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10-04-07, 08:34 AM
.. from Phase IV.
We saw the email regarding alternatives to GU/ gels and refueling on the go (specifically utilizing maple syrup). There are many ways to refuel while working out. Commercial sports products are easy and convenient ways to get pre-portioned amounts of the right stuff to keep your motor running (carbohydrates, electrolytes, and sometimes protein and or vitamins), but aren't your only alternative. There are plenty of ways that you can prepare your own gels or sport drinks 'from scratch', that might prove more convenient, more suitable, or easier to digest and don't have any added preservatives or coloring.
At PHASE IV we find honey and maple syrup to be valuable for refueling, but don’t offer everything you’ll need. Both are concentrated types of carbohydrates that offer the immediate energy sources like what you would expect from a GU. You would need 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (1 fluid ounce) or 5 teaspoons of honey (0.85 fluid ounces) to get the roughly 100 Calories that you would expect to find in a typical gel packet. Another great and affordable alternative is raisins. Four tablespoons (unpacked) of raisins has been proven to be just as effective (if not more so) than gels during exercise, and would cost you about 20 cents.
While all of these energy sources may be comparable in their energy contribution, they do differ greatly in their electrolyte content, a major contributor to adequate refueling. GU offers 40 mg of sodium and 35 mg of potassium. How do honey, maple syrup, and raisins compare?
- Maple Syrup (2 tblsp): 4 mg sodium, 82 mg potassium, 27 mg calcium, good source of zinc and manganese
- Honey (5 tsp): 1 mg sodium, 18 mg potassium
- Raisins (4 tblsp): 4 mg sodium, 272 mg potassium, 18 mg calcium, 12 mg magnesium, 37 mg phosphorous?
Raisins are by far the most nutrient dense and economical choice, but may be a challenge to chow down during a run. Maple syrup's advantage over honey is that it is more fluid and will pour out of the bottle better, and is more nutrient dense than honey.
Regardless of which of the above alternatives you decide to try out, you will still need to supplement with some electrolytes. Make sure that your sports drink (home-made or otherwise) offers you a good source of electrolytes, carry around electrolyte tablets, or add 1/8th of a tsp of salt for every 4-5 servings of your gel (this will add 58-72 mg of sodium per serving).
For some great study summaries on raisins and exercise performance, check out the California Raisins Health and Nutrition Research page at http://www.calraisins.org/professionals/health/research.cfm.
Happy Training!
Jennifer Ischayek, MS, RD
We saw the email regarding alternatives to GU/ gels and refueling on the go (specifically utilizing maple syrup). There are many ways to refuel while working out. Commercial sports products are easy and convenient ways to get pre-portioned amounts of the right stuff to keep your motor running (carbohydrates, electrolytes, and sometimes protein and or vitamins), but aren't your only alternative. There are plenty of ways that you can prepare your own gels or sport drinks 'from scratch', that might prove more convenient, more suitable, or easier to digest and don't have any added preservatives or coloring.
At PHASE IV we find honey and maple syrup to be valuable for refueling, but don’t offer everything you’ll need. Both are concentrated types of carbohydrates that offer the immediate energy sources like what you would expect from a GU. You would need 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (1 fluid ounce) or 5 teaspoons of honey (0.85 fluid ounces) to get the roughly 100 Calories that you would expect to find in a typical gel packet. Another great and affordable alternative is raisins. Four tablespoons (unpacked) of raisins has been proven to be just as effective (if not more so) than gels during exercise, and would cost you about 20 cents.
While all of these energy sources may be comparable in their energy contribution, they do differ greatly in their electrolyte content, a major contributor to adequate refueling. GU offers 40 mg of sodium and 35 mg of potassium. How do honey, maple syrup, and raisins compare?
- Maple Syrup (2 tblsp): 4 mg sodium, 82 mg potassium, 27 mg calcium, good source of zinc and manganese
- Honey (5 tsp): 1 mg sodium, 18 mg potassium
- Raisins (4 tblsp): 4 mg sodium, 272 mg potassium, 18 mg calcium, 12 mg magnesium, 37 mg phosphorous?
Raisins are by far the most nutrient dense and economical choice, but may be a challenge to chow down during a run. Maple syrup's advantage over honey is that it is more fluid and will pour out of the bottle better, and is more nutrient dense than honey.
Regardless of which of the above alternatives you decide to try out, you will still need to supplement with some electrolytes. Make sure that your sports drink (home-made or otherwise) offers you a good source of electrolytes, carry around electrolyte tablets, or add 1/8th of a tsp of salt for every 4-5 servings of your gel (this will add 58-72 mg of sodium per serving).
For some great study summaries on raisins and exercise performance, check out the California Raisins Health and Nutrition Research page at http://www.calraisins.org/professionals/health/research.cfm.
Happy Training!
Jennifer Ischayek, MS, RD