"EnergyGel" news and stories

In my on-going search for the perfect energy food, I've slurped down a number of gels that tasted pretty much like what I imagine the door handle at a Baskin Robbins tastes like -- syrupy, cloying and gross. So, it's no surprise that when I actually come across a gel that is palatable and delicious, I'm eager to sing its praises.

Honey Stinger Gel is the gel for people who normally can't stand the taste of gels. With a naturally low-glycemic index, Honey Stinger Gels provides lasting energy without the irritating blood sugar spike, which always leaves me shaky and disoriented. Theses sweet, convenient packets are also loaded with a healthy dose of my favorite vitamin -- Vitamin B.  Of the flavor range, which includes Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana and Gold, my favorite has to be "Ginsting." Not only is the name clever, Ginsting comes with an extra kick of ginseng and caffeine for those killer-long bike rides.

New from Jelly Belly -- the company that got Ronald Reagan through all those cabinet meetings during the Iran-Contra affair -- is the sweet tooth's answer to Gatorade: Sport Beans.

The company has been sponsoring a professional bike racing team for the last few years, and working with those athletes, Jelly Belly has developed a jelly bean that's certifiably good for you. It's fortified with electrolytes, carbohydrates and Vitamins B and C.

The idea, apparently, is to provide athletes an alternative to the nutrition products that bike racers and other endurance types use: sports drinks, like Gatorade, which are sticky; and energy gels, like Gu, which seem just plain gross.

A cool idea, to be sure. But when is somebody going to make an athletic version of Snickers?