Despite the best efforts of manufacturers to make energy gels taste nice, 99 per cent of those sticky tubes of easy-to-digest carbs taste pretty disgusting. Try as they might to camouflage them in fake flavours like salted caramel, toasted marshmallow or triple berry wotsitsname, the bottom line is you rarely look forward to your third shot of gloop come mile 18. But there is a another way. There are great natural alternatives to energy gels out there that can give you all the energy boost you need and taste good too.
It can’t be true, I hear you say. If such a product existed we’d have seen loads of it at the marathon expos? Well it does. However, because the big money brands tend to have deeper pockets to peddle their cheap-to-make gels, and the higher quality stuff tends to be from smaller companies who can’t afford expensive expo stands or race sponsorship deals, the little tasty natural guys can get lost in the mix.
Before I go on though, I want to be clear about one thing: that favoured running caveat used when buying running shoes, a running watch, a pair of anti-chafe pants, deciding whether to gaffer tape your nipples or vaseline your naughty bits, is true here too: ‘do what works for you’. If gels get you the result you want then for side-of-the-road-shitting’s sake please stick with them. But if, like me, you’ve never really been able to stomach them that well and you’re looking for some alternatives to energy gels that are more natural, less sticky and maybe even taste nice, then later in this post you’ll find some I’ve tried, tested and liked.
That favoured running caveat used when buying running shoes, a running watch, a pair of anti-chafe pants, deciding whether to gaffer tape your nipples or vaseline your naughty bits, is true here too: ‘do what works for you’.
Why do runners use energy gels?
Hitting the wall, bonking, doing the wobbly walk, whatever you want to call it, there’s a moment in longer endurance races when your glycogen stores are empty. You’re often working too hard to burn fat as a fuel source and your body needs something else to burn to stop your muscles shutting down. However, because all the blood you’d usually use to digest food is busy being being pumped elsewhere around the body delivering oxygen, there’s just not enough going to your gut to comfortably digest a four cheese pizza. And so we turn to energy gels.
These sticky, sickly pouches of carbs and sometimes caffeine are – in theory – easier to digest than other solid foods. They’ve been specially designed to be absorbed into the system with minimal havoc wreaked on our sensitive stomachs. Though from my experience this isn’t true of a lot of gels that taste a bit like licking a sugar-coated chemical toilet. Or at least how I imagine that might taste.
There’s also the convenience factor. These little hits of carbs are easy-ish to carry and though I’ve never ripped one open without spilling some of it’s inner goop all over my hands, they’re definitely more portable than bananas, Mars bars or a slice of your gran’s fruit cake.
The energy hit of gels varies from brand to brand but most pack in the region of 20-40g of carbs and 80-120 calories per gel. They also come with caffeine, salts and other useful things we need when we’re running.
Natural alternatives to energy gels
33Shake Chia Energy Gel
As convenient to carry as a gel but with the added bonus that they can also be resealed so you don’t have to down the whole thing in one go, 33Shake Gels pack a decent carb and salt punch but without but without the mid-race stickiness that you get with most gels. The dried ingredients are all fresh with a use by date (which I think is a good thing) and you just add water to those you need before a race. They’re also vegan friendly so ideal for plant-based runners.
They’re sweet but not overpowering and every time I’ve used them on marathons and ultras, even after 20 hours of running I’ve actually looked forward to having them. If I had one criticism it’s that filling them up with water can be a bit of a faff and the chia seeds can hang about on your teeth for a while. Though removing them with your tongue at least takes your mind off the mile markers.
What’s in a 33Shake Gel?
There are just four ingredients in a 33Shake Chia Gel. All natural, each with a job to do.
Organic Chia Seeds, Coconut palm sugar, Organic vanilla, Himalayan pink salt
How much fuel?
