Energy Gel

[fuppingbaxtard]

After a long hike over the Pentlands recently, I've discovered that hills are my dark nemesis and for several days afterwards it felt as if my body was rejecting my skeleton. Decided maybe there's something to those awful little packets you see in camping shops but, bloody nora, I'm not made of money. I've decided to save a bit of money and try making my own.

Right now I'm waiting on maltodextrin, glucose, fructose, citric acid and flavouring to be delivered. I even ordered up some greens powder (antioxidant) and BCAA amino acid powder (good for the muscles, apparently) to add to my gel. Then, just for the giggles, ordered some agar to see if I can make 'energy gummies'.

So this isn't so much cookery as it is lab work. Anyone have any experience making their own energy gel? Or homemade energy drink? Any pitfalls I should look out for or tips for me?

Or is this a first and should I keep y'all posted?

[featherstick]

I've made plenty of isotonic sports drink by diluting fruit juice with water 1:1 and adding a pinch of salt. I suspect you may be on your own on the home-made energy gels but it will be interesting to know how you get on. I used to take Snickers bars for a long tab, usually worked pretty well.

[jansman]

When I cycled competetively (a hundred years ago ) the energy gels were just coming in. And expensive. We used to chew wine gums and swill down with water. Worked fine tbh especially when you started to 'bonk out'.

[ForgeCorvus]

I flexed my google-fu and found these

http://www.active.com/mountain-biking/a ... energy-gel

http://www.jibbering.com/sports/gels.html

http://www.runningjackalope.com/2011/06/homebrew.html

Which all seem to be based on honey, molasses and salt


http://blog.walkjogrun.net/2013/03/13/h ... r-runners/
This one however is based on chia

[fuppingbaxtard]

Yeah honey is great because it already is fructose and glucose. However, my concoction includes BCAA - and, after my initial tests, you can really taste it in there, I have to up the amount of sugars to mask it. This has a knock-on effect with the agar not gelling properly, so might have to try some kind of gelatin/agar mix.

So far what I've discovered is that the kitchen ends up a mess of Scarface-level white powders everywhere, the energy gel tastes like batteries, and the 'gummy' quality I've been trying to create ends up looking like the insides of a fifty year old fleshlight. But I am determined!

[tanstaafl]

Would go a different way tbh, I use BCAAs but I weight lift , cant see it being any use Hill Walking also all the sugars will give you good short term energy again not very good for Hill Walking, in fact what you are making would be great for me doing an hours vigorous lifting ( hint hint) , would think making something with slow release carbs not fast release would be better maybe oats or similar...................

http://walksaroundbritain.blogspot.co.u ... walks.html

[ForgeCorvus]

Would go a different way tbh, I use BCAAs but I weight lift , cant see it being any use Hill Walking also all the sugars will give you good short term energy again not very good for Hill Walking, in fact what you are making would be great for me doing an hours vigorous lifting ( hint hint) , would think making something with slow release carbs not fast release would be better maybe oats or similar...................

http://walksaroundbritain.blogspot.co.u ... walks.html

Now I've looked into it, a lot of energy gels seem to be electrolites and short chain sugars..... Thats not fuel, its nitrous oxide.

Slow release carbs such as oats or chia (which contain Omega-3 as well as being around 42% carbs) would be better for the Slow-burn of hill walking.

BCAAs seem to be more for building or maintaining musclemass post exercise rather then fueling that exercise

[tanstaafl]

Here you go.........


http://www.mountainwalk.co.uk/recoverin ... -walk.html