Carb powders are just as important as protein powders when it comes to muscle training and recovery. It is, after all, the primary source of fuel for your body and a macronutrient you’d want to get consistently.
The best carbohydrate powder can really supplement your workout and give you the energy to push your muscles to the next level. In your search for the right carb product, you’ll invariably come across a few top-shelf powders, so which one should you choose?
This is where we step in to help. Take a look at our nine carbohydrate supplements that are split into helpful categories.
Tested and Researched
With our expertise as certified nutrition coaches, personal trainers, weightlifting coaches, and athletes, we have a genuine passion for the intricacies of fitness and nutrition. We understand that the abundance of terminology in this field can be overwhelming and intimidating. That’s why we make it our mission to extensively research and personally test supplements to assess their effectiveness, potential side effects, taste, and texture.
Through our diligent research and hands-on testing, we are able to provide you with trustworthy recommendations. Our confidence stems from a combination of in-depth knowledge and practical experience, ensuring that we can guide you with certainty.
Transparent Labs has always been our go-to supplement brand for nearly everything, and so far, they have not disappointed. What sets this product apart from the competition is how it offers a unique source of carbohydrates that’s specially made for athletes and those who regularly work out at the gym.
Cluster Dextrin is a carb label you don’t see often, but its benefits cannot be overstated. It’s a component sourced from amylopectin, which is a plant-based starch, and research shows that it can help augment athletic performance more than other carb types. The polysaccharide is also unlike traditional carb foods as it passes quickly in your stomach and stays in the small intestine, slowly dispending much-needed energy and fuel for recovery. Even better is the fact that it’s easily digestible and doesn’t give you that heavy bloated feeling every time you down a glass.
Despite popular belief, carb is not an enemy but rather complements protein very well. Muscle glycogen stores dictate how well you do at the gym and when you step up to the stage, which is something you can get with Carb Powder. 24g of total carb at just a hundred calories is pretty potent in its own right.
Couple that with a clean label and that’s all the more reason to pick Carb Powder as our best carb supplement in the market. If you don’t want any contaminants, including artificial preservatives, coloring, and sweeteners, then this supplement should be your first choice.
Pros
Coupon code TL10 saves you 10% at checkout
Subscription saves another 10% and gets free shipping
Cluster Dextrin as carb source is a game-changer
High carb content without the heaviness or bloating
Jacked Factory is offering a carbohydrate powder product that’s the equivalent of the price of your daily meal, which makes it our top recommendation for those who are on a budget. Carb Surge beats staple carb sources though, as every glass doesn’t play havoc with your blood sugar levels. That said, you should be able to easily integrate it into your post-workout or pre-workout regimen.
Carb Surge is easy to integrate into your existing performance dietary supplements. Coupled with a premium protein shake, you can power through workouts and training sessions, with sustained energy-release carbs as fuel. After workouts, you won’t experience that post-training fatigue and can jump right back in sooner.
Every serving of Carb Surge equals 20 grams of complex carbohydrates through a Cluster Dextrin and Pea Starch formula. This is just four grams short of our top pick, although it’s not as potent for athletes. We like the fact that it doesn’t contain sugar as well, so there’s nothing to worry about in terms of crashing. It’s a primary benefit in carb supplements versus carbs from real food, plus the powder drink is easier to digest and is fast-acting.
Carb Surge does have an interesting flavor in Peach Mango, or you can opt for the unflavored and get some more vitamins and antioxidants via a fruit smoothie. Every packet is made in a cGMP facility in the US for quality and efficacy. Not a bad choice for a budget carb supplement.
Honestly speaking, we didn’t think that Swolverine would take home the award for ‘best-tasting carb supplement,’ but a single glass was all it took to make us a total believer. What’s even better is that the flavor that took us by surprise is named ‘Sweet Potato Pie’
Swolverine played to carb’s strengths and actually based a flavor around a staple. In itself, sweet potato is a good source of carb, and one that doesn’t have too much sugar content. It’s sweet without being too overwhelming and apparently makes for a pretty good drink too. A quick look at the label reveals whole superfood ingredients, including blueberries, oats, yams, and of course, sweet potatoes. The meaty texture of yam, oats, and potatoes translates very well into the drink, and the slight sweetness of blueberries gives it a nice aftertaste.
