# Honey vs Gel



## leon2982

I just tried for the first time using honey instead of gels. Maybe it was something else but I sure seemed to get a real kick from the honey. I used a mix of honey, blackstrap molasses, and sea salt. Just curious if this has been discussed previously and if there was a consensus. I'm planning on continuing with honey for now.


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## BeeCharmer

I used to have over a hundred hives, so I could never see paying a buck for a gel which was essentially what I was feeding my bees each spring at ten cents a pound. Honey worked fine for me, but I always found it a bit harsh if my throat was at all dry. I'd mix three tbp's into a bottle and found it worked well. Adding molasses and sea salt? Yuck!


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## Creakyknees

I've been using honey cut with water in a gel flask for several years now.

+1 it can hit my throat pretty harsh if I take a big gulp while working hard, so I just chase it with a swig from the water bottle.

One thing I have noticed, I can take just the tiniest little taste, not even a sip, and it perks me up and I feel better. Placebo? Who cares.


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## leon2982

*Molasses and Sea Salt*

The addition of a little black strap molasses and sea salt gives me my electrolytes. That way I only carry water. It's a lot easier to find water out on the road and I can use it to squirt on my back and head on hot days. The taste wasn't that bad really.


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## Alaska Mike

I'm really into Honey Stinger chews, but never could stomach the pure stuff on a ride. Just a little harsh for me.


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## leon2982

*Honey Stinger Chews*

I was looking at those. I'll probably try them now because I did get a knarly throat for a day after my first try with honey/molasses/seasalt.

Kind of weird how honey can make your throat knarly when so many people use it to soothe sore throats,


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## BeeCharmer

It's dry, usually about 13% moisture content. It helps with wounds (and sore throats) because it's bacterial static; so dry that bacteria can't live in it. You might want to thin it a bit with water; I'm sure that's all the Honey Stinger folks do.


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## andulong

BeeCharmer said:


> I could never see paying a buck for a gel which was essentially what I was feeding my bees each spring at ten cents a pound.


I am confused now...I thought bees made honey, I didn't know you fed it to them???


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## e34john

BeeCharmer said:


> It's dry, usually about 13% moisture content. It helps with wounds (and sore throats) because it's bacterial static; so dry that bacteria can't live in it.


Then how does the bacteria that gives infants botulism live in honey?


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## MTBMaven

I have been using straight honey for a little over a year now. I totally feel it hit my system as well. I prefer to buy from a local producer (hives are about 10 miles away [and I live in the LA Metro Area]) who sells at a few local farmers markets. I tried the strapped molasses and salt thing. I really didn't like the taste and fuss. Stuck with pure honey. I don't have any problems with dry mouth. 

I put a bit of honey, bee pollen, and chia seeds on my oat meal in the mornings as well.


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## joker1656

I am a rookie rider, but have kept bees for awhile. I love honey anyway, and realize the quick energy boost it can give. Glad to hear others are experimenting with it and having success. Ain't nuttin' better


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## BeeCharmer

*botulism*



e34john said:


> Then how does the bacteria that gives infants botulism live in honey?


It's dry enough to keep bacteria from growing (bacterial static), spores survive no matter what. Interestingly, the whole botulism in honey thing is a crock; that nuck that just fell on the kitchen floor probably has more spores on it than an entire jar of honey.


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## aslanspaws

Today on my long run I used honey in my gel flask. Mixed in a drop of vanilla extract and a little of the leftover coffee from this morning. The coffee thinned it out just a little, and it wasn't so harsh. Delicious.


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## leon2982

*Honey Powder*



MTBMaven said:


> I have been using straight honey for a little over a year now. I totally feel it hit my system as well. I prefer to buy from a local producer (hives are about 10 miles away [and I live in the LA Metro Area]) who sells at a few local farmers markets. I tried the strapped molasses and salt thing. I really didn't like the taste and fuss. Stuck with pure honey. I don't have any problems with dry mouth.
> 
> I put a bit of honey, bee pollen, and chia seeds on my oat meal in the mornings as well.


I've seen honey powder lately in a couple of the local asian stores. Do you know if that disolves like sugar?


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## e34john

BeeCharmer said:


> It's dry enough to keep bacteria from growing (bacterial static), spores survive no matter what. Interestingly, the whole botulism in honey thing is a crock; that nuck that just fell on the kitchen floor probably has more spores on it than an entire jar of honey.


Makes sense. I didn't really believe the whole not giving it infant thing either, I mean if they are healthy, they should be fine even with their supposed weaker immune systems. Maybe I should carry a tube of honey with me, eat it and slather it on road rash if I'm ever down.


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## leon2982

*slather it before going down*



e34john said:


> Makes sense. I didn't really believe the whole not giving it infant thing either, I mean if they are healthy, they should be fine even with their supposed weaker immune systems. Maybe I should carry a tube of honey with me, eat it and slather it on road rash if I'm ever down.



Then you'll just slide down the road.


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## MTBMaven

e34john said:


> Makes sense. I didn't really believe the whole not giving it infant thing either, I mean if they are healthy, they should be fine even with their supposed weaker immune systems. Maybe I should carry a tube of honey with me, eat it and slather it on road rash if I'm ever down.


