Gels, Gus, Shots and Beans…the alternatives for fueling your long runs are seemingly endless these days. However, it’s not that uncommon for some of us to be sensitive to these prefabricated concoctions….or develop an “allergy” to their high price tag. We are all familiar with the warning – test your reaction to these things well before your race. But what do you do if you simply can’t take the packaged energy products or want to avoid the chemicals and/or preservatives?  Are there any alternatives?

Turns out that there are some very easy recipes for making your own energy gel with readily available ingredients; and best of all, you can flavor them to suit your own taste. To dispense,  simply spoon the gel into a small baggy and cut a small hole in the corber, or there are several Gu dispensers on the market if you find that more convenient. Either way, these recipes will last a while if you keep them in the refrigerator.

No stomach upset, no chemicals and a lot less expensive than pre-packaged gels. Remember to experiment before race day!

Here are a couple of the best recipes I’ve found to make your own energy gel for mere pennies.

HONEY AND PROTEIN GEL
6 tablespoons of honey
5/8 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses
6 and 3/8 teaspoons of soy protein isolate
1/16 teaspoons of salt
1-3 tablespoons of water

POWER GOO
7 and 1/3 tablespoons of honey
3/4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses
1/10 teaspoons (just shy of 1/8 tsp) of table salt

 
RAW LEMON-LIME GOO
4 dates (I used dried dates, soaked for a few hours)

1/2 cup raw agave nectar

1 Tbsp lime zest

2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp dulse (great source of potassium)

Sea salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or small food processor until desired consistency is reached. 

 

                 
OH SHE GLOWS! RICE SYRUP GOO
Just less than 2 T Organic brown rice syrup

1 T carob powder

Tiny pinch of sea salt

Spoon a tablespoon of organic brown rice syrup into a plastic baggy. Next, spoon the carob powder and salt in. Zip the baggie closed and then take your fingers and kneed the ingredients so they blend.

SIMPLICITY IN THE EXTREME
Lundberg’s Brown Rice Syrup

That’s it! You can buy it at most health food stores!

Anyone have a favorite recipe they'd like to share? 

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Tags: energy gel, gels, nutrition, electrolytes, energy, long runs, guu, shots, sport beans, homemade energy gel