SNACKS!
Snacks!
Clif Bar
Starting with food I’ll talk about the old faithful Clif
Bar. Clif Bars are pocket sized
oat-based bars and have been the go-to for outdoor adventurers. The average Clif Bar is 68 grams and
approximately 260 calories, give or take depending on which flavor you
choose. The Clif Bar brand offers 11
different flavors from basic Chocolate Chip to mild Oatmeal Raison to decadent
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut (my all-time favorite). They used to offer caffeinated bars as well,
but I didn’t see them listed on their website at the time of this blog. The Clif Bar company has diversified into so
many different product lines that I’ll have some tasting to do this year! So, back to the fundamental Clif Bar these
pack lots of carbohydrates, sugars, and some protein. One can expect slow acting, sustained energy
from this bar powering you through your activity. This is a great snack before, during
(dependent on activity), and after activity snack. I would not recommend a Clif Bar while trying
to ride, this is a great snack to enjoy while stopped so you can chew it and
then wash it down. Clif Bars taste great
and don’t make a mess unlike other dry granola bars, pack them anywhere without
fear, for Clif Bar is here! Fun side
note, I often compare the weight of a bike component to a Clif Bar to decide if
I’m too over the top. No one minds
carrying an extra bar or three on their bike rides, so if the weight of these
delicious snacks doesn’t bother me, why would an extra 70 grams of drivetrain
or brakes matter?
|
Clif Bar
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
68 grams (g) |
|
Cost per
serving |
$2.00 |
|
Calories per
serving |
260 calories |
|
Total fat |
7 g |
|
Saturated fat |
1.5 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
230 mg |
|
Total carbs |
42 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
5g |
|
Total sugars |
17 g |
|
Protein |
9 g |
|
Calcium |
44 mg |
|
Iron |
2 mg |
|
Potassium |
228 mg |
Nature Valley
Another classic snack for the outdoor enthusiast is Nature
Valley’s crunchy granola bar. These have
been around forever proving the test of time and taste. There are two bars per pack before getting
jostled about. The granola bar is made
of dry granola, oats, sugars, and flavorings totaling ~200 calories per package
and 42 grams. There are at least 10
flavors of the traditional crunchy granola as well as a few spin-offs with my
favorite being the sweet and salty series.
Like the Clif Bar, Nature Valley bars are primarily carbohydrates which
will provide a slow and sustained release of energy. These bars are great snacks before, maybe
during, and maybe after snacks, don’t try to eat one while riding. Just as famous as the Nature Valley bars
themselves is their propensity to crumble.
Putting one in your pocket and going for a mild hike is enough to reduce
the contents of the package to oat-sized crumbs, be careful when you open the
wrapper as the remnants of the bar will make a mess. For this reason, Nature Valley bars are best
right out of the box in a place where you don’t mind the mess, aka not your
car. An upside to the Nature Valley bars
compared to other options is they are cheap and readily available.
|
Oats ‘n Honey
Crunchy Granola Bars |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
42 g |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1.79 |
|
Calories per
serving |
190 calories |
|
Total fat |
7 g |
|
Saturated fat |
1 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
140 mg |
|
Total carbs |
29 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
2 g |
|
Total sugars |
11 g |
|
Protein |
3 g |
|
Calcium |
0 g |
|
Iron |
1 mg |
|
Potassium |
0 mg |
Carbs Fuel
Carbs Fuel is a novel product I’ve never heard of before
until the local bike shop gave me a sample to evaluate on one of my big
rides. One of the greatest road cyclists
I’ve ever ridden with once said “cyclist are like hummingbirds, sustained by
sugar and carbs”, or something to that effect.
Carbs Fuel is a glucose and fructose-based gel optimized for sustaining
a rider during long endurance activities.
Basically, this is sugar in a gel form fit for a hummingbird. The Carbs Fuel gel packet provides 50 grams
of carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugar, and 105 milligrams of sodium in a packet
about three times the size of the conventional Gu or Honey Stinger gel
packet. So far, I have only found one
flavor, “original”, which has a light hint of citric acid hidden in the
onslaught of sugar gel. Despite how many
kinds of sugar (any ingredient ending in “-ose”) it is not as sweet as soda or pancake
syrup, but just barely. This is not a
snack a sane person eats outside of long endurance rides as it doesn’t taste like
anything other than sugar. Given the ingredients of glucose and fructose
one can expect a fast-acting boost lasting for a medium duration. For example, if a Clif Bar lasts two hours
Carbs Fuel will last an hour, maybe longer out of the sheer volume of the
packet. I took this supplement right
before a two lap, 11-mile ride with 1800+ ft of climbing. I chose this ride to try it as I had been
working out every day, including that morning, and needed a pick-me-up which
coffee wasn’t providing. Carbs Fuel
really works, as noted by my second lap of the ride. My climbing speeds were faster despite how
far I had ridden that day. I’m pretty
consistent in my nutrition around a bike ride which is why I attribute my
increased performance to the gel. This
snack is best right before and during long endurance activities. Since this is a gel, it is convenient to
consume it while on the bike, no need to wash it down unless you really want to
as it dissolves quickly. Due to the huge
amounts of sugar in this product I don’t recommend it after a bike ride, or on
a day when not working out. In fact, if
you aren’t a hardcore endurance athlete, I would recommend avoiding this one,
it has all the underlying attributes that could lead to diabetes and other
sugar induced ailments.
|
Carbs Fuel |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
50 g |
|
Cost per
serving |
$2.00 |
|
Calories per
serving |
200 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
105 mg |
|
Total carbs |
50 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
2 g |
|
Total sugars |
29 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Calcium |
Unknown |
|
Iron |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
Unknown |
p.s. I got curious about the sugar load and found a can of Coke-a-cola has 39 grams of sugar which sounds disgusting. Regular soda drinkers might not think anything of the contents in this product.