I suspect honey power is different than bee pollen. Bee pollen is pollen that is collected on the bees legs and is collected into little pellets. I was told by our bee guy to that the bees treat the honey as their carbohydrates and the pollen as their protein. I don't know if he meant this figuratively or literally. Maybe one of the other responders can comment. Bee pollen is a good source of energy and essential nutrients, and is linked to longevity.


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## BeeCharmer

*HFCS in the spring*



andulong said:


> I am confused now...I thought bees made honey, I didn't know you fed it to them???


Sure, they need corn syrup or sugar syrup in the spring to boost the population for splitting with new queens. Feeding them with honey supers on (the boxes over the main hive) is illegal and basically amounts to diluting honey with HFCS, something pretty common in the honey coming in from China.


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## BeeCharmer

*Great idea!*



aslanspaws said:


> Today on my long run I used honey in my gel flask. Mixed in a drop of vanilla extract and a little of the leftover coffee from this morning. The coffee thinned it out just a little, and it wasn't so harsh. Delicious.


Terrific idea. Will see how that works tomorrow.


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## pferreira

I've had honey probably since the day I was born! Never had a problem.
My grandfather also had bees and we've had tons of honey in the house as I was growing up. Today I still use honey that I purchase from a local farm (local Honey) and it helps with my alergies, cycling and as a sweetner to mention a few!

I'm actually thinking of starting my own bee hive this spring since I own about an acre of land... should be enough space.

I've included a photo of grandpa in 1935!

Honey is very healthy and sure helps me in cycling.

Peter


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## tom_h

*Packaging ?*

I'm confused on how you all "package" the honey, to eat while on the bike ??

I'm sure honey would agree well with me, and I'd like to give it a try. 
I already eat honey on greek yogurt, oatmeal, add it to smoothies, and drizzle it over peanut butter sandwiches. 
Good stuff !


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## brigang

*botulism lesson*

Hey guys,

I'm a microbiologist and I see there's some confusion on honey and bacteria. 

What generally keeps bacteria from growing in honey is not a low water content. It's the very high sugar content. Sugar is similar to salt in it's effect on cells and it causes the water to exit the bacterial cell, thus killing (or greatly slowing metabolism) the cell. This is why things like jelly can last so long and why people used to salt their meat for preservation.

The deal with infants and honey is that, while the normal cells won't grow in honey, Clostridium botulinum (the species that causes botulism) produces endospores that can withstand very harsh conditions. They will be just fine in honey and when they get into a place that has favorable growth conditions, they'll start growing. In non-infants, there is a population of bacteria that normally grow in your intestines. If a few (such as the very small number one would find in honey) Clostridium spores get into an adult's guts, they would not find the conditions for growth favorable due to all the other bacteria that's already there. However, in an infant, that normal flora has not been established and the Clostridium will find conditions suitable for growth. That's when they'll have a problem. 

Interestingly (at least to me), something similar can occur in adults after taking antibiotics. The antibiotics kill off the normal flora, and a related Clostridium (whose spores survive the antibiotic) is able to start growing and cause problems.


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## e34john

tom_h said:


> I'm confused on how you all "package" the honey, to eat while on the bike ??
> 
> I'm sure honey would agree well with me, and I'd like to give it a try.
> I already eat honey on greek yogurt, oatmeal, add it to smoothies, and drizzle it over peanut butter sandwiches.
> Good stuff !


In little plastic bears!



^^
That was an interesting bit of info on the honey and spores.


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## BeeCharmer

*Interesting*

You may be absolutely right, but in honey production it is all about moisture content. We have to have our honey dry down to about 15-17% moisture content, the level bees will dry down nectar to when the weather is not too wet. Above 20% moisture, and we'll get spoilage in the honey as the yeast can grow. I don't think the sugar content hasn't changed much in that small range of moisture, but yeast and bacteria can begin growing. 

Regarding botulism in kids, I understand the idea, but I'm pretty sure there are papers out there showing no difference in botulism rates in the US (where the gov is warning that honey for kids < 2 years old is dangerous) and those in western Europe (where there are no warnings and small children are regularly given honey). I would guess there would be more botulism spores on that nook that was just rescued from the kitchen floor than there are in a couple of tablespoons of honey, but that's just a guess. 




brigang said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm a microbiologist and I see there's some confusion on honey and bacteria.
> 
> What generally keeps bacteria from growing in honey is not a low water content. It's the very high sugar content. Sugar is similar to salt in it's effect on cells and it causes the water to exit the bacterial cell, thus killing (or greatly slowing metabolism) the cell. This is why things like jelly can last so long and why people used to salt their meat for preservation.


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## Frith

Been using it to make energy drinks for my rides lately. Jasmine tea with lots of honey. It's been a revelation.


