Tested by It's no secret that properly fuelling your runs, Veloforte Passo / Attivo / Solo recovery can make a huge difference to your performance – both in the short and long term.
Much of a runner’s nutritional needs can – and should – be met through natural, whole foods as a part of a well-balanced diet, but engineered sports nutrition products, with their precise nutrient profile and tailored delivery, are also a piece of the optimum nutrition puzzle.
However, with a vast array of products – from gels, chews and electrolytes to energy bars and pre-race fuel – it can be tricky to know where to start. Enter our Sports Nutrition Awards to guide you to the best sports supps that will help you reach your peak – and stay there.
What everyone's reading
How we test
In the first stage of our selection process, we drew up a long list of products with the right nutritional credentials from the leading sports nutrition brands, some of which we knew could be relied upon from previous team experience, some of which were new to us.
RW’s highly experienced test team then used the products in training and racing over a variety of run types and distances, right up to ultra racing. We ate (and drank) up, then fed back on taste, ease of use, digestion and effectiveness, rating every product. Results were calculated from our combined feedback to give you the award winners featured here.
Our testing took place under the guidance of leading sports dietician, ultrarunner and RW columnist Renee McGregor who was on hand to answer our queries on the nutritional credentials of the products. She also added her expertise on both the science and appliance of sports nutrition across the following categories.
BEST PRE-RUN BAR
The best pre-run power ups to top up your tank when time is tight
Porridge is as much a part of running as wonky race numbers and chafing. But if there’s no time to knock up your steaming oats, here’s the next-best option. Each pocket-friendly bar delivers 43g of easily-digested carbs which our tester said ‘honestly tasted exactly like porridge, just a more solidified version. It's ideal for snacking right up to the start line.’
With 36g of glycogen-tank-topping carbs in each crumbly flapjack bar, these make a great go-to when you can’t get a proper meal before a run. They’re less dense than many other bars (think Clif or a Tribe) and provide great energy from real fruit and gluten-free oats. There are five flavours – including banana, caramel and cherry – which all taste pretty good, but our testers’ favourite was apple and cinnamon.
Perfect fuel for early morning runs, every shake packs 33 natural ingredients – such as oats, pumpkin protein, dried fruit and Himalayan pink salt – each selected for flavour and nutritional punch. The mix of powders, seeds, nuts and dried berries is more substantial than a powdered shake and more practical on the move than an oaty breakfast. We loved blending it with milk and banana for an extra fuel and taste boost.
For taste, texture and general scoffability, there are better options, but these energy-boosting sachets impressed for convenience and simplicity. Just add hot or cold water or milk and 15 seconds later you’ve got a drinkable delivery of 34.5g carbs. Sinking the added BCAA proteins before your run may also help to reduce mid-run muscle breakdown. Good if you’re going for a long haul.
If you struggle to stomach solids before a run, Huel’s grab-and-go shake is a great liquid alternative. Our testers found its creamy, thick consistency provides bloat-free satiation with steady energy. It’s a convenient way to consume more than 309g of low-GI, slow-release carbs from oats, tapioca and brown rice en route to early race start lines, along with 20g of plant-based protein, omega-3, omega-6, and monounsaturated fats, plus a blend of 26 vitamins and minerals.
There are cheaper ways to get a fast oaty breakfast but for taste, nutritional bang for buck and convenience, we reckon Veloforte’s ready breakfast is unbeatable. Each pack combines 46g of slow-release carbohydrates from gluten-free jumbo oats with protein from almonds and seeds. The knockout flavours come from real fruit and spices. We loved this convenient prep-the-night-before alternative to porridge.
This fast-fix, energy-packed breakfast in a bag blends oats, crisp rice and dried fruit for slow-release fuelling, along with plant-based protein for muscle support. It’s vegan-friendly, with no artificial nasties. Our testers loved ‘the big 400-calorie wodge of energy’ and the natural spices and coconut sugar that add ‘tasty sweetness without being overwhelming’.
