Raw honey a good substitute?

[RoadRaven]

Here's a take on this...

My partner finds various gu's don't sit so well in his stomach. He also has difficulty getting them open due to a hand injury which can mean keeping a tight grip on small things is very tricky.

So we tried honey in one of his water bottles, several tablespoons well diluted with water. Too sickly.

So we tried glucose. This works a treat. I put 5 heaped teaspoons of glucose (powder) in one of his water bottles when he is going on one of his long training rides (he usually does at least 1, but often 2, 100km+ rides per week - for example, on Sunday he did 130kms, on Tuesday he did aboput 110kms). The glucose is barely noticable in flavour but gives him the energy he needs to get home.

So he takes a bottle of plain water, and a bottle of glucose water, and a couple of 'bike bars' to eat. He usually stops at a school somewhere to top up his water bottle, and reserves the glucose bottle for the last leg home.

He also uses the same combination on 50-60km races because it is impossible to eat at the pace that is set (usually ending up with a 40km+average). So he takes two bottles and starts the glucose bottle about half-way through the race.

He finds the glucose water provides almost instant energy and is easy on his stomach.

[michelem]

This is what I do for energy drink:

2 qts. water
1/4 c. lemon juice (Santa Cruz Organics bottled lemon juice actually came out to be cheaper than buying whole lemons and juicing them!)
7 T raw honey
1 T organic molasses
1/8 t sea salt

[Tri Girl]

So we tried glucose. This works a treat. I put 5 heaped teaspoons of glucose (powder) in one of his water bottles when he is going on one of his long training rides.

Interesting... Where can you find glucose powder? Health food store? Is it flavored or does it just taste like water? Is the consistency the same as water?
Sorry so many questions, but that sounds like something I'd like to try.

[jobob]

Someone on the Bikejournal forum (Kin perhaps?) came up with a recipe for a gu-like substitute he calls Rocket Fuel. It uses brown rice syrup & agave nectar, which I gather are both available at health food stores.

I haven't tried it yet, but here's the basic recipe:

__________________

Kin's Rocket Fuel

3 parts Brown Rice Syrup (50% complex carbs, 40% maltose, 5% glucose, 5% water) - $3.50 for 1 lb. 5 oz.
1 part Agave Nectar (95% fructose, 5% water) - $2.50 for 11.75 oz.
salt
vanilla
a little water to thin it up

After putting each of the ingredients in a plastic GU dispensor bottle in the proper proportions, dunk it in very hot water to help it mix better.

[onimity]

Honey definitely works for me. Starfish is right, the Stinger folks make little honey snacks pre-packaged like Gu, but they are a little too much honey for me all at once most of the time. Adding honey to water would be a great idea, but glucose sounds like a better way to go if you can find the powder. I don't know where you'd get this, but you can also get glucose tablets (in drug stores, with diabetic supplies) the upside is that they hit you really quickly, the downside is that they usually have artificial flavors and aren't the *best* tasting thing (but if you've tried Gu...). Getting plain glucose powder sounds ideal...anyone know where you can buy this in the states?

Anne

[sundial]

Thanks guys for all the great tips. I will do a trial run of honey in my Gel Bot and see if it works for me. I might add a little pb to it as Dianyla suggested. The glucose tablets is a definite idea since our drugstore carries them.

I have used the Carb-boom and liked it, but the bike shop is an hour away and I don't drive there as much with the steep gas prices.

[VeloVT]

Thanks guys for all the great tips. I will do a trial run of honey in my Gel Bot and see if it works for me. I might add a little pb to it as Dianyla suggested. The glucose tablets is a definite idea since our drugstore carries them.

I have used the Carb-boom and liked it, but the bike shop is an hour away and I don't drive there as much with the steep gas prices.

Once you've found a flavor/brand of gel that you like, it's usually much cheaper to order it in quantity online than it is to buy a few in the store. Especially if you can find free shipping!

My stomach is luckily not very sensitive on the bike, but for running, GU & Carb boom gels upset my stomach but Power gel and Hammer gel do not.

[sundial]

Liza, I picked up a Hammer gel as well. I haven't used it yet but may try it out tomorrow.

I did use the honey on my ride yesterday and it's a little rich--even small sips. Luckily I had plenty of water. As for performance, it gave me a boost although my performance was lackluster yesterday. I think I might try adding a little lemon juice and salt in it as suggested.

I think I may be sensitive to red dyes. I am much more moody after drinking Gatorade than water.

[anakiwa]

Please post an update with what you figure out.

BF and I are contemplating doing a 2 week localvore challenge in September (eating only foods grown and produced within 100 miles of where we live in Vermont). So I may be in need of a honey energy gel recipe that only includes local foods (we'll be using the common exception for spice/salt, but lemon and peanut products won't qualify- any thoughts out there on cranberry juice instead of lemon?)

[RoadRaven]

Interesting... Where can you find glucose powder? Health food store? Is it flavored or does it just taste like water? Is the consistency the same as water?
Sorry so many questions, but that sounds like something I'd like to try.

Its at the supermarket - I can't remember if they shelve it with the baking ingredients or near the health food/tabs. My memory says its near things like yeast granules, corn flour etc, so prob in the baking section.
I imagine a health food store might stock it, though it would be more expensive I think.

No/little flavour at all, and hardly changes the taste of the water - as in (when I am getting water for my husband and forget to note which one is glucose i sip both and say...)
sip... "I think this is the glucose one" ... sip " yeah, this is it"

So its not an obvious flavour.

Yes, the powder does not alter the consistency of water at all, or the colour really... My 18year old does not like using the glucose water, he says it makes his throat feel weird. but it doesn't bother my partner at all.

Good luck, I think its definitely worth trying out (plus its a heckuva lot cheaper than gu's and gels... although they are what I use )