Are energy gels the food of the future or just a pocket full of slime?

Years ago when you knew that you were going to be biking for miles, it was common to grab some fruit, a bagel and some water. A couple of years ago it would have been grab a sports drink and an energy bar and head for the hills, but now you have another option... ENERGY GELS!

What exactly is an energy gel you ask? Energy gels usually come packaged in a rider-friendly foil pouch that contains a serving or two of gel which you squeeze into your mouth. The gel (and plenty of fluids) is consumed by your body, which breaks down the carbohydrates (maltodextrin, rice syrup or poly/oligosaccharides) into glucose and sends them to your muscles to burn as fuel. To keep your body running at full speed, it is recommended to consume one serving per hour. Some companies, such as the makers of ClifSHOT have made flip-cap tubes which contain 2 servings of gel for roughly the same price as a single serving competitor.

There is another alternative to buying energy gels -- make your own! Two or three tablespoons of jam or table syrup contain about 25g of carbohydrates which is roughly equivalent to the amount in one serving of your favorite energy gel. Now, this might seem to be rather dull compared to those tasty energy gels that come in flavors ranging from: coffee to banana or cherry cola to chocolate chip and back again. Energy gels also contain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) that your body needs for those long rides. So in the long run, it may be worth breaking down and buying yourself some of those energy gels.

Below is a chart to help guide you through the plethora of energy gels out there on the market.

*Nutrient amounts very based on flavor
**Six-tester average, on scale of 1-5 (1= revolting, 3 = take it or leave it, 5 = fantastic)

Product	Nutrients Per Package*	Flavors	"Extras"	Package Price/Size	Taste**
Carb-BOOM 800/554-2791	310 calories 78g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	apple-cinnamon, strawberry-banana	none	$1.49/ 5 ounces	3.3
ClifShot 800/884-KALI	97-100 calories 23g carbohydrate 2g protein 0-0.5g fat	chocolate espresso, chocolate peanut, real berry, vanilla malt	comes in two serving flip tube; added ginseng	$1.29/ 1.4 ounces	3.7
Extreme Blast 510/283-2882	80 calories 20g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	cherry cola, coffee, grape, sourberry	added guarana, ginseng	$0.89/ 1.0 ounces	2.1
Gatorade ReLoade 800/88GATOR	80 calories 20g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	banana, grape, unflavored	none	$1.00/ .75 ounces	3.2
GU 800/400-1995	100 calories 20-25g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	chocolate outrage, orange burst, vanilla bean	added amino acids, vitamin A, C, E; herbs include ginseng, caffeine	$1.25/ 1.1 ounces	3.7
Hammer Gel 800/336-1977	100 calories 24-25g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	chocolate, vanilla, espresso, raspberry, unflavored	added amino acids	$0.89/ 1.1 ounces	3.1
Pocket Rocket 800/624-4260	100 calories 25g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	chocolate, lemon-lime, wild berry, orange	added chromium, caffeine and guarana in some flavors	$0.99/ 1.3 ounces	2.6
Power Gel 800/58POWER	110 calories 28g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	lemon-lime, strawberry-banana, vanilla	vitamin C, A; amino acid blend; caffeine, kola nut extract and ginseng in strawberry	$1.29/ 1.4 ounces	3.3
Squeezy 800/8LEPPIN	80 calories 20g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	banana, peach, pineapple, lemon-lime, strawberry, vanilla	added beta carotene	$0.90/ 1.0 ounces	3.4
Ultra Gel 800/800-2038	133 calories 24g carbohydrate 0g protein 4g fat	banana creme, strawberry creme, unflavored	fat is medium chain triglycerides	$1.25/ 1.3 ounces	2.7
Jam or syrup (2-3 tbsp.)	80-120 calories 20-30g carbohydrate 0g protein 0g fat	various flavors, (check your local grocery store)	none	varies, but usually inexpensive

Information based on an article in Bicycling Magazine*