Water vs Sports Drinks vs Energy Gel
By Rocky Thompson on July 18th, 2012
I’m sure many of us already avoid the neon-colored sports drinks that look (and one would imagine taste) like Windex. Drinking them over water has long been touted by sports nutritionists and anyone who realizes that consuming massive amounts of calories when you’re exercising to get in shape is a bad idea. A recent NPR article goes a step beyond the Olympics by Powerade® and points out that energy gel is also likely a bad idea, unless you’re unable to find real food. “The fact is, every time you take a gel, you’re doing the exact opposite of what you want to do,” says Sims, who has worked with cycling stars Andy Schleck and Lance Armstrong. She says densely sugared foods dehydrate the body and cause overheating. NPR also gets points for talking to Gary Fisher, who for his part suggests roast beef sandwiches and burritos over gels.
Personally, I prefer cheesecake and Fat Tire Ale.
Definitely roast beef sandwich or a burrito over a gel or sports drink. In fact, when I’m out climbing, a roast beef sandwich is exactly what I pack to eat.
Yeah…real food is generally preferable but a several-hour intense workout with no breaks (say, a 50 mile mtb race) pretty much eliminates your ability to digest real food. That’s what energy foods are for, getting you energy with as little impact on your stomach. I save ‘em for race day because I can do real food otherwise, but it’s not always an option digestion-wise.