Here is a table of carb and sodium sources for various products available to purchase. This is helpful if you want to understand the carb source, electrolyte content and also the volume or weight for endurance events.
Product Type Amount Serving Carbs Sodium Calcium Potassium Magnesium Sugar Fiber Caffeine Main Ingredients Saltstick Chews Chewable Tablet 1 Tablet 1 Tablet 1g 50mg 1mg 3mg 1g Saltstick Capsuals Capsual 1 Cap 1 Cap 215mg 22mg 63mg 11mg SIS Sodium Gel Gel 1 Gel 60ml 22g 300mg 0.7g SIS Regular Gel Gel 1 Gel 60ml 22g 10mg 0.6g Tailwind Caffine Powder 1 Scoop 27g 25g 310mg 27mg 90mg 12mg 25g 35mg Dextrose, Sucrose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Oxide, Caffine Tailwind Regular Powder 1 Scoop 27g 25g 310mg 27mg 90mg 12mg 25g Dextrose, Sucrose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Oxide SIS Beta Fuel Chew Bar 1 Bar 60g 46g 100mg 41g 2.2g Glucose (36%), Fructose (29%) Precision Hydration PF1000 Dissolvable Tablet 1 Tablet 6g 3g 500mg 20mg 130mg 10mg 2g Nuun Sport Dissolvable Tablet 1 Tablet 4g 300mg 13mg 150mg 25mg 1g Gatorade Endurance Powder Powder 1.5 Tbsp 24g 22g 300mg 140mg 0mg 13g Sugar, Malto, frustose, citric acid, sodium citrate, etc. Gatorade Endurance Bottle (24oz) Premixed Drink 1 Bottle (24oz) 24oz/720ml 44g 620mg 280mg 26g Sugar, Malto, frustose, citric acid, sodium citrate, etc. Gatorade Normal Powder 1.66 Tbsp 23g 22g 150mg 50mg 21g Sugar, Dextrose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate LMNT Powder 1 Pack 6g < 1g 1000mg 200mg 60mg Salt (Sodium Chloride), Maurten Gel 100 Gel 1 Gel 25g 25g 85mg 25g Water, Glucose, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate, Gluconic acid, Sodium Alginate. Maurten Gel 100 CAF Gel 1 Gel 25g 25g 22mg 25g 100mg Water, Glucose, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate, Gluconic acid, Sodium Alginate, Caffine
Energy product format Pros Cons Carb (“Isotonic”) drinks + Useful for short-to-moderate duration activities (~45 mins-2 hrs) – Unlikely to meet your fluid and electrolyte needs over ~2 hrs (especially in the heat) + Require no chewing, little digestion – Reduces the flexibility of your fueling strategy + Replaces some of the fluids and sodium lost in your sweat, mitigating the risk of dehydration – Some people don’t like the sweet taste Gels + Easy to carry a large amount of carbs efficiently – Some athletes find they become sickly or unpleasant (“flavour or texture fatigue”) if over-consumed + Efficient when your hydration needs are proportionally lower than your energy needs – Many athletes just can’t “stomach” gels – Not ideal when simply opening the packets is tricky because you don’t have full use of your hands (e.g. when kayaking) Chews + Can be more ‘satisfying’ than gels during longer races at lower intensities – Not ideal when you’re exercising at a high enough intensity to make chewing and swallowing an issue + A viable alternative for anyone who doesn’t get on well with gels – Not ideal when simply opening the packets is tricky because you don’t have full use of your hands (e.g. when kayaking) + Excellent energy-to-weight ratio Bars + They often contain protein, fat and fibre (unlike drinks, gels and chews), so are generally a lot more satisfying to eat – Better suited to ultra-distance events, where it’s possible to eat them because you’re moving at a slower pace + They take longer to digest and absorb, so their energy can be released more slowly, which may be an advantage at lower intensities – They tend to need to be washed down with fluid + Can double up as a good pre or post-workout snack