Here's a Fun One: Energy Without Insoluble Fiber?

[Bacciagalupe]

Heya. Due to a medical condition, I have to minimize my intake of insoluble fiber as much as possible.

That means I have to avoid things like: wheat, whole grains, multi-grains, nuts (nut butters are OK), seeds, dried fruit, various berries, figs, dates. That covers about 100% of the energy bars on the market, as best I can tell. :D

Not completely sure about refined sugars but so far I think I'm ok, even with HFCS. That said, there's only so much energy drink and gels I can stand on a century ride.

So, given those restrictions, any recommendations on how to eat on long rides?

[TurboTurtle]

Heya. Due to a medical condition, I have to minimize my intake of insoluble fiber as much as possible.

That means I have to avoid things like: wheat, whole grains, multi-grains, nuts (nut butters are OK), seeds, dried fruit, various berries, figs, dates. That covers about 100% of the energy bars on the market, as best I can tell. :D

Not completely sure about refined sugars but so far I think I'm ok, even with HFCS. That said, there's only so much energy drink and gels I can stand on a century ride.

So, given those restrictions, any recommendations on how to eat on long rides?

Maltodextrin - A glucose polymer. You can buy it at a running or health food store and mix your own drinks.

I would think a highly processed bread would be good since it is almost all starch - a longer chain glucose polymer. There could be other sources of starch - never thought about it.

No-pulp fruit juice may work for you. Maybe with added maltodextrin.

Coke or other sodas.

Don't know about the fiber content of a V8???

Some ideas.

TF

[Val23708]

90% sure that clif shot blocks dont have any insoluable fiber (as far as i can tell... it has pectin which i believe is soluable... duno bout the brown rice syrup though wikipedia says its 97% sugar)... they are tasty... like gummy candy... except its not hard to chew... and they come in a bunch of flavors... they are also a lot more satisfying then gels... and they arn't sticky... and if you're doing a long ride you can get multiple flavors and mix them up like a kinda fruit-flavored gummy salad... just dont stick too many in your mouth at a time

or gatorade diluted to preferred strength(or whatever your favorite sports drink) + maltodextrin (powedered... kinda between corn starch and powdered sugar). 1/4 cup maltodextrin = 100kcal. you can load a bottle to 300-500kcal like this. whatever you do, do not mix it without some kind of flavoring (tastes like los angeles tap water).

[goldfishin]

oatmeal? it's soluable.

[fietser_ivana]

Oats have too much fiber and it ain't soluble AFAIK! Besides if you don't just have a fiber problem but also a gluten intolerance, oats are not acceptable as they are too related to gluten.
I'm getting serious heart palpitations from having oats pre-workout (and that would extend to pre-rides as well).

[Pendergast]

What about bananas?

[fietser_ivana]

Bananas have starch & fiber, but even nutritiondata.com doesn't list what type of fiber it is.. am afraid it's insoluble too just like figs & dates.

[kuan]

Why don't you just sip on an energy drink throughout the day for some of your carbs?

White rice, rice noodles, and rice products in general will not have much fiber. Potatoes without the skin might be a good source too.

[fietser_ivana]

For during a ride nothing really beats powders or sports drinks. I've been using everything under the sun though and had a particular fondness of ... wait for it.. blended jams (preserves), esp. berry jams. Loaded with anti-oxidants and a pleasant taste.
Nowadays I really prefer a sports drink powder as it has magnesium and hence you never get cramps with it..

[ericgu]

Heya. Due to a medical condition, I have to minimize my intake of insoluble fiber as much as possible.

That means I have to avoid things like: wheat, whole grains, multi-grains, nuts (nut butters are OK), seeds, dried fruit, various berries, figs, dates. That covers about 100% of the energy bars on the market, as best I can tell. :D

Not completely sure about refined sugars but so far I think I'm ok, even with HFCS. That said, there's only so much energy drink and gels I can stand on a century ride.

So, given those restrictions, any recommendations on how to eat on long rides?

Gels tend to be very sweet, but hydration drinks have a wide range of sweetnesses. I'd suggest you try a few more to see if there is one that you like.

You might also try beef jerky - it's a nice counterpoint for "too sweet".

I like a bagel or two but that might not work too well for you.

[Bacciagalupe]

Thanks for the replies! Energy drinks are OK, but if I'm out for more than 3 hours, I'm going to want some solid food. I'm used to tearing open Clif bars and the like, which is no longer an option.

Oats, white bread and bananas are OK, they have low levels of insoluble fiber. With fruit, the big issues are with skins, seeds and membranes (citrus). I.e. I could eat apples if I bring a peeler along. ;) The only thing about bananas is that they can get crushed easily. Figs and dates are bad because of both the skin and seeds.

Berry jams, I'd have to check. If it's highly processed, the seeds might be either taken out or diced up enough that I can tolerate it.

Are there rice / puffed rice based energy bars out there? Or something other than a PB&J that I can make at home, won't get crushed, and will stay edible for hours on end?

[fietser_ivana]

The berry jams I was using did have seeds in them, but you should be able to find seedless jams. The problem is that those are sweet as well and lack the minerals/electrolytes present in sports drinks/poweders. It's just something else to have 'fun' with.
Mashed potatoes are very popular among British randonneurs but then again, so are beans on toast :)

[Pendergast]

Power Bars(the old style flat bars now labeled "Performance") might work for you. Looking at the ingredients, oat bran seems to be the main source of fiber. Brown rice flour and peanut flour probably also contribute to the fiber content but they're farther down the list than oat bran.

[catherine96821]

I think it depends on the medical condition.