- Energy per 21g gel: 90 calories
- Carbs per 21g gel: 11.2g carbs
- Energy per 100g: 450 calories
- Carbs per 100g: 56g
Price per bar: £1.99 (Sold at £19.90 for a 10-gel pack)
Veloforte
Primarily aimed at cyclists (the name means something like strong bike in Italian), these 70g bars are based on those the Roman legions used to march on. Recreated for those who want to conquer hills rather than continents, they’re a mixture of citrus fruits, nuts and spices and taste much like something you’d eat as a treat at Christmas.
Winner of a Great Taste Award in 2017– something you’ll never be able to say about a SIS gel or PowerBar PowerGel – there’s also Ciocco cocoa and Di Bosco flavours with forest berries and pistachios. Unlike the 33Shake Chia gels, these solid fuel bars do need chewing, and they’re potentially less portable, so if you’re a split shorts and singlet runner these might not be your best option but if you’re an ultra runner with a backpack, I can strongly recommend them. They recently launched a handy bite bag to make eating little often for even fuelling a bit easier too.
What’s in a Veloforte Classico bar?
Citrus peel (orange, lemon, citron), almonds, unrefined caster sugar, honey, wheat flour, vanilla paste, spices, orange zest, rice paper.
How much fuel?
- Energy per 70g bar: 289 calories
- Carbs per 70g bar: 49.8g carbs
- Energy per 100g: 413 calories
- Carbs per 100g: 71.1g
Price per bar: £2.33 Based on pack of 3 for £6.99
Ella’s Kitchen Fruit Pouches
Running has taught me loads of useful things about being a better dad but one thing that came back the other way was using children’s pureed fruit pouches as a tasty alternative to classic carb gels. There are loads of different brands who make them but the ones I’ve used most are Ella’s Fruit Pouches.
These 90g resealable fruit and veg purees come in a whole range of single and mixed fruit flavours, such as mixed red berries; blackcurrants, blueberries apples and bananas; bananas and coconut, along with fruit and vegetable combos like carrots, peas and pears. They’re vegan friendly and because it’s just squished up fruit, they taste fresh and clean, not claggy and cloying.
The drawbacks? The pouches are a bit bulky, you won’t fit many of these in a gel belt and the carb hit isn’t as large as you’ll get from a classic carb gel so they might not be ideal for a fast marathon.
What’s in an Ella’s Kitchen fruit pouch?
Fruit. Squashed up fruit.
How much fuel?
- Energy per 90g pouch: 52 calories
- Carbs per 90g pouch: 11.5g carbs
- Energy per 100g: 58 calories
- Carbs per 100g: 12.8g
Price per bar: From £6.99
Lucho Dillitos
Individually wrapped in a biodegradable leaf wrapping, these blocks of fuel, also known as bocadillos, have powered Columbian cyclists for decades but they’re equally good for runners. Essentially two ingredients, sugar (85%) and guava (15%), made into a block, they taste a lot like a solid fruit jam. If you’ve got a sweet tooth you’ll like these, a lot, but some people will definitely find the sugar hit a bit strong. Though I’d argue that this isn’t that different to the sickly sensation of a carb gel.
The website makes much of the fact that guava is a superfood and it does carry some excellent nutritional merit, though I’m not sure how much of that makes it through once you’ve made it into a solid jam. However, what I do know is that if you’re in need of a rapid hit of rocket fuel, these deliver an unmistakable punch of energy. In a bonking situation, which you should of course avoid by eating before you get to this point, but let’s say you get that wrong, this is something I’d want in my pocket.
They come in classic, raspberry and coffee guava flavours and they come with a use by date of a year, though just like jam, they are edible beyond this is kept correctly. They’re also suitable for vegans.
I love the fact there’s no nasty plastic wrapper to worry about and that you can nibble at these, wrap and stash them for a more even approach to fuelling. You can’t do that easily with a gel.
What’s in a Lucho Dillitos classic block?
Guava (85%), sugar (15%)
How much fuel?