Top tips for your pre-run power up
When to eat: ‘Most people need somewhere between 1-3 hours to digest food. That said, it does depend on your fuel of choice. If it's a top up like a banana, or a piece of fruit loaf, you may only need 30-60 minutes,’ says McGregor.
How much? ‘Ideally we encourage individuals to work on 0.5-1.0g/Kg bodyweight of carbohydrate pre-run,’ says McGregor.
The benefits of creatine for runners: ‘Very high fat foods, as they are slow to digest and can sit heavy on your digestive system,’ says McGregor. ‘Plus potentially dried fruit which has a high fructose content and can cause an upset stomach if eaten in large quantities.’
Starter's order: ‘Consuming a quick-digesting sports nutrition product on the start line can be a good strategy, especially for shorter races and where the individual struggles to eat breakfast, the morning of a race,’ says McGregor. They are also good as pre-fuel on early morning runs where it can be hard to take on breakfast before you run.’
The best electrolyte drinks and tablets
Best Garmin deals
Every runner’s sweat and salt loss rates are different, making effective hydration very personal. Precision’s range of fizzy tabs, hypotonic formula powders and salt pills tackle that head on. Before you buy, you can fill out a questionnaire or take a simple sweat test to analyse your salt-loss levels and then combine the products to create a personalised hydration plan for before, during and after a race, optimised for the event and conditions.
Sytrkr’s fast-dissolving fizzy tabs are easy to drop into a soft flask or hydration pack for a light and fresh source of 500mg or 1000mg of sodium pre-, during and post-run. If you don’t need such a high dosage, drop half a tab into your bottle. Our testers enthused that the citrus flavour wasn’t too sharp or overwhelming, the berry wasn’t too sweet and we loved that there’s no ‘pesky powdery residue or lingering aftertaste’.
If you need a smaller dose of electrolytes, these effervescent tablets provide a lower 300mg hit of sodium along with B vitamins. Designed to be consumed before, during and after your run, they come in a handy tube and are easy to transport and use. There are six flavours, including berry, cola and lemon, but the zingy grapefruit impressed us as ‘refreshing, light and not too sickly’.
Our testers found SOS’ 5g stick packs ‘hard to beat for portability and convenience’. The compact, easy-open sticks make topping up your bottles as easy as sticking a sugar in your tea. The flavours are subtle and each pack tops up your folic acid, zinc, vitamins B12, B6, D and C, along with a salt-replenishing 330mg sodium and 190mg potassium, plus performance–friendly electrolytes magnesium and zinc.
The ‘cleanest and freshest’ hydration solution we tested, Veloforte’s freeze-dried real-fruit powders come with unique flavours like strawberry and basil and get their electrolyte punch from dried coconut water and Himalayan pink salt. Solo provides straight electrolyte replacement with 350mg of sodium, while Vivo has 22g of carbs for an added energy kick. Attivo amplifies that further with 75mg of natural caffeine. They’re easy to carry, too.
One of the best on-the-run options we tested, these tiny Fastchews ‘dissolve quickly in the mouth, like a less-tasty Refresher sweet’. Each two-tab serving provides 200mg of sodium. That’s less than some fizzy tabs and drinks but the 10-chew pack is easily stashed in a running belt or pocket for regular top ups. You might need a glug of water to wash them down, but they're a highly convenient option.
When we sweat, we lose electrolytes. That can impede hydration and compromise performance. But do we need to worry about replacing more than just sodium?
‘In general, the loss of sodium and chloride are the highest,’ says McGregor. ‘Rate of loss varies from individual to individual, and based on the intensity of exercise, duration and also the environment. Sodium losses can vary from 500-1300mg per litre of sweat. By contrast, potassium losses are closer to 160-320mg per litre and magnesium, 4-15mg per litre of sweat. Therefore, while there are many products that boast optimal electrolyte profile, in reality the electrolyte that’s going to be of most benefit is sodium. The exception would be in extreme conditions or ultra distance events where there may be benefits to replacing potassium and magnesium.