Cookies 🍪🍪🍪
Who doesn’t love cookies for any reason at all? I am no exception to this and love a variety
of cookies. When I think cookies, I
don’t immediately think outdoor adventure fuel, I think dessert like most of
us. On another strange day of the COVID
lockdown I had a small stash of Grandma’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and thought
these might make great pre-ride snacking [for simplicity’s sake I’ll review
this cookie]! Any why not? They are full of sugar and carbs like a solid
hummingbird food, and they taste great!
Grandma’s (Frito-Lay product) come in packs of two packing 360 calories
per package with 54 grams of carbs and 30 grams of sugar. Walmart sells these in bulk at $45 for 60-2
pack bags of cookies, or $2.29 per individual bag of two. Pair this with a cup of coffee and you should
be set. I expected a quicker boost in
energy for a short duration based on the nutritional info. Cookies would be an ideal snack before and
during your activity, given you’ve come to a stop. I suppose you could eat them while riding but
not on my trails of choice. In theory
these should have been great but not in practice. I had these cookies as a pre-ride snack for
at least three rides with a consistent result, I felt like crap. The cookies left me feeling conscious of the
digestion process, I felt like I was lagging until the cookie hangover wore
off, far from the nice boost I was expecting.
Simply put, Grandma’s cookies were performance reducing and I won’t eat
them before a ride as a result.
 |
| Photo Credit to Frito-Lay Company |
|
Grandma's
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (pack) |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
1 cookie, 2 per pack |
|
Cost per
serving |
$2.29 |
|
Calories per
serving |
360 calories |
|
Total fat |
14 g |
|
Saturated fat |
2 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
20 mg |
|
Sodium |
380 mg |
|
Total carbs |
54 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
4 g |
|
Total sugars |
30 g |
|
Protein |
4 g |
|
Calcium |
120 mg |
|
Iron |
1.8 mg |
|
Potassium |
180 mg |
Kar’s Sweet ‘n Salty Mix
It wouldn’t be a complete blog about trails snacks without a
classic trail mix. I’ve chosen Kar’s
Sweet ‘n Salty Mix as its my favorite snack available at the work vending
machines. This trail mix comes with
peanuts, raisins, sunflower kernels, and not M&M chocolate candy. As promised the mix is sweet and salty in a
small serving size, at least the price is equally small compared to the other
stuff on the shelf. One bag packs 170
calories with 17 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugar, 11 grams of fat, and
5 grams of protein. The bag cost $1.29
at the work vending machines which makes it good value at a convenience store,
one could probably make their own in bulk for a lower cost per service. I’ve recently found them in bulk at King Soopers,
which makes the price even more appealing.
Convenience comes at a cost. The
trail mix is going to be slow acting but sustaining snack due to the carbs and
protein. This makes ideal for
pre-workout and during the workout snacks, assuming you can stop and eat
this. Don’t try to eat nuts while riding
(giggle away), the small pieces will aggravate the throat as you breathe and
cause a coughing fit.
|
Kar’s Sweet
‘N Salty Mix |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
1 bag, 35 g |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1.29 |
|
Calories per
serving |
170 calories |
|
Total fat |
11 g |
|
Saturated fat |
2.5 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 mg |
|
Sodium |
85 mg |
|
Total carbs |
17 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
2 g |
|
Total sugars |
13 g |
|
Protein |
5 g |
|
Calcium |
30 mg |
|
Iron |
1.1 mg |
|
Potassium |
190 mg |
Honey Stingers
For a while there I was on the Honey Stinger train, I viewed
them as a better alternative to gels (fewer ingredients) and simply for the
fact that I like honey. My grandfather
was a beekeeper so naturally I had to give them a try. The Honey Stinger portfolio has grown quite a
bit since I sucked down my first “energy gel” from them. It was the original Gold flavor which is
pretty much just honey with electrolytes and B vitamins mixed in. Now there are four flavors to choose from
that includes a caffeinated version, Strawberry Kiwi! Readers may have picked up by now that I love
coffee and caffeine, so this was a huge perk for me. Honey Stingers are pretty much all sugar and
carbs which make them ideal for pre-workouts and during the workout. Make sure it’s a longer workout if you are
resorting to pure sugar and carbs for your own sake. The Honey Stinger will provide a very quick
boost of energy lasting about an hour+.
