Instant expert: energy foods

It can be pretty confusing looking at all the products out there and wondering what you should actually be eating or drinking and when. Read on to find out when to take your protein and why isotonic drinks don’t give you energy...

01 Energy drinks These contain carbs – essentially sugars – to give you energy. They don’t take much time to absorb, so are ideal just before a ride or during longer rides. They don’t replace salts lost in sweat – you’ll need an isotonic drink for that.

02 Energy gels Gels are full of concentrated sugary carbs, which take very little time to absorb into the body, with the energy coming as a bit of a ‘hit’. Every high comes with a low though, so these are best towards the end of a ride.

03 Energy bars Energy bars are best eaten a little while before you ride in order to give your body time to break them down and absorb the energy. They contain a bunch of carbs and often have a medium to high fat content too. 04 Recovery drinks

Recovery shakes contain a small amount of carbs but are mainly made up of protein to help your muscles recover after a hard day on the bike. They need to be taken straight after exercise to be effective.

05 Recovery bars These are mainly protein based but often contain carbs and fats too. They’re great after hard rides – if you can put up with the cardboard like texture – but like recovery drinks, need to be in your body straight after you finish.