In our latest nutrition round-up we look at new seasonal and single-serve options from Hammer Nutrition, Cytosport, GU, Clif Bar and Secret Drink Mix.
Fuel yourself from start to finish with Hammer Nutrition
Based in Whitefish, Montana, USA, Hammer Nutrition offer an impressively comprehensive range of energy foods and supplements aimed to fulfill your nutrition needs before, after, and while riding.
Hammer Gel – available in both individual packets or bulk bottles – is made with real fruit, no refined sugars and no artificial sweeteners or colors for quick energy that might be a little gentler on your stomach than more complex formulations. It's also offered in a wide range of flavors: Apple Cinnamon, Banana, Chocolate, Montana Huckleberry, Orange, Plain, Raspberry, Vanilla, and two caffeinated flavors, Espresso and Tropical.
Hammer's HEED sports drink offers up the usual mix of fast- and slow-burn carbohydrates and salts to fuel working muscles and replenish minerals lost through perspiration along with L-carnosine and chromium polynicotinate, which are claimed to help buffer acid. Stevia and xylitol provide a bit of sweetness.
Longer rides call for Hammer's Perpetuem mix, which builds on the basic HEED formula with additional protein and fats for a longer lasting, steadier energy supply that's better suited to multi-hour rides. If you prefer something in chewable form, there's Perpetuem Solids instead.
As with the gel, Hammer tout their bars as being made from wholesome, natural ingredients more akin to 'real food'. Three of the flavors are even kosher-certified and none of the bars contains any preservatives, trans fats, additives, coatings, soy, peanuts, refined sugars or dairy ingredients.
Other products include Endurolytes and Endurolytes Fizz – quick-absorbing hits of electrolytes in capsule or effervescent form to help stave off muscle cramps – and Recoverite recovery drink, enhanced with glutamine and whey protein isolate to supposedly help rebuild overworked muscles.
Take your Cytomax to go with convenient single-serve packs
In addition to 1.5lb and 4.5lb bulk containers, Cytosport's Cytomax energy drink is now available in single-serve 'Stick Packs' for easier transport to races and other events. Each pack contains 25g of powder – the equivalent of one scoop of bulk-packaged mix – meaning two are needed for most typical bicycle water bottles.
Cytosport reformulated Cytomax earlier this year, replacing conventional sweeteners with stevia for a notably milder taste that isn't overpowering on the bike. Calories are supplied by Cytomax's carbohydrate mix of maltodextrin, crystalline fructose, dextrose and Alpha-L-Polylactate, which supposedly work in combination to provide a steady energy source while also buffering lactic acid for reduced muscle soreness.
New flavors of GU for the holidays
GU Energy Labs have added two new flavors of their popular energy gel – Peanut Butter and Peppermint Stick – both intended to help mix things up in what's often a stagnantly sweet landscape. Both include a mix of complex and simple carbohydrates for sustained and quick-burst energy plus branched-chain amino acids, electrolytes and antioxidants to prevent cramping and aid recovery. The Peanut Butter flavor is even made with real natural crushed peanuts.
“The introduction of a Peanut Butter GU is a long awaited and greatly satisfying nutty addition to our line-up, while Peppermint Stick is a fun and flavorful ode to GU’s tradition of celebrating the winter season,” said GU marketing manager Brooke Kennedy via press release. “Our product design team have done an excellent job, consistently pushing the limits of GU flavor profiles in an effort to deliver athletes the highest-quality performance nutrition products.”
Other recent additions include Chocolate Raspberry and Island Nectars flavors to the Roctane gels, which are boosted with histidine, extra leucine, valine and isoleucine, plus ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate, which supposedly prevents muscle damage during especially intense exercise.
Clif Bar reintroduce seasonal flavors
It's that time of year again – Clif Bar's seasonal energy bar flavors are back for another winter with a new Peppermint Stick flavor joining perennial favorites Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Iced Gingerbread, complete with festive wrappers.
All three flavors are made with mostly organic ingredients and include Clif Bar's usual satiating mix of carbohydrates, protein and fiber for steady energy. As usual, there are no trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. Retail price is US$1.39 per bar and one percent of net sales will be donated to the Winter Wildlands Alliance.
“Like the first winter hike or that first morning run on fresh powder, the arrival of Clif Bar's seasonal flavors is something Clif fans tell us they look forward to all year,” said Carly Lutz, Clif Bar brand director, via press release. “It’s great knowing that we’re providing people with sound nutrition and sustained energy in nostalgic flavors, while contributing to protecting the places they play through our partnership with Winter Wildlands Alliance.”
Also new from Clif Bar is Citrus flavor for their chewy Clif Shot Bloks, made with the same 95 percent organic blend of carbs and electrolytes as other standard Bloks flavors but now with tangy lemon and lime overtones.
Secret Drink Mix add single-serving packs for easy traveling
Allen Lim's Secret Drink Mix is no longer a secret but it is now available in new single-serving packets for easy mixing while on the road or when traveling. The Mylar packs contain enough powder for a typical 500ml bottle and are durable enough to keep in your gear bag. Naturally, the single-serve packs feature the same stomach-friendly formula as Lim's bulk-packaged version. Individual servings cost US$1.50 each and are available in Lemon Lime, Orange or Raspberry flavors.