The caffeinated versions will kick in even harder and faster, on the
order of 10 to 15 minutes. The high
sugar and carb content that make them ideal for sustaining endurance activities
make them rather unhealthy as a post workout snack packing zero protein. Honey Stingers come in convenient individual
serving sized packets and I found they are one of the few that I can consume on
the bike, just wash it down with a gulp of water! One can expect to pay $40 per box of 24 or
$1.75 per packet. Now I’m going to share
a neat trick to save your riding gear, fold the empty packet into thirds. Fold the open top down first, followed by the
bottom up, this kinda seals in any remaining honey residue and prevents a
sticky mess in your pocket.
 |
| Photo Credit to Honey Stinger |
|
Gold Energy
Gel |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
31 g |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1.75 |
|
Calories per
serving |
90 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 grams (g) |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
45 mg |
|
Total carbs |
24 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
24 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Calcium |
0 g |
|
Iron |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
0 g |
Gu
Gu, not to be confused with shmoo, is a gel energy
supplement intended for athletes during their activity. Gu has a gigantic variety of flavors, so I’ll
characterize them into three different gels: original, Roctane, and liquid
energy gel. They also make waffles,
drinks, and chews making a well-rounded portfolio of athletic supplements. I’ve tried two of the three because I haven’t
seen the liquid energy gels around, my local bike shop must not be roadie enough. The Gu gels are on par with Honey Stingers at
100 calories in a 32-gram packet without the honey. Gu uses maltodextrin, water, and fructose to
get that honey like consistency. I was
most excited for the Cold Brew Coffee flavor as it was a great source of carbs,
sugar, and caffeine (bc cyclists are like hummingbirds). The taste is as one would expect, a thick
sugary tasting goop full of artificial flavoring. The coffee flavor was remarkably close to
real coffee in taste, as someone who likes coffee this is a perk. Gu performs well as a moderately fast acting
supplement providing a moderate boost in energy, about 1-1.5 hours. Gu recommends a gel 5 minutes before every 45
minutes of activity for the gels and have a Suggested Use Guide on their website to further
guide you. The caffeinated version kicks
in even harder. Consume this snack
during your activity and wash it down with a gulp of water. Expect to pay about $1.60 per packet of Gu,
buying in bulk could lower this price.
In short, Gu is a great mid-ride snack powering you through another hour
of riding while being conveniently sized.
|
ROCTANE
ENERGY GELS – Cold Brew Coffee |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
31 g |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1.60 |
|
Calories per
serving |
100 calories |
|
Total fat |
Unknown |
|
Saturated fat |
Unknown |
|
Trans fat |
Unknown |
|
Cholesterol |
Unknown |
|
Sodium |
125 mg |
|
Total carbs |
21 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
(not listed) |
|
Total sugars |
6 g |
|
Protein |
(not listed) |
|
Sodium |
125 mg |
|
Calcium |
40 mg |
|
Iron |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
Unknown |
|
Caffeine |
70 mg |
|
Roctane Amino
Acid Blend which is; L-Leucine,
Taurine, L-Valine, Beta-Alanine, L-Isoleucine |
1425 mg |
Bananas 🍌🍌🍌
Bananas are the stereotypical food of choice by roadies
often paired with a cappuccino, silly hat, and spandex. But is there something to it? From a nutritional numbers’ perspective, they
are healthy packing only 89 calories per 100 grams of ‘nana along with carbs,
fat, and some sugar. Now this can vary
banana to banana based on their size and ripeness, but these numbers I sourced
from Healthline.com are good enough for a blog.
The banana’s carb and sugar (plus some B6) content will provide a medium-paced
acting snack that will last a little while, think 30 minutes to an hour. Bananas work well enough for me on short
workouts and while keeping my self-image up, because fruits and vegetables are
healthy for us 😊. The
banana is a pre-workout snack for me as they don’t age well packed in a bag, or
exposed to a lot of heat, or a lot of sun, nor do they fair well should you
fall on one. For those much gentler on
their everything, a banana could serve as a good during exercise food which is
probably why we see them at endurance aid stations along the route. Bananas cost $0.59 per pound with the average
banana costing about $0.25 each, cheap snack!
The average 100-gram banana only packs ~1 gram of protein so I don’t
reach for them after a ride, however, bananas are a good source of potassium
which aids recover. So, I call it 50/50
as a post workout snack option.
|
Medium-size
banana |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
100 g |
|
Cost per
serving |
~$0.25 |
|
Calories per serving |
89 calories |
|
Total fat |
22.8 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
45 mg |
|
Total carbs |
24 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
1.7 g |
|
Total sugars |
12.2 g |
|
Protein |
1.1 g |
|
Calcium |
5 mg |
|
Iron |
0.4 mg |
|
Potassium |
326 mg |
Peanut Butter Rice
I don’t remember where I got this recipe, but it is a very
simple dish to be made at home and powers one through endurance activities. As the name suggests, this is composed of
rice, peanut butter, green chiles, and butter in the proportions below, with salt
& pepper added to taste. Combine all
ingredients into a bowl and microwave for ~2 mins, this makes the peanut butter
nice and easy to mix in. I highly
recommend the simplest peanut butter you can find for this recipe or else you
will get some really strange after-tastes.
Personally, I buy Crazy Richard’s peanut butter as it is a single
ingredient, at a reasonable price, readily available at the common man’s
grocery store.
PB Rice tastes exactly like the ingredients suggest, I
prefer mine with hot green chiles and on the salty side. Flavor profiles will differ based on your
chosen ingredients. This may upset some
stomachs, test in small batches. 3/4s of
a cup of this snack packs a whopping (estimated) 471 calories, 44g of carbs, 28g
of fats, and 16g of protein! I honestly
thought this snack was much healthier until I generated the nutritional info on
MyFitnessPal, oh well, in my
opinion this is a wholesome dish that works really well for me. PB Rice is best as a pre-workout snack
(requiring a bowl, spoon, and microwave).
I recommend this snack about 2 hours prior to exercising so you don’t
cramp or reduce serving size. One can
expect a slow acting, long sustained energy from this meal ideal for epic rides
and huge workouts. This would be a tasty
end of workout snack too; however, I would prefer something much higher in
protein and lower in carbs at that point.
