Summer Running Gear during Published: Mar 04, 2025 9:00 AM EST Energy Gel Alternatives for Runners enough of water or after running. For starters, you need to make sure whatever option you choose provides you with enough energy for your workout, without causing any Fastest Marathon Runners. You also need to like how it tastes, so that you’re motivated to eat it on the go. And it also has to be easy to open so you’re not fumbling with wrappers while you’re trying to maintain your stride.
Of course, you can turn to energy gels, as they’re designed for sports performance, offering up the right balance of carbs in an easy-to-consume package. And there are some tasty flavors out there (at least some people think so!). These can provide you with energy when it comes time to running longer and harder... but they’re only ideal if you like the texture. And again, what if it doesn’t sit well with your stomach?
Enter: energy gel alternatives. Similar to energy gels, there are other foods designed with athletes in mind, like chews and sports drink mixes (to name a few!). These products vary in flavor, texture, ingredients, and cost, and can help you meet your energy needs on longer runs. Even so, they’re not the only option when it comes to alternate ways to fuel your long runs and hard workouts.
To help narrow your search and find the best alternatives to gels, we spoke with two sports dietitians. Read on to find out their best advice.
When to Consider Using an Energy Gel Alternative
Energy gel alternatives for runners can come in handy in quite a few scenarios.
“Anytime you go over an hour in duration, it’s a good idea to take in some type of supplemental carbohydrate during your run,” Kelly Pritchett, Ph.D., R.D., board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and professor of nutrition and exercise science at Central Washington University tells Runner’s World.
Typically, around 60 to 90 minutes into exercise, we get close to depleting our glycogen levels, depending on the intensity of the workout and whether your glycogen stores (where your body goes first for energy) were full to begin with, says Pritchett. That’s why experts recommend consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour.
“If you’re running at a higher intensity, you’re going to deplete your glycogen much quicker than you would at a lower intensity,” Pritchett adds. This is why she recommends fueling even if you only train for 75 minutes at a higher intensity.
During high-intensity exercise, the blood in your body gets distributed away from the gut to your working muscles which can cause GI distress for some, and it could be one reason to consider a gel alternative, Pritchett says. Texture, taste, and cost are a few other reasons to look for an alternative.
If GI distress on your long runs has you searching for other options, make sure you’re getting enough carbs, water, and electrolytes Best Electrolyte Tablets for Runners Nicole Lund, R.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist and clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Sports Performance Center. Failing to drink enough water while consuming carbs can cause some GI distress, so it’s important to make sure you’re meeting your needs.
If you find you are getting to hold all your necessities, carbs, and electrolytes, but still experience some issues, then it could be time to consider alternative food options, Lund explains.
Roctane Energy and Hydration Drink Mix contains 59 grams per serving, and long runs so you know what works best for you. Lund recommends keeping a journal where you track any symptoms, as well as when and what you ate before and during each run. She also notes that some of her clients are sensitive to a particular ingredient in sports products, maltodextrin, so take note if this is in your go-to product and keep track of how it settles for you, especially in the later miles of Published: Mar 04, 2025 9:00 AM EST.
When it comes to finding something to take the place of a gel, there are plenty of sports products and other unconventional options to choose from. Here’s what our experts recommend.
4 Gel Alternatives for Runners
1. Sports Drinks and Other Liquids
You can always drink your carbs. As mentioned, exercise can slow blood flow to your gut which slows down digestion, and because liquids are easier to digest, they offer another way to help you get the fuel you need, says Lund. Sports drinks are a great option, along with honey sticks or packets, she adds.
If drinking your carbs is more tolerable on long runs, then Pritchett recommends turning to a high-carbohydrate sports drink, which can vary in the amount of carbohydrates offered depending on the brand. For example, Skratch during your run,&rdquo. GU Roctane Energy and Hydration Drink Mix contains 59 grams per serving, and Tailwind How to Use Gels in Training and Racing.
When it comes to finding the right sports drink, pay attention to the ingredients list. Sodium, in particular, is the primary electrolyte lost in sweat, so you want to make sure you’re getting enough of it on your long runs, says Pritchett. She recommends checking the sodium amounts, aiming for about 500 to 700 milligrams per liter of fluid.
to hold all your necessities caffeine, which can be problematic if it’s something your trying to avoid or it doesn’t settle well for you. Also, stay away from “sugar-free” sports drinks as a source of fuel, because this likely provides no energy and the artificial sweeteners Of course, you can turn to.
2. Candies
Here’s your chance to satisfy your sweet tooth. Gummy bears, peach rings, jellybeans, sour candies, Nerds clusters, Pixie Sticks, and other small, sweet candies can be an unconventional way to fuel your runs.
Just make sure you read the nutrition label and pay close attention to how many carbohydrates the product provides per serving, says Pritchett. This way you can ensure you’re consuming enough carbs for your workout.
One serving size of Nerds Clusters (about 17 pieces), for example, contains 22 grams of carbs. This means you may need to eat a little more than a serving if your goal is to consume 30 grams of carbs per hour on a longer run.
3. Chews
Similar to candies, chews are a great alternative to gels and there are plenty of sports-specific chews to choose from. Skratch and Honey Stinger are two popular brands that offer a variety of sports nutrition products such chews and powders (along with gels), made with ingredients that are easier for runners with gut sensitivity to tolerate, says Lund. That’s because they contain a mix of carb sources, like to hold all your necessities, may lead to bloating and GI distress, she says.
If you don’t like the texture of a gel, but are searching for something that will sit well in your stomach, both brands have plenty of products in different flavors to choose from.
4. Whole Foods
Compared to the other options on this list, packing a whole food will take a bit more planning because you have to figure out how to carry them, says Pritchett. If you don’t have pockets, you may want to look to investing in a race belt or pack How to Train Your Gut Before Race Day.
Once you figure out how to carry the food, you can try options like bananas, fig bars, pretzels, dates, or boiled potatoes with salt, Pritchett says.
She recommends you spend some time testing these options, especially if you have a sensitive gut. Not only does exercise make them harder to digest because of that diversion of blood flow, but some whole foods contain nutrients that also slow digestion (i.e. fiber) and some may not contain a mix of carb sources, which also makes them harder to digest on the run.
Monique LeBrun is a health and fitness editor who is based in Easton, Pennsylvania. She covers a wide range of health and wellness topics, with a primary focus on running performance and nutrition. Monique is passionate about creating content that empowers runners to become the best versions of themselves. As an avid runner and parent, she loves spending time outdoors with her daughter, who often accompanies her on weekend runs as her personal mini run coach.