‘Replacing sodium helps to draw more fluid back into the body and to the working muscles. This can be through gels, chews, tabs or even drinks. The key point is ensuring that you measure your intake per litre of fluid. For example, in ultra distance events, we tend to use a ballpark figure of 700-900mg of sodium per litre.’
The best energy gels
HIGHLY COMMENDED HIGH-CARB GEL
The larger packs aren’t the most compact but each rip-top tube delivers a bigger-than-normal 40g payload of carbs so you can carry fewer and still hit your hourly uptake. Testers found the 1:0.8 blend of maltodextrin to fructose ‘slipped down easily to deliver a welcome stamina boost’. No digestive disasters here – just fast-acting energy in three highly palatable flavours: neutral, orange, strawberry and lime.
The best electrolyte sources to boost running performance and recovery
One for those who prefer a looser, more liquid consistency, these OTE SuperGels deliver a 40g big-carb dose so you can carry fewer to fuel your efforts. But what stood out in testing was how easily it goes down – even without water – with a lovely fresh, berry flavour that avoids the artificial taste trap. ‘Stomach-friendly, fast-acting, even energy that’s actually a pleasure to down’ was a tester’s glowing endorsement.
A fruity paste more than a gel, Vala uses only 100% real-food ingredients to deliver 24g carbs in each compact, stashable 35g pack. The blend of maple syrup, squished dates, powdered chia seeds, Welsh sea salt, lemon and lime juice is ‘very sweet but tasty… provided you like dates!’. The thicker texture is perhaps better suited to longer, slower runs than all guns blazing marathons – our testers loved these for a total change of texture and flavour during ultras.
A caffeinated alternative to Maurten’s neutral-flavoured, classic hydrogel formula, each GEL CAF100 provides 100mg caffeine to turbocharge the performance benefits of its 25g hit of carbs. They’re small and run-belt-friendly, and avoid the unbearably bitter aftertaste of some caffeinated gels. The consistency is thicker than its competitors, but the water-based gel dissolves quickly on the tongue. Great for reducing perception of effort and maintaining focus.
If you find gloopy gels hard to swallow and stomach, High5’s extra-water formula alternatives solve both common problems in one smooth gulp. More liquid than gel, the 66g tubes are bulkier than standard High5 – and most other – gels, but the 23g carb hit slides down fast without water and the fresh taste and less sticky texture prevents a gloopy mouth. Just don’t expect a huge rush of energy: ‘This is more of a pat on the back than a boot up the bum,’ reported one tester.
The sucrose, fructose and maltodextrin in most gels breaks down rapidly – that’s why you get a big turbocharge feeling. But they can burn high then crash hard. UCAN’s slower-burn SuperStarch complex carbohydrate works differently. Its larger molecules pass through the stomach and are digested more slowly in the intestines. The neutral flavour isn’t overly sweet with a loose texture that’s easy to eat and gut friendly. Testers found it, ‘a good hit of time-released energy that’s a happy antidote to some roller-coaster gels that spike and crash’.
With the carb equivalent of 4.5 standard gels in one resealable pouch, three of these deliver enough energy for most runners to tackle a 4:30 marathon. The gels mild, neutral taste reduces flavour fatigue on longer efforts. The texture doesn't leave any stickiness behind and they’re easy to swallow without water. The twisty lid lets you take on as much or as little as you want, so no need to down a whole 30g gel in one hit.
Many gels now come loaded with extras claiming to boost performance and recovery with ingredients like Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and nitrates. But do they deliver?
‘While a lot of claims are made about the benefits of the added ingredients like Theanine, Taurine, Citicoline and Beta Alanine, in reality, the amount that can be added is too low to have any beneficial impact,’ says McGregor. ‘The exception is caffeine. Many studies show the benefits of consuming caffeine during training or racing with regards to reducing perceived exertion.