Pair this with a cup of coffee and you have my go-to pre-workout snack
of choice!
|
PB Rice |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
~1 cup |
|
Cost per
serving |
Unknown |
|
Calories per serving |
471 calories |
|
Total fat |
28 g |
|
Saturated fat |
5 g |
|
Trans fat |
0g |
|
Cholesterol |
10 mg |
|
Sodium |
33 mg |
|
Total carbs |
44 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
6 g |
|
Total sugars |
5 g |
|
Protein |
16 g |
|
Calcium |
Unknown |
|
Iron |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
Unknown |
Drinks!
Coffee ☕☕☕
Coffee, the drink of choice for athletes and non-athletes
alike. The brand names, roasts,
additions, and coffee-based drinks seem limitless. Perhaps it is the nectar of the gods. For simplicity’s sake I’m going to talk about
plain black coffee, dark roast specifically because that is my favorite. I love coffee hot or cold and usually choose
based on the weather conditions. Plain
black coffee is a wholesome low-calorie stimulant with just 5 calories per 16oz
(Starbucks dark roast), packs 10mg of sodium, 1g of protein (where did that
come from?!), 260 mg of caffeine, and nothing else. Nutrient information will vary by roast and
brand. Considering its just roasted bean
juice it makes sense that coffee is calorie and nutrient light. As we know coffee is a great pick-me-up
enjoyed by most when fresh placing it in the pre-workout phase. There is nothing stopping you from drinking
coffee during and after you ride either, you’ll just be unique… The price of coffee varies wildly with the
cheapest being brewed at home to the most expensive when purchased fresh
through some elaborate contraption. For
this article the standard small (Short) coffee from Starbucks is $3.19. The caffeine in coffee can be effective in as
little as 10-15 minutes so a quick acting supplement lasting about an hour to
hour and a half, all dependent on how much you consume. Some downsides of coffee are that it tends to
dehydrate the athlete, causes bodily tension, the need to counteract that
dehydration with more water, and in large quantities acts as a diuretic. Plan accordingly. Truthfully, I like to pair a with a longer
lasting carb such as The Wayne or a Clif Bar.
I find washing down the dense carbs with a hot stimulant works great for
me.
Pretty much everything stated about coffee applies to
espresso save for serving sizes, consider a shot of espresso equivalent to a
cup of coffee. Good if you want to save
room.
|
Starbucks
Dark Roast Coffee |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
16 oz |
|
Cost per
serving |
~~~$3.19 |
|
Calories per
serving |
5 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
10 mg |
|
Total carbs |
0 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
0 g |
|
Protein |
1.0 g |
|
Caffeine |
260 mg |
Red Bull
Red Bull is a classic energy drink that has served the test
of time and sponsors every sport under the sun.
This is my go-to when coffee isn’t working, or I’m craving something
different. This is about as far away
from wholesome simple ingredients as you can get, especially the sugar-free or
zero calorie versions. Let’s be honest
with ourselves, we’re not worried about how healthy energy drinks are when we
reach for them. They are like soda on
crack, isn’t that where the name Coke a Cola came from? So now that I’ve accepted that, back to the
review. Red Bull comes in a variety
number of flavors starting with the original flavor complemented with
sugar-free and zero calorie versions. I
usually go with the 8.4oz sugar free version.
Then there the color editions, the flavor editions, the seasonal
editions… I counted 12 different flavors on their website at the time of this
article. They are really going for wide
market coverage here with the flavors and I can say most of them taste just
like soda (to me) [I also like the taste Red Bull]. As If I didn’t just present you with enough
choices, most can be had in 8.4oz, 12oz, 16oz, and the originals in up to 20oz,
holy moly! Back to the nutritional info,
the OG Red Bull, 8.4oz, packs 110 calories delivering 80mg of caffeine, 27g of
sugar, 98g of sodium and undisclosed amounts of taurine, niacin, vitamin B6,
and B12 (found them on USDA.gov for the table).
Note, a cup of coffee provides 92 mg of caffeine according to the USDA
database. This cocktail of caffeine, sugar,
vitamins, and additives are the ingredients that “give you wings”. Prices will vary based on can size, single vs
pack, and so on… Expect to pay approximately $2.50 per 8.4oz serving. Red Bull is a quick acting supplement lasting
a bit longer than coffee thanks to those additives, once again quantity
consumed will be a big variable in how long it lasts. Expect the same downsides as coffee such as
dehydration, body tension, the need to counteract that dehydration with more
water, and in large quantities acts as a diuretic. Be even more mindful to your consumption of
energy drinks for the same reasons as the gels mentioned above as well as the
large amounts of caffeine and additives.
|
|
Original Red
Bull |
Sugar-free |
|
Amount |
Serving |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
8.4 oz |
8.4 oz |
|
Cost per
serving |
$2.50 |
$2.50 |
|
Calories per
serving |
110 calories |
10 calories |
|
Total fat |
0.2 g |
0.2 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
0 |
|
Trans fat |
Not listed |
Not listed |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
98 mg |
150 mg |
|
Total carbs |
28 g |
1.8 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
26 g |
0 g |
|
Protein |
0.6 g |
0.6 g |
|
Caffeine |
77 mg |
75 mg |
|
Vitamin C |
0 g |
0 g |
|
Calcium |
15.5 mg |
32.5 mg |
|
Magnesium |
49 mg |
7.5 mg |
|
Potassium |
7.7 mg |
7.5 mg |
|
Niacin |
25.4 mg |
21.2 mg |
|
Pantothenic
acid |
4 mg |
4.8 mg |
|
Vitamin B6 |
5.6 mg |
5 mg |
|
Vitamin B12 |
5 µg |
5 µg |
Gatorade
Gatorade, the staple electrolyte beverage that’s been around
our whole lives at every sporting event.
