MAKE YOUR OWN ENERGY BOOSTERS
Create your own tasty, energy-boosting snacks with nutritionist Danny Webber (nutritionx.co.uk)
HOME COMFORTS
Gels are easy to carry and work quickly, but the flavour can be overbearing and they can play havoc with your digestion system. “The beauty of homemade energy snacks is you can choose what goes in them,” Webber says. The key is getting a good balance of natural energy-boosting foods in a handy size and digestible weight.
MAKE A MASH
Seek out light ingredients that provide energy through their own natural sugar or using sugar in the binding ingredients. “Oats, dried fruits, nuts and seeds are ideal for making bars, flapjacks or energy balls, and can be combined with honey or nut butter to bind them,” suggests Webber. Bananas can be mashed up with oats and dark chocolate to make muffins or cookies. You can also add a protein powder to boost protein content.
KNOW YOUR NUTRIENTS
“Oats, fruit and honey offer both fast- and slow-release carbohydrates,” says Webber. Vitamin B6 and potassium in bananas support energy production and replace electrolytes. “The fats from nuts, seeds and chocolate help keep you fuelled over long, lower-intensity rides, while protein from the nuts, seeds and protein powder will help to repair damaged tissue.”
HAVE A BALL
“My recipe for apricot and almond high-energy protein balls: Ingredients – 35g almonds, 80g dried apricots, 25g dark (70%) chocolate, 14g raw honey, 60g rolled oats, 60g Big Whey chocolate. Blend all ingredients in a hand processor, roll into evenly sized balls and set in the fridge for 30 minutes. Each 39g ball contains around 13.9g of carbs, 9.8g of protein and 6g of fats, and offers around 158kcal of energy.”