The model title of this vitality gel says all of it – it targets the Ironman triathlon (3.9km swim, 180.2 journey, and 42.2km run for a complete of 226.3km) section however that’s simply the main focus of their advertising. An vitality gel for the Ironman distance will almost certainly work for another endurance self-discipline as nicely (in any case, triathlon is three endurance sports activities in a single).
The Spain-based 226ers gives a variety of dietary supplements, together with vegan and ketogenic product traces. The flavour I examined was Strawberry & Banana Bio Vitality Gel, and listed here are my sharing.
Advertising and marketing claims
One theme I get from studying the corporate web site is that the model actually cares about environmental sustainability and offering merchandise with pure components.
Many components listed are of “ecological origin,” which I surmise means from a pure supply. The corporate can be licensed by the Ecological Agriculture Committee of the Valencian Group, the area’s natural certification authority.
In case you want pure components and care about an organization’s stands on environmental sustainability, 226ers is a company you may get behind.
Substances
- Combination of gluten-free unrefined wheat syrups*
- Strawberry powder* (strawberry maltodextrin)
- Water
- Sea salt (sodium chloride)
- Potassium chloride
- Pure banana and strawberry taste
- The components marked with an * are of ecological origin
The 2 fundamental components – sugar and flavoring – are of “ecological origin.” Not all components are from pure sources, so it doesn’t declare to be an all-natural vitality gel.
Dietary information
At 25g, 226er Strawberry & Banana Bio Vitality gel gives the next:
- 75 energy
- Fats 0.2g
- Carbohydrate 18.3g, of which 9.6g are sugars
- Fiber 0.1g
- Protein 0.1g
- Salt 0.4g
- Potassium 75g
- Sodium 155g
The model spends fairly a little bit of actual property on the significance of electrolytes on the product web page. The vitality gel gives a beneficiant serving of sodium and potassium. Potassium is usually uncared for in lots of gel choices.
75 energy and 18.3g carbohydrates are each on the decrease finish. The usual is usually round 90-100 energy and 20-25g of carbohydrates.
Style and consistency
- Bananas and strawberries rank amongst my prime 5 favourite fruits. I don’t care that you just don’t care =). I’m sharing the checklist right here.
1. Banana
2. Dragon fruit
3. Mango
4. Pear
5. Strawberry
This 226er vitality gel has two of my favorites, so what can go unsuitable? Effectively…one way or the other, it doesn’t style like both. I don’t wish to slam the flavour of this product, as style choice is private, however it’s subpar, to place it mildly. It’s a thick-cough-syrupy-too-sweet form of taste. The primary one I took shocked me.
I’m curious to see if different merchandise from the model observe the identical style and consistency philosophy.
Packaging
Sure, it’s a tube, like travel-size toothpaste. It’s compact, simple to open with a twist, and mess-free. However the tiny tip that breaks off will probably turn out to be litter if the athlete doesn’t concentrate when breaking open the vitality gel.
Efficiency
I examined the 226er Strawberry & Banana Bio Vitality Gel on a 20km easy-to-moderate run, which I did on an empty abdomen. I took one throughout warmup and a second on the 45-minute mark.
Some takeaways:
- Each occasions I ate the vitality gels, there weren’t notable vitality surges, so I can’t present an estimate on its mouth-to-muscle time. However it did maintain my vitality stage all through the run. An absence of that boosted feeling is just not essentially dangerous, although. It’s additionally good to have steady vitality with out peaks and troughs.
- The style is just not nice. The one I ate earlier than the exercise made me grimace. The second was tolerable, however it was as a result of I knew what to anticipate. I braced for the incoming sickly sweetness.
- This was my first time consuming an vitality gel in this type of packaging. It felt overseas and the opening is a bit small however the whole lot labored. As soon as once more, I simply needed to be further conscious of the tip as soon as it was twisted off.
- I normally put a pinch of salt in a 500ml water bottle for one of these exercise. I didn’t try this this time to check the gel’s electrolyte claims. The beneficiant serving of sodium and potassium content material labored as marketed.
Conclusion
The vitality gel did its job – it gave me very steady vitality with zero gastrointestinal misery. I just like the progressive packaging. I additionally like that it integrated pure components and supplied ample electrolytes.
Nonetheless, I can’t recover from the poor taste. I feel it will be tough if I needed to eat greater than two vitality gels, like in an precise race. Finishing a race is already difficult sufficient; I’m unsure I want further discomfort from my race gas. This vitality gel doesn’t make the minimize for my future fueling technique.
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Searching for vitality gel suggestions? Listed here are a number of vitality gels reviewed by us lately.
Honey Stinger Natural Vitality Gels, On the spot Surge
Spring Vitality CanaBERRY – Even Vitality Circulate From Actual Meals
PowerGel Unique Lemon-Lime, a Stable Possibility
GU Liquid Vitality – GU Plus Water Equals Drinkable Vitality
32GI Guarana Caffeine Shot, Separating Vitality Gel & Caffeine
Huma All-Pure Vitality Gels, Eat Chia Seeds and Run