Great taste aside, Clean Carbs is as advertised, which means you won’t get the health effects of artificial sweeteners, sugars, and the like. There are quite a bit of added nutrients here, mostly in the form of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, protein, and dietary fiber. All these components are present because the whole foods are concentrated in powder form.
As far as the benefits are concerned, you get a trifecta of lean muscle mass, faster recovery, and sustained energy. 2-4 scoops of Clean Carbs are recommended for endurance athletes and those who constantly work out at the gym.
Clean Carbs is easily one of the best carb supplements on the market, another solid choice to consider.
Pros
A delicious way to plug in your daily carb requirements
BCAAs are a crucial component in every workout supplement. Branched-chain amino acids not only play a direct part in muscle growth, but also work very well against muscle soreness, exercise fatigue, and muscle wasting. If you’re not getting your BCAAs in your protein powder or meal replacement, don’t fret- you can still get three grams of the good stuff in Motion.
Motion is actually a blend of BCAAs, electrolytes, and carbs in one neat package. The general idea of the carbohydrate powder is to fuel performance while providing enough nutrition for a faster recovery. Electrolyte minerals are great for rehydrating, and the 3g BCAA has been instantized for quicker uptake.
Motion has the same carb source as Transparent Labs’, Cluster Dextrin. It’s also known as HBCD, or Highly Branched Cyclic Dextric, and has been shown to decrease stress hormones and increase time-to-exhaustion in exercise scenarios, according to the US National Library of Medicine and J-Stage Scientific Journal. Where other supplements use cheaper maltodextrin on their carbohydrate supplements, XWERKS chooses to go the quality route and came up with a better product in the end.
There’s actually a high ceiling as to how many BCAAs you can get per day. Even if you already have them in your protein powder, you can still take a dose or two provided you don’t take them both during your pre-workout or post-workout phase. However, you’ll have to make sure that you’re using them by going to the gym or training your muscles.
For those who prefer their powders unflavored, this product is the best option you can have. Transparent Labs’ supplement plays nicely with liquids and smoothie recipes, and the fact that you can drink it with just cold milk or some slices of fruit speaks volumes about the product’s consistency.
Carb Powder unlocks a variety of choices when it comes to flavoring your carb drink. You can opt for a fruit and vegetable smoothie to round the nutrition out more with natural vitamins and minerals, or go simple and add organic chocolate milk for a sweet treat. Regardless of preference, you won’t find the powder too difficult to deal with compared to other supplements. A few swirls of a spoon or a quick 30-second shake should be enough for the powder to mix into the liquid.
We can’t stress the benefits of Cluster Dextrin enough to tell you that your carb shake should be made from this ingredient. After all, it’s the embodiment of innovation in the carbohydrate supplement niche. The novel carbohydrate boosts athletic performance and similar activities, which translates to better gains in the same amount of time. You also experience faster carb absorption for consistent energy when you need it the most.
The ‘unflavored’ tag also carries with it notable benefits, including zero coloring and sweeteners. With a trusted brand name such as Transparent Labs, all you need to do is focus on your training and experience significant results.
No other post-workout carbohydrate powder actually came close to Swolverine’s Post. Its advanced recovery and muscle-building formula trump out the competition in the ingredients and benefits department. Instead of using synthetic compounds, Swolverine opted to include antioxidant-rich superfoods like pea starch, coconut water, papaya, pomegranate, pink Himalayan salt, spirulina, and pineapple.
Post-workout shakes mostly focus on the recovery aspect and the formation of muscle after exercise. Antioxidants help eliminate the accumulation of waste in the muscle tissue, while electrolytes can immediately replenish lost fluids lost during workouts and training sessions. The complex carbohydrate content comes from pea starch in the form of Carb 10 and as an added bonus, there’s pea protein isolate at 8 grams.
