[music] Heather: Have you had enough of the high-sugar
sickly energy gels? Well, if so, you are not alone. I know a lot of athletes who simply
had too many of these over the years or who have just never got on with them in the first
place. Well, if you fall into one of those categories, I've got some good news for you.
There are some brilliant alternatives out there and I'm going to be covering them and
sharing them with you today. [music]
Gels have been designed to allow us to take on carbohydrates whilst we're exercising and
get glucose into our bloodstream and to our muscles as efficiently as possible. It's no
wonder that they are popular when it comes to endurance sports. However, they are obviously
an artificial substance and fairly concentrated, which as a result can cause some tummy upsets.
How did athletes perform before the invention of gels? Well, they had no problem in racing
and fueling rather efficiently. Some of these options that I'm going to look at today will
involve rewinding the clock but there's also some more modern alternative developments,
which I'll be looking at as well. Before we go on to those, it's just worth
pointing out that if you are doing some endurance racing or training, anything over 90 minutes
and you need to start replenishing those carbohydrates stores that you already have in your body
and the recommended amount is around 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour. It's worth bearing
that in mind when you're calculating any alternative energy.
[music] Carbohydrate intake shouldn't be limited purely
to gels. Energy drinks were around far longer than gels and a very successful alternative.
The fact that they're already diluted for you means you're going to be getting that
correct ratio. It's going to be kinder on your stomach and obviously, you can buy ready-made
energy drinks. You can also buy the powdered form. If you're doing that, just make sure
you dilute with the correct amount of water for that reason. One of the downsides of carrying
energy drink with you especially when you're running, is the fact it's going to be much
heavier and quite a lot to carry. That said, if you're using gels, you should
still be taking on around 300 to 500 mils of water for every gel but check the recommendations
on that one. You can if you're feeling brave or you like to stay with something more natural,
experiment with making your own energy drink, whether that's with some fruit juice or coconut
water, simply adding a little bit of honey and maybe a pinch of salt, so you're getting
your electrolytes in as well. [music]
Sticking with the drinking option, if it's a consistency of the gel that you don't like
or you're worried that you're not going to get the right amount of water, then you can
simply empty your gel into your water bottle, add the required amount of fluid that you
should have for that gel, give it a good shake and you've got it, good to go, without having
to worry about doing any calculations whilst you're training or racing.
[music] My favorite. We are on to sweeties. Yes, they
are not going to be as nutritionally precise obviously, as a sports product but they are
going to be absolutely full of sugar and therefore, energy. There's so much choice out there,
all you have to do is walk down any supermarket aisle and you will be spoilt with that array.
Experiment with obviously, what you like but also what you can take on when maybe you're
feeling a little bit hot or your body's under a bit more strain. Probably, best to avoid
anything that's really sour or fizzy in that case.
Jelly babies are quite often people's go-to, they did use to be mine until I had three
bags this size over one weekend and it put me off for several years. I am however pleased
to say, I am back on jelly babies again now, but I'm not going to dictate what you should
eat. Another bonus of sweets is that they're obviously
going to be much cheaper than sports-specific products. The only trouble being, you've got
to make sure they get to the training session before you eat them all.
[music] Somewhere in the middle, not quite a gel,
not quite a solid, you've got shot blocks which are obviously easier to digest than
a solid bar but a different texture to a gel if a gel isn't quite what you like. Yes, they
are sports-specific but if you want something similar but without the sports nutrition,
you should go for simply a block of jelly, what I used to use as a kid or I think you
guys in the States call it jello. This little block here contains 92 grams of carbohydrate
but it is worth remembering that jelly is obviously designed to be diluted with water.
If you are going to use these, make sure you consume adequate amounts of water to go with
it. [music]
You can't forget the banana. It's been used by athletes for years across all sports. In
actual fact, I remember my granny telling me that I should eat bananas because she'd
seen tennis players eating them on TV. Seriously, you obviously get bananas at fuel stations,
in triathlons and it's rather common to see a banana sticking out of the back pocket of
a cyclist's jersey. Now, an average banana contains around 30 grams of carbohydrates
and with it though, it does come with some fiber. If you are using other fruits which
are going to be high in sugar, just be aware of their higher fiber content and also how
easy they are to digest, especially, if you're going to be working at a really high intensity.
[music] Solid foods such as energy bars have their
benefits too, so much closer to normal foods so your stomach is more likely to be used
to them and able to digest it. You can get something that's more sports-specific, energy
bar that's going to be high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and fat to make it most close
to a gel option or you could go for something that's more slow-releasing or more general.
All you need to do is again, walk down the supermarket aisle and you'll be spoiled for
choice. Go for something that you like because you're going to be more likely to use that
as your fuel. Although there is the risk, just make sure it ends up in the sports-nutrition
covered not in the snack jar. Homemade options are brilliant too. Flapjacks
are really common one for cycling for example. You can make them higher in sugar by adding
more sugar or honey, or you can make them slow-releasing with more oats and adding in
nuts and seeds for example. [music]
Sandwiches don't have to be for picnics, they could be a brilliant alternative to getting
those carbohydrates in. If you make it simply with some jam or some honey, then you're going
to make it nice and high in sugar. If you want to keep it as a simple carbohydrate that's
easy to digest and I'd recommend using white bread. However, I know we are looking at gel
alternatives but if you're doing longer endurance efforts that are at a low level, you might
start to want something savory, so why not replace the jam or the honey with Marmite?
It's one of my favorites for a mid-ride snack. If you want to take up another level then,
even add some cheese and you'll get the added bonus of some protein. Sandwiches don't solely
have to be with bread, you could even use a malt loaf with a bit of butter inside and
then another one of my favorites. [music]
Raisins, dates, apricots, and other dried fruit are packed full of energy, and being
dried they take up less room than the squishy fresh alternative. More bonus, you get more
nutrients with the dried fruit but just remember they are still high in fiber, so be aware
of that. Then you've got nuts especially if you're doing a longer low-level effort, then,
nuts are great if you're working in that fat-burning zone to give you that really slow-releasing
energy. Why not combine them both and make something that's some energy balls? I've actually
covered a recipe or my favorite recipe on the channels. If you want to step-by-step
guide I recommend checking that one out. [music]
Before we finish, I just want to return to gels quickly. Maybe, you've had a bad experience
with a certain flavor or certain brand, it is worth trying some others because they vary
hugely. The brands such as GU and Clif Bar are a really thick style of gels but then
you've got the SIS gels, which are far more fluid and liquidy. Maurten gels were another
consistency again, so it's worth experimenting a little bit. If it's the artificial side
that puts you off, there are some natural options often, which contain Chia seeds, and
you can even if you're feeling brave, experiment with making your own.
I haven't done it before but I do know that if you soak Chia seeds, they will turn into
a jelly. You could try maybe, soaking them in some apple juice, and then add jam or honey
and you've got your own homemade gel. Well, as you can see there are so many options out
there, so go away and experiment and try something new. Of course, I'm nosy so, let me know what
you fuel with currently or if you're going try something else, how it is. Or if you've
got any suggestions, you can do that in the comment section below. Give us a like and
remember to check out our social media channels and give those a follow too.
[00:08:36] [END OF AUDIO]