Energy Foods Review: One Good, One Bad

If you’ve read my past entries, you know how important eating right is while riding an endurance event.  With this in mind, I’ve been experimenting with high-energy (high-carb) foods that I can use as I ride in centuries this summer.  So far, my testing has revealed one clear winner and one big loser:

·     Clif Bars – This is a clear winner!  If you’re like me, you’ve probably had your share of foul-tasting, “healthy”, “natural” foods.  In fact, I think it’s a rule that most nutritional bars taste terrible.  So I purchased some Clif Bars with great skepticism.  But once I tried them, I loved them.  They taste great, are easy to handle and chew (important when you’re on a bike), and have lots of energy-producing carbs per bar.  They are also all natural.  You can get them at your local bike shop, sports store, or at Wal-mart.

·     Energy Gels – These are just what they sound like – tubes of gel-like substance that are high in carbs and energy.  I tried three different varieties and hated all three.  They are gross!!!  They taste like someone chewed up some food, added gel to it, then put it in a tube.  Yuk!!!!  They are not only nasty-tasting, but they also leave a coating in your mouth that takes at least a bottle of water to get out.  They get a big thumbs down from me.

I’ll keep looking for new, portable bike foods, but the Clif Bars are a sure-thing while I’ll never eat another gel.

Comments

[Rob]

I guess a small, portable cooler with ice cream in it really wouldn't be very practical, would it?

[Team Captain]

No, but it sure would taste better!!!! :-)