pea Starch® and Cluster Dextrin®) and zero sugar, Jacked Factory Carb Surge can help replenish muscle glycogen, augment protein synthesis, and boost ATP production. The unique complex carb sources can be easily digested and dissolved in liquids, which makes them ideal to consume at any point in your day — just mix in one scoop with 16 to 32oz of water.
Carb Surge contains 90 calories with 23 grams of carbohydrates, which is just about as straightforward as it gets when it comes to a carb supplement. There are two flavored options — Blue Raspberry and Peach Mango — as well as an unflavored option. Priced at $30 per 30-serving tub, Carb Surge is one of the most reasonably priced and reliable carb supplements on the market.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
This clean complex carb supplement is manufactured in the USA in a cGMP certified facility without any added sugar. Each 23.7-gram scoop provides 23 carbohydrates, 10 of which are cluster dextrin.
Who Should Buy Jacked Factory Carb Surge
- Customers who want a carb supplement that is pure carbs without unnecessary additives.
- Folks who are looking for both flavored and unflavored options will like that this pick has both.
- Athletes looking for the most bang for their buck. This reasonably priced carb supp is around $1 per serving.
- This product may not mix as well in water as some other products on the market.
- Anyone who is allergic to malic acid or citric acid. This product contains both.
- Folks who are trying to steer clear of artificial ingredients will want to opt for a different supp, as this product contains sucralose, which is an artificial sweetener.
Best Unflavored Carb Supplement
With no sugars or insulin-spiking fillers like corn maltodextrin, Jacked Factory Carb Surge contains clean complex carbs in an unflavored powder you can add to any drink.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
Containing Pea Starch and Cluster Dextrin, Carb Surge is packed with 22 grams of carbohydrates and only 90 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 Jacked Factory offers do contain additional ingredients like sucralose for flavoring, since this option is unflavored, it’s truly one of the cleanest carb supplements out there. Plus, you can throw this powder in virtually any smoothie, juice, coffee, or other beverage without altering the taste.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
This clean complex carb supplement is manufactured in the USA in a cGMP certified facility without any added sugar. Each 23.7-gram scoop provides 23 carbohydrates, 10 of which are cluster dextrin.
Who Should Buy Jacked Factory Carb Surge
- Athletes who want a product with minimal ingredients and zero additives will like that there are just carbs and nothing else in this blend.
- Anyone looking to add their carb powder to a flavored beverage without altering the taste. Since this is unflavored, it shouldn’t affect how your drink tastes.
- Anyone worried about their blood sugar levels. Carb Surge contains zero sugar, so those suffering from diabetes don’t have to worry about their insulin spiking.
- Athletes wanting to bulk who are looking for a carb supplement that contains more than 90 calories.
- Anyone who is drinking their carb supplement mixed in water will probably want to opt for something flavored.
Best Carb Supplement For Digestion
Transparent Labs Carb Powder is designed to be easily digested, so you can focus on your workout — its Cluster Dextrin can potentially absorb better than other forms of carb supplements.
Transparent Labs Carb Powder
Transparent Labs Strength Series Carb Powder Features 25 grams of Cluster Dextrin in every serving. Cluster Dextrin is a “novel highly branched, high-molecular-weight carbohydrate derived from amylopectin,” which simply put, means it can potentially be more rapidly absorbed into the intestines (rather than spike insulin levels and mess with your stomach). Cluster Dextrin also serves as an ideal source of sustained-released carbohydrates that can be easily digested.
Transparent Labs recommends using their Carb Powder immediately before training, which can help fuel your workouts and increase performance. This $40 tub contains 30 servings with 100 calories per serving, and comes in Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch and an unflavored option. (4)
Transparent Labs Carb Powder
This carb supplement is gluten-free, non-GMO, and excludes all artificial coloring and perservatives. Each serving packs 25 grams of patented Cluster Dextrin®.
Who Should Buy Transparent Labs Carb Powder
- Anyone who has a sensitive stomach. This powder’s Cluster Dextrin is designed to prevent upset stomachs.
- Athletes looking to avoid a sugar-loaded product will appreciate that this product does not contain any.