If you just happened to win your sports-ball game, you might take a cold
Gatorade shower. So, it’s prevalent, but
is it any good? Gatorade’s strategy is
to replace electrolytes lost to sweat providing carbohydrates and
electrolytes. In a 12 oz serving of
Gatorade Lemon Lime delivers 140 calories, 22g of carbohydrates, 34g of sugar,
47mg of potassium, and 270mg of sodium.
I like the familiar taste of Gatorade and prefer the traditional lemon
lime flavor. One can buy raw Gatorade
powder in 10+ flavors to make at home, or the bazillion flavors premixed
available at convenience stores everywhere.
Gatorade’s portfolio has expanded to pods (concentrated liquid mix),
protein supplements, tablets, water bottles, towels, and coolers. I’ve only tried the premixed electrolyte
drinks at the store and the powder mix.
Gatorade’s mixture of electrolytes, sugars, and carbohydrates make it
ideal for during exercise providing sustained energy. The energy boost won’t compare to that of
coffee or Red Bull, rather this is just enough you need to keep going. I would aim to go through half of a bottle of
this on a normal ride (under two hours), the longer the ride the more I
bring. One last great perk is how
readily available Gatorade is, I usually buy the “2 Gallon Canister” (capable
of making 2 gallons) from the local grocery store for $6.49 ($0.29 per serving)
which is nice when compared to some of the more specialty drinks. There are a few good reasons why Gatorade has
stood the test of time and is one of the best!
|
Gatorade
Lemon Lime |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
1 scoop |
|
Cost per
serving |
$0.29 (scoop) |
|
Calories per
serving |
140 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
270 mg |
|
Total carbs |
166 mg |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
34 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 mg |
|
Vitamin C |
140 mg |
|
Calcium |
0 mg |
|
Magnesium |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
80 mg |
LMNT
LMNT is the new bougie drink supplement in the mountain bike
world, or I’m that far out of the loop, both are plausible. LMNT’s claim to fame is a sugar free salt
heavy flavored beverage. LMNT is
available in an impressive variety of 10+ flavors ranging from Raw Unflavored
(salty AF) to fruity Orange Salt, to spicey Mango Chili, to warm dessert Chocolate
Chai. LMNT is served in Sticks, or
single serving packets of dry ingredients mixed into your water bottle. LMNT recommends 1 packet mixed into 32 oz of
water for a Salty drink, 24 oz for Saltier, and 16 oz for SALTY AF, play around
with the proportions to find your ideal concentration. My largest MTB water bottle is 25 oz, so I
had Salty drinks. In once race I used a
16 oz bottle and holy crap SALTY AF is the correct description! I found the flavors to be hit or miss for my
pallet. The original Citrus Salt packs
just 10 calories, 1000 mg of sodium, 200 mg of potassium, 60 mg of magnesium,
and absolutely nothing else. A variety
pack from LMNT is $20 for 12 working out to $1.67 per serving. Subscriptions would make this a little bit
cheaper. I liked the Citrus Salt flavor,
Orange Salt, Grapefruit Salt, and strangely enough the Chocolate Salt, and
Chocolate Chai Salt. Those last two I
mixed with very hot water on a winter ride and was pleased. Some flavors put me off such as the
Watermelon Salt (from the bike race just mentioned), Mango Chili gave me
heartburn quick, and the Raw Unflavored was just meh. LMNT is an electrolyte drink and is meant to
hydrate the athlete during the activity.
There are zero carbohydrates, protein, caffeine, or sugars in this drink
so it would not be suitable as the sole supplement on a long endurance ride, be
sure to bring other calories for sustainment.
LMNT is excellent in muscle cramp prevention and remediation. My buddy had a leg cramp towards the end of
an epic ride, so I gave him an LMNT packet to help. IT worked rather quickly, his muscle cramp
subsided and didn’t experience another for the rest of the day! LMNT is a great hydration supplement during
your activities, try a few different flavors before getting a box of them.
|
LMNT Citrus
Salt |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
1 packet |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1.67 |
|
Calories per
serving |
10 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
1000 mg |
|
Total carbs |
2 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
0 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 mg |
|
Vitamin C |
unknown |
|
Calcium |
0 mg |
|
Magnesium |
60 mg |
|
Potassium |
200 mg |
Skratch
Skratch is another big name in the cycling industry known
for their hydrating electrolyte drinks. For
a little while they sponsored Our MTB Rides, a social riding club in Tucson,
which made them even cooler. Skratch
Labs is another company with a wide portfolio of athletic supplements and
products. For simplicity’s sake I’m
going to stick to the hydration mixes.
There are currently six flavors on sale including one caffeinated flavor! When it comes to taste Skratch is amazing, I’ve
never had a hydration mix flavor from them I didn’t like. Skratch mixes are the perfect blend of flavor,
sugar, salt, and light mouth feel. Skratch
costs $21.95 per bag of 20 servings working out to about $1.34 per serving. This is the ideal supplement to consume
during your ride propelling you onwards.