Rounding out the ingredients are L-Glutamine for repairing muscle mass, Bromelain enzymes for anti-inflammation, spirulina to boost athletic performance, and pink Himalayan salt as a key electrolyte component.
What we like about Post is how you can swap it in your post-workout routine instead of the usual protein shake. Since it contains a small amount of protein, you won’t be missing out much. You can also leave the multivitamins at home since Post has vitamins A, B9, and C, antioxidants, and minerals potassium and magnesium.
Pros
Superfood ingredients provide rounded nutrition
Has 8g of protein isolate
Synergizes well with Clean Carbs
Cons
One of the more expensive carbohydrate powders on the list
Finding the best workout supplement will prove to be a chore, as you’ll have to endlessly wade through hundreds of products and thousands of reviews to see if it’s right for you. Lucky for you, we already did the work- the winner is Post-Jym Fast Digesting Carb by a wide margin.
The fast-digesting carbs in Post-Jym are actually dextrose, which raises insulin in the bloodstream and gives you that creatine and amino acid rush to your muscles. It’s a high glycemic carb that can replenish muscle glycogen reserves, but only in adequate amounts. To this end, Post-Jym has 30 grams in every scoop or serving. Plus, there’s a minimal 38mg of calcium as an afterthought.
Post-Jym shines in the flavor option department, as you can choose between Blue Arctic Freeze, Lemonade, Mandarin Orange, Rainbow Sherbet, or Green Apple Gummy (which is our favorite). Cost is relatively affordable, and you can supplement with this carbohydrate powder easily for a long time.
Pros
Lots of different flavors
Available on Amazon
Cons
Raises blood sugar levels
It’s easy to add more scoops, but it’s not sustainable for your health
Next on our list of the best carbohydrate supplements, we have Super Carb from NutraBio.
Superlative product names aside, Super Carb stands out with its abundance of electrolyte content- a whopping 822mg that consists of several ingredients, namely Di-Magnesium Malate, Sodium Phosphate, and Calci-K under trademark tags.
Total carb content stands at 25 grams and is sourced via highly branched cyclic dextrin. Since it has a high electrolyte content, you can take Super Carb instead of water and continue working out as normal. NutriBio boasts that their carbohydrate powder does not contain any GMOs, fillers, or gluten (a boon to those who don’t like the stuff), and there’s a kosher label and full disclosure of ingredients.
Super Carb works adequately as a lost fluids replenisher and a performance booster when you need them.
Pros
A good amount of electrolytes from different sources
Remember how we mentioned that carbs are beneficial for endurance athletes, e.g., runners, cyclists, and marathon enthusiasts? Well, as it turns out, there’s one standout powder that matches exactly what runners need- complex carbs, antioxidants, and whole foods, all of which are in Clean Carbs.
Along with that tasty treat comes a whole lot of nutritional goodies, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, folate, protein, and vitamins C and A. The energy you get from complex carbs should sustain you long enough that you can perform consistently and at a high level. Having been sourced from natural ingredients and turned into easily-digestible powder, you can confidently down a glass or two mid-training or as a pick-me-up, and experience renewed energy in just minutes.
Swolverine’s Clean Carbs comes in a convenient tub that’s nice and portable. We love the fact that the powder doesn’t clump together, and how you can just dump a scoop or two into cold water and drink it after just shaking for ten seconds or so. The carbohydrate supplement works as a post-recovery shake too.
Pros
Great supplement for endurance athletes and runners
Packed with antioxidants and essential minerals and vitamins
‘Value for money’ was our key determinant in finding the best carb powder supplements. If a carb product is on the expensive end of the spectrum, it has to be justified, e.g., a higher quality of carb source, extra ingredients such as BCAAs, etc. On the other hand, for a carb supplement to be considered ‘best in budget’, it has to compete well enough with other brands and offer nearly the same thing.