- If you’re looking for multiple flavors to choose from, Transparent Labs offers Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch, and an unflavored option.
- Anyone looking for more of a quick energy boost — this product is designed around sustained energy by releasing carbohydrates throughout the day.
- Folks looking for a cost effective carb supplement can find options that are less expensive than this one.
Best Carb Supplement From Whole Foods
This pick is made with 100 percent real whole foods from complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, yams, oats, and blueberries, which can help provide long-lasting energy to fuel your body for performance in the gym and to optimize your recovery. (5)
Swolverine Clean Carbs
Unlike some of its competition, Clean Carbs avoids maltodextrin, which can potentially spike blood sugar, create more body fat, and lead to an energy crash. Swolverine focuses their formula around complex carbs from oats, yams and sweet potatoes. These complex carbs are better for you than simple carbs, and can help slow the absorption of sugars, which may also help remove cholesterol and slow digestion to keep you feeling full. Swolverine suggests you mix one scoop with 8oz of your beverage of choice on a daily basis. Or you can add a scoop into your oatmeal or smoothies.
However, if you are an endurance athlete, it is suggested you take two to four scoops per day. Clean Carbs has 100 calories and includes 24g of carbs, as well as more vitamins and minerals (like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, and calcium to name a few) than your average carb supplement. With 45 servings in one tub, this sub-$60 price tag seems fair considering the quality of ingredients in this formula.
Swolverine Clean Carbs
This supplement has 100 calories and includes 24g of carbs, as well as more vitamins and minerals (like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, and calcium) than your average carb supplement. With 45 servings in one tub, this sub-$60 price tag is fairly reasonable.
Who Should Buy Swolverine Clean Carbs
- Athletes who want a carb supplement that is made of strictly complex carbs will like this blend.
- Anyone looking for their carb supplement to contain additional vitamins and minerals.
- Folks who want to get their complex carbs from whole foods will want to consider this product.
- Customers who aren’t looking for a sweet potato flavor. That’s the only flavor available from Swolverine.
- Anyone who is sensitive to artificial sweeteners — this product does contain Stevia.
Best Tasting Carb Powder
If you are looking for a supplement that has an objectively great flavor, you may want to consider one of the two flavored options from Jacked Factory Carb Surge.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge (Blue Raspberry/Peach Mango)
Despite containing zero added sugars, both of the flavored options from Jacked Factory are notorious for their great taste. The formula for this supplement is centered around premium ingredients that can help fuel lean muscle growth and promote faster recovery times: 23g of Cluster Dextrin and Pea Starch. Both flavors taste great with water, but it’s worth noting that they do contain artificial flavors and sweeteners for those who may be looking to avoid artificial ingredients.
Jacked Factory Carb Surge
This clean complex carb supplement is manufactured in the USA in a cGMP certified facility without any added sugar. Each 23.7-gram scoop provides 23 carbohydrates, 10 of which are cluster dextrin.
Who Should Buy Jacked Factory Carb Surge
- Anyone looking for a great tasting supplement without any added sugar will like this formula.
- Athletes who want a formula based around premium carb sources, like Cluster Dextrin and Pea Starch. This product contains 23g of these ingredients.
- Folks who like Blue Raspberry or Peach Mango. Though tasty, these are the only two flavor options here.
- Anyone not interested in Blue Raspberry or Peach Mango should look elsewhere, or try the unflavored version of this supplement.
- Anyone looking for more than 90 calories per serving.
Best Cheap Carb Powder
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.
Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb
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.
Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb
A delicious dextrose product that's enhanced with flavorings and sweeteners. 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.
Who Should Buy Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb
- Athletes who want a high number of carbs (30g) at a lower price. You’re only paying about $0.50 per serving here.
- If you’re looking for a higher-calorie carb supplement option, this product contains 120 calories, which is above average.
- If you’re looking for a fast-absorbing carb supplement, the dextrose here can be quickly absorbed, which is great for replenishing post-workout.
- Anyone who is allergic to eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, or fish should steer clear of this product.
- Athletes looking to avoid products that are high in sugar may want to look elsewhere — this contains 58 percent of your daily sugar intake.
