Attempting to make my first homemade gel to take training this weekend. Anyone have any tips or cool recipes? Planning on starting basic with agave, brown rice syrup, salt and possibly a banana then the plan is to dilute the concoction with green tea steeped overnight to reduce the gel like consistency and make it more drinkable than “downable.”
Also, any other homemade recipes for fueling are welcome as I have never attempted this before though, judging from a quick google search, this has been done “successfully” before.
Consideration: must be able to work effectively in IM.
Excellent. Better than any manufactured ones I’ve tried.
Recipe:
50% brown rice syrup (50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose, and 3% glucose)30% honey (or replace honey with agave which has a lower glycemic index and will not elevate blood sugar)20% Molasses (excellent source of potassium, black strap the highest/best)1/8-ish tsp sea salt (sodium for electrolyte replacement)Add vanilla extract or lemon/lime to tasteMay add caffeine powder if desired
I made some of the above recipe and tried vanilla flavoring. I’m not sure that I could put enough vanilla in there to overcome the molasses taste (although I don’t know how it would have tasted had I used black strap…). I think it will be acceptable, but not the deliciousness of GU vanilla bean (my favorite). I have 3 hours on the bike tomorrow, so we’ll see how it goes.
Excellent. Better than any manufactured ones I’ve tried.
Recipe:
50% brown rice syrup (50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose, and 3% glucose)30% honey (or replace honey with agave which has a lower glycemic index and will not elevate blood sugar)20% Molasses (excellent source of potassium, black strap the highest/best)1/8-ish tsp sea salt (sodium for electrolyte replacement)Add vanilla extract or lemon/lime to tasteMay add caffeine powder if desired
I was thinking about this:
This recipe will approximately fill a 6 oz flask.
4oz Raw Honey (buy local for best results)
1 tablespoon Organic Blackstrap Molasses
1/8 teaspoon sea salt (fine grain)
1-2 Tablespoons Water
(Raw honey and Blackstrap Molasses have amazing natural properties)
Mix into a goopey consistency
Thinking about mixing of 1-2 tablespoons of hemp or rice protein for an added boost.
I’m experimenting with a bit of whey isolate to add protein. Having a bit of protein in my gel mix seems to improve it even more. Better than anything I’ve bought.
I used to make my own gel and i can tell you from painful experience that mixing banana with it will cause some major discomfort. The fruit ferments quickly (especially if warm) and causes some major abdominal cramps. I’ve used chocolate syrup, vanilla flavoring, or left it alone but the molasses is strong so it takes getting used to. I used the recipe that was shared. Didn’t notice any real difference in energy from the storebought, and a lot cheaper if you don’t mind carrying the gel flasks (i used cheap ones made for storing shampoo to take on a plane from a walgreens). My advice - no dried or fresh fruit.
You can get pure maltodextrin from shops where bodybuilders get their stuff (also from beer brewing stores as it’s used to thicken beers, think Guinness). As you probably already know, its a long chain carb that is the main ingredient in most sports gets/drinks/bars etc.
I would just mix a couple scoops with a teaspoon of my favorite jam and a little water and salt. That worked really well and was super cheap and easy to make. It also had a very mild flavor (almost tasteless). Your recipe sounds really cool, but sounds like there’s a lot of steps and you might get tired of making it frequently.
I was also thinking of adding some of that Hammer electrolyte formula to my concoction. I just don’t want to over do it, with too much stuff in there. Any thoughts?
This recipe will approximately fill a 6 oz flask.
4oz Raw Honey (buy local for best results)
1 tablespoon Organic Blackstrap Molasses
1/8 teaspoon sea salt (fine grain)
1-2 Tablespoons Water
(Raw honey and Blackstrap Molasses have amazing natural properties)
Mix into a goopey consistency
Thinking about mixing of 1-2 tablespoons of hemp or rice protein for an added boost.
Can’t easily locate the recipe but one time I found one with Pectin but didn’t clarify if they wanted liquid or powdered. Added the wrong one and ended up making the hardest substance known to man.
I have been using the recipe you put up (sometimes adding water) for probably 20yrs now…Use it at the second half end of run due to the high sugar.
I was thinking about using this formula for my Ironman race this year. I plan to start training with it on the bike while taking in fluids .I guess I could intake some toward the end of my run too.
I was making my own for a while because I wanted something without fructose.
Brown rice syrup, lemon juice, and sea salt.
Fill gel flask about 2/3-3/4 full with brown rice syrup. Heat for a few seconds in microwave until runny- don’t overcook!
Add lemon juice and sea salt and shake-
So we made some gel and tiny bars last night. We got the recipes from Brazier’s Thrive book. I got this book for my girlfriend because she is vegetarian and we are training together so I thought it might be good. Then she read it and told me all of this stuff about how the plants give your body a boost of clorophil and I wrote it off as new age bs.
The tides shifted and here I am making gel from dates, lemon/lime juice, agave nectar and salt(Taste good and will test today on a quick ride with decent climbing); and some bars made of: dates, lemon/lime juice, yerba mate (really good flavor combo by the way: fresh without seeming like I am eating a salad on a ride), coconut oil and I think that’s it.
We also plan to try his pancakes on tomorrow’s brick as well as his recovery drinks. I will post some pictures and give some details as to how these worked later this weekend after it is all said and done (if there is any left to take pictures of!).
Not to dis on Hammer at all but their electrolyte pills are kind of a joke… to get any real effect out of them you have to take a boat load. I would just go with a certain percentage of salt that is relatively high like a salt tab, and maybe a little bit of potassium but that’s not too big of an issue. Hammer’s pills will probably be of no added value unless you use their entire 23 dollar bottle.
Not to dis on Hammer at all but their electrolyte pills are kind of a joke… to get any real effect out of them you have to take a boat load. I would just go with a certain percentage of salt that is relatively high like a salt tab, and maybe a little bit of potassium but that’s not too big of an issue. Hammer’s pills will probably be of no added value unless you use their entire 23 dollar bottle.
50% brown rice syrup (50% soluble complex carbohydrates, 45% maltose, and 3% glucose)30% honey (or replace honey with agave which has a lower glycemic index and will not elevate blood sugar)20% Molasses (excellent source of potassium, black strap the highest/best)1/8-ish tsp sea salt (sodium for electrolyte replacement)Add vanilla extract or lemon/lime to tasteMay add caffeine powder if desired
Use that one ^^^^^^. Haven’t bought gels in almost 2 years. Sometimes I add actual electrolyte sup instead of salt.