system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How long does it take for my body to convert what I eat into energy that I can use?

Say that I have a very physically demanding task ahead of me, is there an optimal time beforehand that I should eat to make the most of the energy that is provided by my food?
gpt
Yes. The shorter the metabolic pathway that faster you will get energy.

Simple sugars can be used by your body very quickly. Endurance athletes bring small packs of sugar with them to hit the system fast. 

More complex molecules that need to be processed take longer and will often slow you down as your body diverts energy to process them. Oils and proteins need to be broken down first. An interesting side note, cooking meat increases the effective calories of it as the heat is breaking down the proteins vs. your body!

Look up the Glycemic Index for more helpful information! :) It measures how long food takes once ingested to increase your blood sugar levels.