Skratch also packs some carbohydrates and sugars to sustain your effort,
not to be confused with an energy drink.
One could drink this after the ride to replenish lost water and
electrolytes.
 |
| Photo Credit goes to Dave |
|
Skratch Lemon
& Lime |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
1 scoop (22g) |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1.34 |
|
Calories per
serving |
80 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
380 mg |
|
Total carbs |
20 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
19 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 g |
|
Vitamin C |
18 mg |
|
Calcium |
44 mg |
|
Magnesium |
39 mg |
|
Potassium |
38 mg |
Sqwincher Zero
Sqwincher Zero and their Qwik Stiks are a product I’ve never
seen before until a buddy was offloading undesired stuff from his job. The idea behind them is a convenient
hydration solution without sugar, low in calories, and high in
electrolytes. Since they were freebies,
I decided to try them because engineers love nothing more than free food after
all. To make a Sqwincher Zero drink,
simply add one packet of mix to a 20oz water bottle, reduce to 16.9oz bottle
for a stronger flavor (according to the website). Tune the flavor strength to your liking since
you are the one performing the mixing.
The packets mix into water easily and turn the contents a bright color
matching the packet. Sqwincher Zero
currently offers ten flavors of Qwik Stiks of which I tried at least
three. Of those my favorite was the
Strawberry Lemonade mixed with 20oz of cold water. This flavor provided 5 calories, 135mg of
sodium, 110mg of potassium, 140mg of Vitamin C and nothing else. Due to this nutritional make up, the Qwik
Stiks are ideal for hydration during your activity but won’t provide any
appreciable energy boost due to the lack of carbohydrates, sugars, and
caffeine. Fair warning, these drinks
taste exactly as you would expect a sugar-free drink to taste, so if that bugs
you don’t buy these. The Sqwincher Zero
Tube retails for $10 a tube (10 Qwik Stiks) [$1 per serving] on Amazon plus shipping
costs, better deals come in bulk. Or
better yet, grab some from your employer.
For the time I’ve been taking these supplements I’ve never had a muscle
cramp and that includes some epic bike rides.
The packets are convenient to store in your gear as they are so small
while packing that electrolyte punch. In
short, these are a great alternative to Gatorade and very convenient to keep
with you.
|
The Pickle
Juice Company LLC |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
1 Qwik Stick |
|
Cost per
serving |
$1+ |
|
Calories per
serving |
5 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
135 mg |
|
Total carbs |
0 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
0 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 mg |
|
Vitamin C |
140 mg |
|
Calcium |
0 mg |
|
Magnesium |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
7.7 mg |
|
Niacin |
110 mg |
Pickle Juice
Alright I’ve reviewed a bunch of normal stuff and now time
for something weird, pickle juice. Some
endurance athletes swear by it, other riders and athletes raise an
eyebrow. It’s grown on me personally,
especially when I’m feeling overheated and dehydrated. Based on the published numbers of “The Pickle
Juice Company, LLC” in the USDA website, a 240ml serving delivers 70mg of
potassium, 821mg of sodium, 6mg of zinc, and 18mg of Vitamin C. This company also has a funny website,
PicklePower.com, so there’s another weird point. Personally, I buy the Kroger brand of spicy
pickles served cold. The jar of pickles costs
$2.59 for 24 fl. oz plus a bunch of pickles!
I’m guessing it’s the potassium and sodium that make pickle juice so
refreshing. Due to the electrolytes,
pickle juice is something I would drink during and after exercise as it helps
rehydrate and helps to prevent muscle cramps.
Don’t expect much of an energy boost from pickle juice as it has zero
calories, carbohydrates, or caffeine, this is purely an endurance drink. So, if you can get into the taste of pickle
juice, it could serve as a great hydration supplement on those very hot days,
best served cold.
|
The Pickle
Juice Company LLC |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
240 ml (~8.1oz) |
|
Cost per
serving |
~$0.65? depends on the size of your swig |
|
Calories per
serving |
0 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
821 mg |
|
Total carbs |
0 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
0 g |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 mg |
|
Vitamin C |
18 mg |
|
Calcium |
Unknown |
|
Magnesium |
unknown |
|
Potassium |
69.6 mg |
Beer 🍻🍻🍻
The great taste that never lets you down, or something like
that. In Arizona, it was expected that
one would bring a beer on social rides for the half-way point, and possibly
another for after the ride! It makes the
social rides more social. Now that I’ve
been out of AZ for a year+ I’ve stopped bringing beer on rides. I prefer to ride and then to socialize and
enjoy libations, blame it on my Taipei Person/Allah Tea (any Stone Sour
fans?). I think there are more varieties
with beer than there is coffee so I’ll choose the Stone IPA for the nutritional
breakdown. One 12oz bottle of Stone IPA
delivers 197 calories, 16 mg of sodium, 84.7 mg of potassium, 2 g of sugar, 6.6
g of carbs, and less than 1 g of protein accompanied by 6.9% alcohol by
volume. Fewer carbs than I anticipated
honestly. Beer is a carbohydrate forward
beverage so we would expect it to provide slow acting, somewhat lasting energy,
until we throw alcohol into the mix.