Best Non-Stim Carb Powder
The formula used to manufacture Performance Lab Carb is one that is centered around fast absorption and long, sustained energy. The KarboLyn® technology here may reduce the carbs’ molecular size, allowing for faster absorption.
Performance Lab Carb
Performance Lab designed their powder to be absorbed fast like a simple carb, while also sustaining longer like complex carbs, using their KarboLyn technology — which can potentially reduce the molecular size of the carbs. Performance Lab Carb contains organic flavors and sweeteners, such as cocoa, vanilla bean, and cinnamon, among other natural ingredients.
You can also find Himalayan Pink Salt in this carb supplement, which can help enhance transport into muscle tissues. This is a completely stim-free product, meaning it does not contain caffeine or any other stimulants. Each serving is two scoops, 180 calories, and is packed with 46g of carbohydrates. Though this product is a bit pricey, costing just under $80 for only 20 servings.
Performance Lab Carb
This carb supplement can support two hours of stim-free energy and muscle recovery. Each 50-gram serving provides 46 grams of carbohydrates and 180 calories.
Who Should Buy Performance Lab Carb
- Athletes who want a clean product that uses organic flavors and sweeteners will like the ingredients list here.
- Anyone looking for a stimulant-free supplement to add into their regiment.
- If you are looking for a carb supplement that fuels your muscles quickly but also sustains that energy, the KarboLyn technology here may help with that.
- If you are on a tight budget, you may want to look elsewhere. One tub of Performance Lab Carb will cost you nearly $80 dollars for only 20 servings.
- Folks who are looking for a shorter ingredients list can find a carb supplement that just contains carbs.
Best Waxy Maize
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 Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize
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.
NOW Sports Nutrition Wazy Maize
A no frills, unflavored, athlete-friendly carb supplement that's third party tested to ensure it's free from banned substances. It contains 90 percent amylopectin — a chemical that may help this carb supplement absorb slower over a longer period of time.
Who Should Buy NOW Sports Nutrition Waxy Maize
- Customers looking for a slow absorbing carb supplement that can be easily taken in by muscle tissue may prefer this type of complex carbohydrate.
- Anyone who has food allergies will like the fact that this product is free of gluten, soy, and wheat among other common allergens.
- If you want the most servings possible for a very affordable price, this might be the product for you.
- If you are looking for a tasty supplement, it’s important to note that this product is tasteless.
- 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.
Best HBCD Supplement
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.
Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
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.
Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
A tasty carb supplement that might be particularly well suited for endurance workouts. The 25g of Cluster Dextrin here can help this supplement pass through the stomach quickly, allowing it to be absorbed by the body and available for energy while exercising.
Who Should Buy Redcon1 Cluster Bomb
- Athletes who are looking for that extra boost during their endurance workouts will like that they can sip this throughout their session.
- Anyone who wants a highly branched cyclic dextrin supplement, which may be more quickly absorbed by the body than other carb supplements.
- If you’re looking for a flavored powder, this supp comes in Strawberry Kiwi and Grape.
- Those who use a pre-workout, may not want to use another supplement that gives them an energy boost intra-workout as well.
Best Carb Powder To Buy In Bulk
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
Nutricost Maltodextrin comes in three different purchasing options: 2lbs, 4lbs, and 8lbs. When purchasing the 8lb option, you are getting 242 servings for $35.95, which comes out to $0.28 per ounce. Even the 2lb 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)
Nutricost Maltodextrin
A very inexpensive carb supplement that's all natural, non-GMO, and third party tested. Nutricost Maltodextrin comes in three different purchasing options: 2lbs, 4lbs, and 8lbs.
Who Should Buy Nutricost Maltodextrin
- Athletes looking to bulk without necessarily adding more calories. This product only contains 60 calories.
- Anyone who needs an all-natural product that is gluten-free will like this formula.
- Folks who want a high-quality bulk-buy product for one of the cheapest rates you will find on the market.
- You may want to consider other options if you are concerned about mixing, as this product may not mix as well as some others on the market.
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.
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. (7)
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. 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 doesn’t always mean more results, but we also understand that some products featuring added vitamins and minerals could potentially be beneficial...
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