ON-THE-BIKE ENERGY

Beat the bonk with these tasty, filling and nutritional homemade snacks – all a handy size for refuelling on the bike

Most of us have bonked on the bike at some point in our lives! For those newbies falling off the saddle in a fit of giggles at this, it is actually a serious matter. It’s when your energy (glycogen) stores become exhausted and your blood sugar levels are dangerously low. It’s not pretty! Symptoms include disorientation,

shaking, dizziness and total exhaustion. The trick to avoiding this is to keep well-fuelled on the bike. While gels have their place in an emergency, many riders find these hard to stomach if taken on a regular basis. For long rides, try carrying food you actually enjoy eating. And time your watch to make sure you keep topped up regularly. I hope you enjoy these four tasty bites, each

containing a good balance of carbohydrate, protein and healthy fats to help you beat the bonk!

Try the Banana and apple flapwich, an extremely delicious combination of sweet, gooey fruit sandwiched in a flapjack. What’s not to like? Packed with a combination of fast and slow-releasing carbohydrate, these will cheer any ride, as well as give you a boost if you’re starting to flag.

Next up, these savoury bites will satisfy those who crave salty snacks on the bike: Mini nut and tahini pasties and Cashew, cumin and ginger energy balls. Both are light, handy to eat on the move and easily digested. Loaded with sustaining energy, they will also help replace electrolytes lost through sweat. They’re crammed with healthy fats and spices, too, which can help reduce muscle inflammation.

Finally, feast your ride on these Fig, ginger and Brazil nut bites. I wanted these to be a slightly less chewy version of panforte and I’m pleased with the result. Soft and easy to eat, they’re an effective and very tasty energybooster, and a great source of minerals - including potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron - as well as vitamins A and C, and B vitamins. Ener-joy!