After a beer or two all I want to do is relax with company and food so
the provided energy part apart from caloric content, is debatable at best. As we all know, alcohol impairs which is why
it’s illegal to drink and drive. The
same effects will be seen with exercising such as slowed reaction time, reduced
quality of decisions, reduced balance, dehydration, and so on and so
forth. Personally, the last time I had
an IPA mid-ride it had anti-superhero effects such as feeling like my balance
was off and it was hard for my eyes to focus, and it slowed me down
considerably. Stone is premium brand of
beer so expect to pay $12 per six pack, or $2 a bottle. I would be a hypocrite if I said never have a
beer while on a bike ride, I’ve done it many times and will do it again in the
future. If beer is included in your ride,
then for the love of all things chill out after consuming it or else suffer the
consequence of cacti and stitches. Also,
don’t bring glass on a bike ride.
 |
| Photo Credit goes to Martin, be sure to check out his beer blog IG: @mybeerblog! |
|
Stone IPA |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
12 oz |
|
Cost per
serving |
$2.00 |
|
Calories per
serving |
197 calories |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
|
Sodium |
16 mg |
|
Total carbs |
6.6 g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
0.4 g |
|
Protein |
0.96 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 mg |
|
Vitamin C |
Unknown |
|
Calcium |
Unknown |
|
Magnesium |
Unknown |
|
Potassium |
Unknown |
|
ABV |
6.9% |
Dave’s famous Skratch-a-rita
Dave is a legend and so is his Skratch-a-rita. The Skratch-a-rita is another AZ staple for social
rides which, unlike beer, is hydrating. The
taste is top notch with the best margaritas around, that includes bar sourced
margaritas. Just like the Skratch it is
based on, the Skratch-a-rita is a hydrating electrolyte replenishing drink ideal
for during and after ride refreshment. The
Skratch-a-rita will have similar nutrition to the base Skratch plus whatever
the booze provides which I’m not going to look up. Let’s be honest, we don’t want to know the nutritional
information behind a margarita, we want to enjoy it!
If you know Dave, your life has been enriched. I’m about to enrich your life even more by
sharing his legendary Skratch-a-rita recipe (with his permission).
·
Fill bike water bottle with as much ice as
possible
·
2 scoops of lemon & lime Skratch
·
4oz of your favorite tequila
·
Top off with water
·
Make it over the top with a shot of Triple Sec
liquor before adding water!
|
Dave’s Famous
Skratch-a-rita |
|
|
Amount |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
20oz? |
|
Cost per
serving |
Who Knows? |
|
Calories per
serving |
Who Cares? |
|
Total fat |
Don’t |
|
Saturated fat |
Worry |
|
Trans fat |
About |
|
Cholesterol |
It! |
|
Sodium |
380+ mg |
|
Total carbs |
20+ g |
|
Dietary fiber
|
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
Yes |
|
Protein |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
0 g |
|
Vitamin C |
18+ mg |
|
Calcium |
44+ mg |
|
Magnesium |
39+ mg |
|
Potassium |
38+ mg |
|
ABV |
Plenty |
Conclusion
Here is the quick conclusion, for pre-ride snacks I love a Clif Bar or PB Rice paired with a cup of coffee, Red Bull for when I’m feeling especially groggy. During the ride I consume water, Gatorade or Skratch (when feeling bougie), if it’s a very long ride I’ll consume Clif Bars and Honey Stingers, at the end of the ride I’ll seek out a protein recovery shake or sizeable meal with no regard for calories and ABVs (but recommend a lean, protein dense meal).
I'll blog about recovery supplements and strategy in another blog, its a whole topic.
Happy trails!
For the data analysts, here are tables summarizing everything
in the blog,
|
|
Clif Bar White Chocolate Macadamia
Nut |
Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey Crunchy
Granola Bars |
Carbs Fuel |
Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
(pack) |
Kar’s Sweet ‘n Salty Mix |
Honey Stinger Gold Energy Gel |
Gu Cold Brew Coffee |
Bananas |
PB Rice |
|
Amount |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
68 grams (g) |
42 g |
50 g |
1 cookie, 2 per pack |
1 bag, 35 g |
31 g |
31 g |
100 g |
~1 cup |
|
Cost per serving |
$2.00 |
$1.79 |
$2.00 |
$2.29 |
$1.29 |
$1.75 |
$1.60 |
~$0.25 |
unkown |
|
Calories per serving |
260 calories |
190 calories |
200 calories |
360 calories |
170 calories |
90 calories |
100 calories |
89 calories |
471 calories |
|
Total fat |
7 g |
7 g |
0 g |
14 g |
11 g |
0 grams (g) |
0 g |
22.8 g |
28 g |
|
Saturated fat |
1.5 g |
1 g |
0 g |
2 g |
2.5 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
5 g |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0g |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
20 mg |
0 mg |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
10 mg |
|
Sodium |
230 mg |
140 mg |
105 mg |
380 mg |
85 mg |
45 mg |
125 mg |
45 mg |
33 mg |
|
Total carbs |
42 g |
29 g |
50 g |
54 g |
17 g |
24 g |
21 g |
24 g |
44 g |
|
Dietary fiber |
5g |
2 g |
2 g |
4 g |
2 g |
0 g |
0 g |
1.7 g |
6 g |
|
Total sugars |
17 g |
11 g |
29 g |
30 g |
13 g |
24 g |
6 g |
12.2 g |
5 g |
|
Protein |
9 g |
3 g |
0 g |
4 g |
5 g |
0 g |
0 g |
1.1 g |
16 g |
|
