Ingredients - Energy Gel Resource Center

Understanding the various ingredients in energy gels is key to finding the gel that is going to work best for you.

Category: Carbohydrates

Many people make the mistake of confusing sugar with carbohydates. While all sugars are carbohydrates, not all carbohydrates are sugar. There can be a big performance implications, and if you want to get the most out of your energy gel it’s important to understand the differences and how to determine what’s in your energy gel.

Simple Sugars

Simple sugars are either monosaccharides, meaning they contain one molecule, or disaccharides, meaning they contain two molecules.

Examples:
sugar, sucrose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, rice syrup, brown rice syrup, honey, molasses, cane juice, maple syrup, agave nectar (not a complete list).

Complex Carbs

Complex carbohydrates contain more than two molecules. Most complex carbs in energy gels contain very long chains of glucose molecules, thus allowing for significantly more energy availability. We will go into more detail on this subject.

Examples:
Maltodextrin is by far the most common complex carbohydartete and thus you will find it in many of the top energy gels.

Fiber

Fiber is classified as a carbohydrate but for the most part you will not derive any useful energy from fiber. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and passes through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact and, therefore, is not a source of calories.

Sugars Alcohols

Erythritol (Splenda), xylitol and sorbitol are a few common sugar alcohols found in energy gels and other sports nutrition products. Most sugar alcohols pass through the intestinal tract without being digested and thus have fewer usable calories than traditional carbohydrates. This is why they are commonly used in diet and weight loss products. However, the side effects (gas, stomach discomfort and worse) make sugar alcohols something you should avoid in your energy gel.