[Chris]

I think it's important to understand that not all carbs are created equal. Different kinds of carbs can be best utilized if you understand their effect on the body. All foods are ranked on what called the Glycemic Index, or GI, which basically refers to how quickly and how much they raise your blood sugar level. Foods with a high GI are broken down quickly and raise blood sugar levels rapidly. These are usually starchy carbs like white rice, potatoes, some pastas, sugary cereals, certain fruits ect. This foods give you a quick spike in blood sugar, ie energy, then followed by a decrease.

Foods with lower GI levels are absorbed much slower, these are foods like meats, many vegetables, especially greens, many legumes, dairy products, ect. Each has a purpose. Post workout is a time when you want to resore energy levels that have been spent from intense training. You want small, frequent meals of high GI carbs, and protein sources. Later in the day, like before bed is when you want lower GI foods to give you a more constant slower absorbing energy supply to your body as you will be fasting while you sleep. This use of carbs gives your body a constant energy supply instead of having peaks & valleys that many people do by consuming large meals, but spaced out far apart in the day.

Sorry, for the long anwser to a seemingly simple question. So before bed, carbs are ok, but opt for lower GI carbs. To learn more about what foods have what GI, you can always search on google for Glycemic Index or a good book is the Nutritional Almanac.