Calcium |
44 mg |
0 g |
unknown |
120 mg |
30 mg |
0 g |
40 mg |
5 mg |
unknown |
|
Iron |
2 mg |
1 mg |
unknown |
1.8 mg |
1.1 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
0.4 mg |
unknown |
|
Potassium |
228 mg |
0 mg |
unknown |
180 mg |
190 mg |
0 g |
unknown |
326 mg |
unknown |
|
Caffeine |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
70 mg |
n/a |
n/a |
|
|
Starbucks Dark Roast Coffee |
Original Red Bull |
Sugar-free Red Bull |
Gatorade Lemon Lime |
Citrus Salt |
Skratch Lemon & Lime |
Strawberry Lemonade Qwik Stik |
The Pickle Juice Company, LLC |
Stone IPA |
Dave’s famous Skratch-a-rita |
|
Amount |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
Serving |
|
Servicing size |
16 oz |
8.4 oz |
8.4 oz |
1 scoop (23 g) |
1 packet |
1 scoop (22g) |
1 Qwik Stick |
240 ml (~8.1oz) |
12 oz |
20oz? |
|
Cost per serving |
~~~$3.19 |
$2.50 |
$2.50 |
$0.29 (powder) |
$1.67 |
$1.34 |
$1+ |
~$0.65? depends on the size of your swig |
$2.00 |
Who Knows? |
|
Calories per serving |
5 calories |
110 calories |
10 calories |
140 calories |
10 calories |
80 calories |
5 calories |
0 calories |
197 calories |
Who Cares? |
|
Total fat |
0 g |
0.2 g |
0.2 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
Don’t |
|
Saturated fat |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
Worry |
|
Trans fat |
0 g |
Not listed |
0g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
About |
|
Cholesterol |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
It! |
|
Sodium |
10 mg |
98 mg |
150 mg |
270 mg |
1000 mg |
380 mg |
135 mg |
821 mg |
16 mg |
380+ mg |
|
Total carbs |
0 g |
28 g |
1.8 g |
166 mg |
2 g |
20 g |
0 g |
0 g |
6.6 g |
20+ g |
|
Dietary fiber |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
|
Total sugars |
0 g |
26 g |
0 g |
34 g |
0 g |
19 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0.4 g |
Yes |
|
Protein |
1.0 g |
0.6 g |
0.6 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0 g |
0.96 g |
0 g |
|
Caffeine |
260 mg |
77 mg |
75 mg |
0 mg |
0 mg |
0 g |
0 mg |
0 mg |
0 mg |
0 g |
|
Vitamin C |
unknown |
0 g |
0 g |
140 mg |
|
18 mg |
140 mg |
18 mg |
unknown |
18+ mg |
|
Calcium |
unknown |
15.5 mg |
32.5 mg |
0 mg |
0 mg |
44 mg |
0 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
44+ mg |
|
Magnesium |
unknown |
49 mg |
7.5 mg |
unknown |
60 mg |
39 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
39+ mg |
|
Potassium |
unknown |
7.7 mg |
7.5 mg |
80 mg |
200 mg |
38 mg |
7.7 mg |
69.6 mg |
unknown |
38+ mg |
|
Niacin |
unknown |
25.4 mg |
21.2 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
110 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
|
Pantothenic acid |
unknown |
4 mg |
4.8 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
|
Vitamin B6 |
unknown |
5.6 mg |
5 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
|
Vitamin B12 |
unknown |
5 µg |
5 µg |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
|
Zinc |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
6 mg |
unknown |
unknown |
|
ABV |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
6.90% |
Plenty |
References
·
https://shop.clifbar.com/products/clif-bar-chocolate-chip· https://www.naturevalley.com/products/crunchy-bars
· https://thefeed.com/products/carbs-fuel-original-energy-gel?variant=40304915611711&queryID=5bc03e65a04cd6f68515a1a39f91df0a
· https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/faq/how-much-sugar-is-in-coca-cola#:~:text=There%20are%2039%20grams%20of,availability%20varies%20based%20on%20geography).&text=Do%20you%20have%20any%20drinks%20with%20fewer%20calories%3F
· https://www.fritolay.com/products/grandmas-oatmeal-raisin-cookies
· https://www.karsnuts.com/products/sweet-salty-mix-2oz
· https://honeystinger.com/collections/all-energy-gels/products/gold-classic-gel
· https://guenergy.com/products/roctane-energy-gel
· https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gu-Roctane-Energy-Gel-Cold-Brew-Coffee-24-Ct/518922566
· https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/bananas#nutrition
· https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/101590513938237
· https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/479/hot/nutrition
· https://www.redbull.com/us-en/energydrink
· https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173210/nutrients
· https://www.gatorade.com/powders/gatorade-thirst-quencher/lemon-lime-6-gallon-canister-00052000339956
· https://drinklmnt.com/products/lmnt-recharge-electrolyte-drink/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hot&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAz8GuBhCxARIsAOpzk8xpGZWo_Gz52mGp2IY7vdZDO2-m_xeeQxzFXAfCAl3FbvgTe3lk1VIaAp5mEALw_wcB&variant=16358367199266
· https://www.skratchlabs.com/products/hydration-sport-drink-mix?variant=32766105157703
· https://www.sqwincher.com/products/single-serve-qwik-stik-tubes/
· https://picklepower.com/
· https://www.kingsoopers.com/p/kroger-zesty-hot-dill-zingers/0001111089279?searchType=default_search
· https://www.stonebrewing.com/beer/year-round-releases/stone-ipa
· https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calorie-chart-nutrition-facts/stone%20ipa
· https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
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