‘The amounts of caffeine in gels tend to vary from around 25-100mg per gel, and the optimal dose for most runners will be somewhere between 1-3mg/Kg of bodyweight. Too much caffeine can lead to GI distress, palpitations and in some cases hamper performance, so it’s definitely advisable to practice during training to identify your upper and lower limits.’
The best chews, bars and jellies
With 30g of carbs in a tiny two-chew pack, these running belt-friendly cubes offer a great energy-to space-and-weight ratio. The firmer texture doesn’t squash easily or melt in the heat and suits slow, easy ultra-fuelling better than breathless city marathons. They’re softer and less threat to your fillings than some chewier alternatives, while the lemon and mint flavours offer a nice palate reset.
With six jelly chews per pack delivering just under 30g of carbs, these soft packs of mini pastilles are a perfect gel-alternative for long slow runs. You can scoff the lot for a big hit of energy, or swallow one at a time for a gentler, little-and-often approach to fuelling. The fruity flavours – orange, lime, and berry – are sweet but zingy. ‘The texture is the soft side of chewy, so they’re kind on your jaw and good for on-the-go fuelling,’ reported one tester.
If there was an award for fruity melting goodness, these super soft pastel bars would win it. Each tiny 25g fruit jelly crams in a surprising 21g carb load and you barely even need teeth to eat them. That’s lucky because they are incredibly sweet. Our tester said, ‘They taste like actual fruit, almost melt in the mouth and are really easy and pleasant to consume. But I felt like I needed to see a dentist afterward!’
This turbocharged rice crispy cake has 50g of chewy, crunchy carbs in a really light bar. Ideal when you want tasty energy without having to work your jaw too hard. The RW team enjoyed all the flavours but the date, almond and sea salt combo stood out for being sweet with a welcome salty edge. Great for turning energy top-ups into a mid-run treat. But you’ll need to drop the pace while enjoying them.
SiS Hydro Tabs
Designed for endurance efforts over three hours, this all-in-one fuel delivers 66g of carbs per bottle from a trio of sources (maltodextrin, glucose and sucrose) along with electrolytes in gut-friendly isotonic formula. There’s also protein to maintain steady blood sugar levels and curb the hunger pangs that sometimes come with liquid carbs. This became the ‘go-to on long days training for a mountain ultra and the big day itself’ for one of our testers, ‘delivering reliable sustained energy and easy on the gut and taste buds’.
One to grab when you want a fuss-free, sluggable source of steady energy that’s easy on the tastebuds and the stomach. The RW testers liked the simplicity of sticking 94g of carbohydrate in one 500ml bottle for longer runs. Everything you need to fuel an hour’s graft. It comes in a handy resealable pack with three flavours: pineapple and peppermint and our favourite watermelon.
Tailwind’s simple carb blend of dextrose and sucrose cuts the time your fuel sits in the gut for fast energy and reduced tummy trouble risk. The RW team were fans of this for racing ultras. ‘Each serving provides an simple way to get in 50g of carbs plus electrolytes, and the light lemon flavour and neutral options are easy to sip all day.’ A versatile alternative to gels and solids for long-run or ultramarathon fuelling.
Also available as a handy stickpack in a variety of flavours.
What the science says about fast-acting dual fuels, big-energy mega carbs and the optimum hourly energy uptake:
Slow burners: ‘The notion of fast acting versus slow acting gel is interesting,’ says McGregor. ‘Generally, the main reason to use a gel is to supply quikc, easily digestible energy to the working muscles. While the concept of slow releasing gels has been around for a while, the research doesn’t back it up and actually shows that these types of gels can have adverse effects due to altered gastric emptying, as well as malabsorption, leading to GI distress.’
Double up: ‘The body has two main receptor sites for energy intake: glucose and fructose. That’s why most gels either contain glucose or maltodextrin as a primary source of energy and then fructose as a secondary source,’ says McGregor. ‘The most popular ratio is 2:1 glucose/maltodextrin to fructose as the body has the ability to absorb around 60/70g of glucose and 30g of fructose per hour.’
