This product was originally designed for sick people who could not eat solid food. Along came a smart ad man and suddenly it became a nutritional supplement for healthy people. It sure is an expensive way to get the nutrition you get by drinking a glass of low-fat milk, adding a teaspoon of sugar, and swallowing a vitamin pill with added minerals. I really marveled and was a little sickened the first time I saw the slick advertisement on TV touting it for healthy people. It goes along with all of the other energy drinks that cost pennies to make and earn the makers and sellers big bucks. You can sell Americans almost anything if you advertise it enough.

Well, it's your choice. You don't have to drink it. I happen to know that it tastes great, sits well (especially when I've lost my appetite before or during a long ride), works with my mild lactose intolerance, and gives me the energy I want. It's also relatively inexpensive. But if that's not what you want, then don't use it.


Maybe you prefer Sustained Energy for your long rides?

It's not like Machka is suggesting that everyone drink Ensure every day. It is one way to get the nutrition needed to get you through long rides. Eating real food is another way. Some may choose one or another or a combination of various options depending on circumstances and preferences.

I see it as another option for situations where I might consider using Perpetuem (centuries mostly), and it is certainly a less expensive and more readily available option. Wally World carries Ensure and also has their own version with the "Equate" label which is a bit cheaper still. This is what I mostly drank during my recovery from illness.

When I'm just short of bonking, I'll consumer damn near anything to get me back home. People, what works for you, is what works for you. As BluesDawg says, it's an option.

I agree with this. There are few times when you need as many calories as you can take in quickly and conveniently. Suffering the effects of chemotherapy or doing a serious athletic event qualify. But most of the time, even when we're out for a big, long bike ride, plain old food works best, though it may not be as convenient. I'm talking about fruit, sandwiches, whatever, not sports gels. I don't put much faith in those, either.

Sometimes I add junk food to my plain old food since inserting extra calories is a goal, but I don't think it's good as the only thing to eat. I feel the same way about Ensure or specialized sports formulas.

Me too. I just re-read what I posted, and realise it reads like an ad!

I carry the stuff 'cos it's a light 'get out of trouble quick' boost. I don't confuse it with nutrition!

OK, that's entirely reasonable. I might stock up on a bit of it and try it. I read a bit about it. They call it a non-milk product, but it has whey protein. So, uh, if whey comes only from milk, they're allowed to call it because it's "only" whey?

Chocolate milk is about as good as any of the $upplement drinks.

I often use this as a recovery drink, but on longer rides I fear it would get a bit warm and turn sour.

Except if you can't drink milk!!

I like a cold glass of chocolate milk after a hard ride, too. But I haven't found any place I can get it without paying $.

True BluesDawg, In the first place, it's just so difficult to find chocolate cows when we're out on a ride. On top of that, the chocolate milk comes out of the udder warm . . . so it's really not that easy.

I haven't found a chocolate cow with a refridgeration unit attached. Now that would be something.

Rick / OCRR