UnTapped Athletic Fuel

€12.90 for 5, untapped.cc

Nature’s pretty good at providing untampered sources of high-energy fuel: honey, dates, bananas. Then there’s Canadian gold: maple syrup. Naturally high in carbs that come mostly from sucrose, maple syrup contains complex sugars that have a much lower glycemic index than regular sugar and maltodextrin.

That means they burn slower and the energy release is more even – good news for avoiding the rush-and-crash blood sugar spikes that some gels create. Maple syrup is also naturally high in antioxidants and amino acids. UnTapped’s Athletic gels tap into the natural fuelling power of maple syrup. Each uses less than a handful of natural ingredients. In the regular Maple, that’s all it is: maple syrup. The Salted Citrus has sea salt and organic fruit juice. Each 40g pouch delivers a delicious 26g hit of carbs, slightly more than you’ll get in most regular gels. The runny consistency of maple syrup means you can pour this straight in and there’s none of the yucky, gloopy mouth coating that you get with many gels. The pouches have tear tops for quick, easy opening on the move, and the long, thin tubes also help.

Though that makes them easier to stash in waistband workout belts, they don’t fit easily in shallower pockets. Unsurprisingly, these are very sweet and you might find it helps to take them with water, though the liquid format means that’s not essential.

The lime and lemon juice, along with the 100mg sodium in the Salted Citrus flavour, also takes the edge off that sweetness, as well as supporting hydration. Alongside Maple and Salted Citrus, there’s Salted Cocoa and Salted Raspberry flavours. Plus a Coffee UnTapped option with 25mg of caffeine from real black tea. I also really love the fact that you can buy the flavours in 16-serve bulk bottles – a reusable option all gel makers should offer. Taste: ★★★★★ Energy: ★★★★★ Portability: ★★★★★ OVERALL: ★★★★★