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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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[[File:Gels.JPG|right|thumb|500px|My supply of gels]]
Energy gels are a useful component of many endurance runner's training and racing. In marathon distance racing, energy gels can make an important difference - [[When to eat Energy Gels in the Marathon]].
==Overview==
This table is ordered by ease of digestion.
|-
| Gu||100||25g||5g||0g||50mg||40mg||0mg/25mg/50mg||4||General Use
|-
| Gu (Peanut Butter)||100||20g||5g||1g||65mg||60mg||0mg||4||A less sweet gel
|-
| Gu Roctane||100||25g||5g||1.7g||125mg||55mg||0mg/35mg||4||Rich Marathoners
==Gu==
For marathon distance racing, I prefer Gu over all other gels I've tried. It contains only 5g of fructose, with the rest of the calories coming from the more easily digested [[Maltodextrin]]. I find that Gu can be consumed without any extra water as long as it is taken a bit at a time and [[How to eat a Gel|mixed with saliva]]. Some of the flavors can be a little strong, but the 'plain' Gu has a light cola flavor.
==Gu (Peanut Butter)==
The peanut butter flavored Gu is different enough to justify its own section. The peanut butter flavor is far less sweet than the regular Gu flavors, but if you like peanut butter it can be a lot more palatable. It also substitutes a little bit of fat and protein for the carbohydrate, as well as having a tiny bit more sodium and potassium. I find this flavor digests particularly well and I'd recommend trying get if you're a fan of peanut butter. Obviously, if you hate peanut butter or you have a peanut allergy this is not going to work for you.
==Gu Roctane==
This is an expensive variant on Gu, and I've not noticed any difference when using it. The amount of amino acids that are added is quite small (1.7g) and the benefits do not seem to justify the cost, which is roughly double the cost of standard Gu. On the other hand, if you are paying hundreds of dollars for a race entry (or even more with travel), even a slight edge may be worth it. If you take 8 gels in a 4-hour marathon, that only adds $8-10 to the cost of the race. Of course, you'll need to practice with Roctane in your training, so you'll have to factor that cost in as well.
== #9 Chocolate ==
The only ingredients in this gel are Agave and Cocoa, and Agave is predominantly fructose (55% fructose to 20% glucose). This fructose is slow to be absorbed and can be difficult to digest, making it a poor choice for most runners. The only runners that this gel would be suitable for would be those that suffer from a blood sugar drop after taking more conventional gels. The Agave makes this gel intensely sweet, which I did not like.
==Special Thanks==
I'd like to thank Chris at the University [http://www.runforyourlife.com Run For Your Life] store for his help with this article. Chris has talked to many runners about their experiences with different Gels and his help was the inspiration for this article. Chris was even able to provide me with some samples of Honey Stinger that he does not normally stock.
