As a member of Team Running Free, I was excited to be a lucky lottery winner of a GU credit. I selected two flavours of the regular hydration mix (blueberry pomegranate and lemon berry), 2 flavours of GU chews (strawberry and blueberry pomegranate), and 3 flavours of GU Roctane energy gel (Cherry Lime, Strawberry Kiwi, and Lemonade).
I have tried GU hydration mixes in the past, and they have been amazing, so those were easy choices. The powder dissolves easily with a quick shake of the water bottle, and I like the taste of these mixes. The GU hydration mixes are my top choice for hydration for training and for triathlon racing.
My nutrition strategy is to eat “solids” on the bike, and “liquids” on the run, so I typically select chews on the bike, and gels on the run. I also consume chews on the bike portion of my triathlon races to ensure I have energy during the run portion of the race.
The GU energy chews have changed recently, and they now pack 16 chews in a 60 g package. Each “serving” is 8 chews, so there are 2 servings in each package. Because my training sessions and races are 2.5 – 3.5 hours long, I can easily justify both servings on a single ride or race. They are bite-sized, which is very convenient for popping one in my mouth every once in a while. They are easy to chew and swallow, making them perfect choices for nutrition on the go. They pack 90 calories per serving, with 22 g of carbohydrates (10 g of sugar), 40 mg of sodium, and 10 mg of potassium. Note the strawberry chews have 20 mg of caffeine, but there is no caffeine in the blueberry pomegranate. Both flavours are gluten-free and vegan.
The GU energy gels come in several flavours, and I was excited to try Cherry Lime, Strawberry Kiwi, and Lemonade. Each gel contains 100 calories, with 21 g of carbohydrates (6 g of sugar), 125 mg of sodium (lemonade has 180 mg), and 30 mg of calcium. Note the cherry lime gel has 35 mg of caffeine, but there is no caffeine in the strawberry kiwi or lemonade flavours. All 3 flavours are gluten-free and vegan.
I am very pleased with the taste, convenience, and nutritional benefits of all of these GU products, and I will happily purchase more of these products in the future.