- Energy per 40g block: 88 calories
- Carbs per 40g block: 22.5g
- Energy per 100g: 220 calories
- Carbs per 100g: 56g
Price: £14.99 for pack of 10 blocks or £1.50 per block.
Some not-so natural alternatives to energy gels
Another alternative to energy gels are energy powders that you can mix into drinks. The benefit of this is that sipping your carbs gradually can give you a more even approach to your fuelling, unlike gels where you can get a big rush, followed by a crash.
The downside is that you have to run with a bottle of some description. After running ultras I’m well used to running with a 650ml bottle in a Raidlight belt without noticing it. And I personally like to have that control of when I can drink and take on fuel as opposed to relying on the water stations, which let’s face it you need to be near to swallow most gels.
Two of the best options I’ve used are:
Generation UCAN
An alternative to Tailwind, Generation UCAN is a powdered energy drink with SuperStarch, a complex carbohydrate (derived from non-GMO corn). It comes in a portable sachet that you can add to a 650ml bottle and it’s main benefits are that it stabilises blood sugar and causes virtually no insulin reaction, which means no nasty peaks and troughs, just nice even fuelling with each sip.
There are a range of flavours such as tropical orange and pomegranate and blueberry, all of which taste ok over a marathon distance, although after 14 hours on an ultra they can become a bit icky. The added bonus of taking your energy this way is that you’re also rehydrating at the same time. The downside is that you might need to refill the bottle half way round so it’s not ideal for anyone chasing a personal best.
What’s in Generation UCAN Cranberry and Raspberry?
SuperStarch, Natural Flavour, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate Dihydrate, Colour (Fruit and Vegetable Juice) Stevia Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid,
How much fuel?
- Energy per 25g serving: 80 calories
- Carbs per 25g serving: 21g
- Energy per 100g: 320 calories
- Carbs per 100g: 84g
Price per sachet: £3.50 based on £21.00 for a 6-sachet box.
Tailwind
Sold in portable 27g stick packs or as larger packets, Tailwind is another energy powder you mix with 500-700ml of water to create a fuel source you can sip as you run. Where it differs to UCAN is that it takes the opposite approach to energy. It uses simple carbohydrates (dextrose and sucrose) as opposed to complex carbohydrates (maltodextrin, glucose polymers, super starches, food).
These so-called fast-acting carbs act are absorbed faster, transported to the muscles quicker and therefore offer a more speedy fuel response than slow-acting carbs that can sit around in the stomach causing that discomfort we all know so well.
Tailwind comes in a range of flavours, some with added caffeine, that includes mandarin orange, lemon, berry, tropical buzz and a non-flavoured naked option, ideal if you want to combine this with your own stuff to your taste.
What’s in Tailwind?
Dextrose (Glucose), Sucrose, Sodium Citrate, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Organic Flavour, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Citrate
How much fuel?
- Energy per 27g stick pack: 100 calories
- Carbs per 27g stick pack: 25g
- Energy per 100g: 370 calories
- Carbs per 100g: 93g
Price per stick pack: £1.75 (or £10.95 for a pack of 7)
Or you can always eat real food
Fuelling with real food such as bananas, dates or honey can be just as effective but, for me, it depends a lot on the race distance and how you’re approaching it. Getting a date out of a food bag while doing 6 minute miles chasing a sub-3-hour marathon is going to have it’s problems, while carrying bananas has obvious drawbacks. But if you’re running an ultra or at a pace where carrying a bag isn’t a big deal, these are worth thinking about as natural alternatives to energy gels.
They taste good, offer a good hit of energy, come with added nutritional value and they’re much cheaper than a lot of gels.
Energy gels: Love ’em? Hate them?
Does anyone out there actually like energy gels? If so which ones? Any alternatives to energy gels I’ve missed here? Hit me up on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook or share your tips for fuelling your runs.
Now read this…
10 best foods to fuel an ultra marathon