Ingredients
Ingredients can make or break a supplement, and it’s naturally the same as carb powders. Anything that has Cluster Dextrin instantly makes it better than those with maltodextrin, and if it has other performance-boosting components, then that deserves a look as well. More importantly, a good carb supplement should have zero artificial compounds, such as sweeteners, fillers, and preservatives so your health won’t be hindered by them.
Reviews
Before we test a dietary supplement, we make sure that it’s worth our time. Online reviews are a good barometer to see if a product performs as advertised, and so far this metric has served us well. Aside from looking at reviews on the official manufacturer’s website, we also check popular community platforms and aggregate review sites.
Purity
Since most carbohydrate supplements only contain one or two key ingredients, we wanted to make sure that it’s potent and pure. A low carb count per serving might be a waste of time and money, and we found that 24g of high-quality carbs is the magic number. That said, it will be foolish to simply take the manufacturer’s word for it, which leads us to the next point…
Brand Reputation
Just like shopping for any other supplement, we lean toward established brands and their products. You won’t have to second-guess whether the label is as advertised or if the product is too good to be true. This explains the multiple presences of Transparent Labs, Jacked Factory, and Swolverine, among others.
What are Carb Powders?
Carb supplements are a type of supplement that has carbohydrates as its main ingredient. Carb sources can vary from one manufacturer to another- brands like Transparent Labs uses the latest complex carb Cluster Dextrin, while others use Dextrin or compounds sourced from whole foods.
You may think that carb supplements are not as important as protein powders, but this isn’t the case. Both are actually crucial in their own way and provide unique benefits to athletes quite differently.
Carbohydrates break down quickly when consumed, and if they’re in liquid form then you can get a fast and easy source of energy when you need it. The glycogen molecules can then be burned for the activity you’re doing, including workouts, training sessions, and competing in professional events. This makes these supplements a viable pre-workout and mid-workout drink, and an excellent replacement for water.
Greater Sustained Performance
Endurance athletes and runners can greatly benefit from having carb supplements around- you’ll feel energized and continue training without feeling fatigued. Carbohydrates are a primary source of fuel, and carb shakes are a good alternative to snacking in-between breaks and sessions. Carb supplements with additional elements, including electrolytes and BCAAs give you an extra push so you can break your plateau.
Faster Recovery
Much like protein, carbs can help refuel the body after an intense workout. Nutrition plays a vital role in recovery so if you want to get back on track sooner then consider a carb powder supplement. Complex carbohydrates provide a sustained energy release, supporting muscle protein synthesis and the regeneration of organs.
Sustained Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is a primary hormone for men and is vital for many functions, including strength, vitality, and stamina. Studies recently found that failing to consume carbs after a strenuous workout can lead to decreased testosterone levels. In the same thought as refueling your muscle cells and energy, carbs can do the same thing for your testosterone as a supplement.
The Bottom Line – Are The Supplements Worth It?
If you’re set on meeting your fitness goals or living an active lifestyle, then you’ll do very well with a carb powder in tow. Provided that you go with a high-quality carbohydrate supplement, you’ll experience optimized recovery and long-lasting energy you can rely on as you power through your workouts.
Final Word
Looking to hit those fitness goals but not sure how? Look no further than incorporating carbohydrates into your diet. This macronutrient is one of the most essential components you’ll need on a daily basis and can have amazing effects, especially when paired with exercise or physical activity.
Carb supplements come in all shapes, sizes and flavors so that anyone can find their perfect fit – whether they’re beginners just starting out or training experts working toward mastering new skills. Take a look at this list for more options tailored specifically to meet any budget restrictions as well as personal tastes. Get ready for those results…it’s time to reach peak performance.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.
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Nate N
May 24, 2023 10:27 pm
I tested that Post Jym one and thought it tasted pretty bad, kind of surprising since the Jym supps are usually pretty good. maybe I chose the wrong flavor, it was bad.
I tested that Post Jym one and thought it tasted pretty bad, kind of surprising since the Jym supps are usually pretty good. maybe I chose the wrong flavor, it was bad.