The model title of this vitality gel says all of it – it targets the Ironman triathlon (3.9km swim, 180.2 trip, and 42.2km run for a complete of 226.3km) section however that’s simply the main focus of their advertising and marketing. An vitality gel for the Ironman distance will almost certainly work for some other endurance self-discipline as effectively (in spite of everything, triathlon is three endurance sports activities in a single).
The Spain-based 226ers provides a variety of dietary supplements, together with vegan and ketogenic product traces. The flavour I examined was Strawberry & Banana Bio Vitality Gel, and listed below 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 elements.
Many elements 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 Neighborhood, the area’s natural certification authority.
In the event you desire pure elements and care about an organization’s stands on environmental sustainability, 226ers is a corporation you will 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 elements marked with an * are of ecological origin
The 2 principal elements – sugar and flavoring – are of “ecological origin.” Not all elements 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 supplies 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 supplies 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 often round 90-100 energy and 20-25g of carbohydrates.
Style and consistency
- Bananas and strawberries rank amongst my high 5 favourite fruits. I don’t care that you simply don’t care =). I’m sharing the listing 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 flawed? Properly…someway, it doesn’t style like both. I don’t wish to slam the flavour of this product, as style desire is private, nevertheless it’s subpar, to place it mildly. It’s a thick-cough-syrupy-too-sweet type of taste. The primary one I took shocked me.
I’m curious to see if different merchandise from the model comply with 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 change into litter if the athlete doesn’t listen 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 instances I ate the vitality gels, there weren’t notable vitality surges, so I can’t present an estimate on its mouth-to-muscle time. Nevertheless it did maintain my vitality stage all through the run. A scarcity of that boosted feeling just isn’t essentially dangerous, although. It’s additionally good to have steady vitality with out peaks and troughs.
- The style just isn’t nice. The one I ate earlier than the exercise made me grimace. The second was tolerable, nevertheless 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 sort of packaging. It felt international and the opening is a bit small however every little thing labored. As soon as once more, I simply needed to be additional conscious of the tip as soon as it was twisted off.
- I often put a pinch of salt in a 500ml water bottle for one of these exercise. I didn’t do 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 elements and supplied ample electrolytes.
Nevertheless, I can’t recover from the poor taste. I feel it might be troublesome if I needed to eat greater than two vitality gels, like in an precise race. Finishing a race is already difficult sufficient; I’m undecided I want further discomfort from my race gasoline. This vitality gel doesn’t make the reduce for my future fueling technique.
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In search of vitality gel suggestions? Listed here are just a few vitality gels reviewed by us just lately.
Honey Stinger Natural Vitality Gels, On the spot Surge
Spring Vitality CanaBERRY – Even Vitality Movement From Actual Meals
PowerGel Authentic Lemon-Lime, a Strong Choice
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