Go big? ‘Emerging research suggests shifting the carb ratio to 1:0.8 could enable athletes to push our carbohydrate consumption up to 120g of carbs per hour,’ says McGregor. ‘However, the main study was small and carried out on trained cyclists. While some runners claim they’ve been able to take on the upper limit, there does appear to be a ceiling with regards to the number of hours this can be tolerated.
‘Until we have more robust studies to confirm its effectiveness in practice – specifically in running across multiple distances and terrain – my advice would be to stick to around the 90g upper limit per hour. And sticking with gels that have the optimal 2:1 ratio glucose: fructose is still the most advisable for now.’
The best post-run recovery
What to avoid
Veloforte’s protein shake ‘feels like a real post-run treat’ according to our tester. The powders mix easily with milk or water with fantastic flavours that leave no artificial aftertaste or clawing texture you get with some whey protein shakes. Each shake packs the optimum 3:1 recovery ratio of carbs to protein plus 3g of BCAAs and electrolytes to support muscle recovery. If you like your shakes thinner, go for berry over chocolate.
Infinit’s easy-drinking shakes blend fast-absorbing carbs with three protein sources, BCAAs and glutamine to replenish muscle glycogen quickly and deliver sustained recovery. The mix of maltodextrin, glucose, sucrose and fructose speeds energy uptake, while whey, casein, and soy proteins support muscle repair. Flavoured naturally with real chocolate and vanilla, the taste was standout, with one tester admitting to liking the vanilla so much they downed it on non-run days too.
If there’s a tastier way to get a 12g hit of protein than these pocketable fudge bars, we’re yet to find it. The salted caramel flavour is ‘greedily moreish’, the soft texture is close to normal fudge. An excellent change to the many dense, powdery protein bars out there. The segments make it easy to break chunks off, but who are we kidding, this went down in one. ‘Protein in treat form’, said one tester.
We wouldn’t eat these mega-sweet, Snickers-esque bars after every run, but the RW test team liked them as a tasty go-to when you need something a bit more substantial in your belly than a shake. Each chunky 45g bar delivers a 14g hit of protein. It’s a happy mix of crunchy, chocolatey and chewy. The fudge brownie and almond coconut flavours hit the spot, too.
Iron levels are important for optimal running performance. Iron helps to transport oxygen around the body. Lower levels may be more likely in females who have heavy menstrual cycles or runners with a tendency to under-fuel, creating low energy availability. If that’s you, popping just one of these tiny, easy-to-swallow pills tops up with 100% of your recommended daily iron.
Blended into a smoothie, this super green powder is a simple and unexpectedly tasty way to get a big hit of nutrients without having to eat your bodyweight in veg. It’s packed with alkalising wheatgrass, barley grass, chlorella, spirulina, kale, spinach, broccoli for immune support. The notable hit of cinnamon stops it tasting like you’re chewing grass.
What are the rules for effective recovery after running, and how can sports nutrition products help?
‘Taking on recovery fuel within 30 minutes of your run helps to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscles,’ says McGregor. ‘This is particularly relevant after long runs of more than 90 minutes, high intensity runs or when you plan to train again within 12 hours.
‘When recovery needs to be swift or it’s difficult to consume a balanced meal within that half an hour post-run, recovery products can be really helpful. The refuel recommendations for recovery post run are 1.2g/Kg bodyweight carbohydrate and 0.4g/Kg protein. It’s also recommended to choose easily digestible sources of carbohydrate and protein in the 3:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. That’s why studies have shown that cow’s milk makes such a good option as it is high in easily digestible carbohydrate in the form of lactose and in the 3:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. Flavoured soy milk is another good alternative.’
Renee is a leading Sports dietitian, specialising in Eating Disorders, REDs, The Female Athlete, Athlete health and performance.
