As an avid cyclist I am used to a bit of suffering. I suffer in the winter on rides when the wind chill factor hits 20 degrees below zero. I suffer through summer rides when the heat index passes 105 degrees. Some cyclists suffer by their food choices (you PowerBar users know who you are). Here is where I draw the line—I don’t mind a bit of suffering when I don’t have a choice, but when it comes to carbohydrate products cyclists do have a choice! If you want to stop your self-imposed suffering then pick up a package of great tasting Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews.
Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews
When I started cycling I bought PowerBar Energy Gels because that was the only brand of carbohydrate gels the bike shop I used carried. Eating PowerBar products reminded me a bit of high school. I thought PowerBar Protein Bars had the taste and texture of the sawdust from my shop class, and PowerBar Energy Gels tasted like chemicals from a high school chemistry project! Folks, there is a better way to replenish your energy stores and Honey Stinger has provided the way!
Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews are fairly small (about the size of a stack of three nickles). These chews are 95% organic and each package has ten chews (two servings). Every 160 calorie serving contains 39 grams of carbohydrates, 100% of the RDA of vitamin C, and a dose of electrolytes. These chews are gluten-free, dairy free and contain no trans-fats or partially hydrogenated oils. Honey Stinger sells these energy chews in several flavors, including Cherry Blossom (my favorite), Orange Blossom, Fruit Smoothie, and Pomegranate Passion Fruit. They have also recently introduced a caffeinated Lime-Ade flavor, but I’ve not been able to find them in the store yet.
I am not a tofu-eating vegetarian environmentalist. However, when I have a choice I will choose organic food every time. This is especially true when it comes to the food I eat while cycling. I’ve found that natural ingredients are easily digested and quickly absorbed into the body. Energy gels that contain a lot of chemicals just make me feel uncomfortable while cycling. If the two cycling computers I use can be trusted, I burn around 1050 calories an hour when I ride. I like to replace around a third of these calories every hour, so I consume one whole package of Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews an hour (three pieces every 20 minutes).
Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews are available in many sporting good stores, such as R.E.I., Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Sports Authority. I’ve also purchased them at several grocery stores, but they often do not carry all the flavors. Each two-serving package costs around $2. Bon appetit.