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## brigang

BeeCharmer said:


> You may be absolutely right, but in honey production it is all about moisture content. We have to have our honey dry down to about 15-17% moisture content, the level bees will dry down nectar to when the weather is not too wet. Above 20% moisture, and we'll get spoilage in the honey as the yeast can grow. I don't think the sugar content hasn't changed much in that small range of moisture, but yeast and bacteria can begin growing.
> 
> Regarding botulism in kids, I understand the idea, but I'm pretty sure there are papers out there showing no difference in botulism rates in the US (where the gov is warning that honey for kids < 2 years old is dangerous) and those in western Europe (where there are no warnings and small children are regularly given honey). I would guess there would be more botulism spores on that nook that was just rescued from the kitchen floor than there are in a couple of tablespoons of honey, but that's just a guess. .



The reason you're getting growth with higher concentrations is because the amount of water dictates the sugar concentration. If you add a teaspoon of sugar to a gallon of water, the concentration of sugar is very low. If you add that same amount of sugar to an ounce of water, the concentration of sugar is very high. So as your water content gets higher, it means there is less osmotic pressure on the contaminating cells and they are able to grow. Apparently, the line at which that occurs is about 20% water. Clostridial spores will survive any concentration of sugar that would be found in honey (though they won't germinate and grow at such concentrations).

As far as the incidence of infant botulism, I got the following from the journal, American Family Physician: 

Ninety percent of the world's cases of infant botulism are diagnosed in the United States, mainly because of physician awareness. As of 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has documented more than 1,400 cases. The prevalence of infant botulism has surpassed that of food-borne and wound botulism. It is estimated that more than 250 cases of infant botulism occur in the United States each year, but many go unrecognized. California, Utah and Pennsylvania have the highest incidence; nearly 50 percent of all cases are reported in California.

Soil and honey contamination are the two recognized sources of botulinum spores. Extensive research has been conducted to identify other sources. In California in the late 1970s, researchers analyzed 555 samples of soil, household dust, cereals, baby foods, canned goods, sugar, corn syrup, honey and commercial formulas. Except in the samples of honey and soil, no spores were detected. In a study performed in New York, no spores were found in any of the 236 products that were tested. According to microbiologic testing, up to 25 percent of honey products have been found to contain spores. A history of honey consumption is seen in 15 percent of the botulism cases reported to the CDC. As a result, honey should not be given to infants younger than one year.


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## leon2982

*Gel Flask*



e34john said:


> In little plastic bears!
> 
> 
> 
> ^^
> That was an interesting bit of info on the honey and spores.


I use gel flasks. I mix the honey, molasses, and sea salt right in the flask. Works great. I did a century last month and went thru one full flask and only a couple bites of banana the whole way. I can really feel the energy up-tick from the honey. And with the molasses / sea salt providing electrolytes I only carry water with me.

Here is the recipe I base my mix on:

•7 and 1/3 tablespoons of honey
•3/4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses
•1/10 teaspoons (just shy of 1/8 tsp) of table salt


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## Hula Hoop

Honey's Glycemic Index 55
Dextrose Glycemic Index 100
Just sayin


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## ellipsis212

Assos makes some really great hive kits if you're into curating your own artisanal, Swiss honey-gels. starting at $2500 for a wooden box and 2 bees it's not a deal, but it will set you apart from the poor people in your group ride, which i believe is more important than riding anyway.

no, but seriously i've oft considered using honey but like many others it makes my throat burn a bit and since i'm kind of a thirsty fella to begin with i just keep big boxes of clif shots in my pantry. strangely enough Lagavulin doesn't make my throat burn at all.


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## foofighter

Hula Hoop said:


> Honey's Glycemic Index 55
> Dextrose Glycemic Index 100
> Just sayin


say more please...is the higher number better or worse?


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## Woof the dog

I thought honey was mainly simple sugars, including fructose. Energy gels include more complex, easily absorbed carbohydrates (maltodextrin) that, from what I understand, don't give you the upset stomach.

It seems there is a reason why not so many people chug honey on a training ride.

Here is a bunch of links.... whatever the truth about honey may be

http://www.cptips.com/gelown.htm
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/blog/healthy-sugar-alternatives.php
http://www.jibbering.com/sports/gels.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey


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## heathb

Why not just pour a little diluted real grape juice into your water bottles and be done.

There's nothing magical about any of these supplements or honey for that matter. 

You could grab some twinkies and ding dongs and go out and ride if you wanted and do just fine. You could pour some table sugar into your water bottle and also accomplish the same things.

You need calories, you don't want too much or too little and you don't want to make yourself sick. The rest of marketing.

I always liked LeMonds view on nutrition, he thought a lot of people went overboard worrying about every little detail.


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## BeeCharmer

Nothing magical, but honey is a lot cheaper.


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## heathb

No corn syrup is a whole lot cheaper than honey.


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## nyvram

all things being equal, i'd much rather go the natural route with the honey. u can rationalize that it all ultimately breaks down as carbohydrates but i'm the guy who only shops around the edges of the supermarket and avoid processed foods and HFCS like the plague.

old skool? yep probably..but it makes me feel better sticking with foods that don't have to be put together in a lab somewhere.


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## hummina shadeeba

hfcs? 
the chinese sell it in the honey?
to avoid cramps, I guess by taking lots of water and electrolytes, what can I put in the water?
molasses, salt, and honey? 
how much salt?
I'm going to search for "best homemade gel" and see what I get. This surely has been discussed.


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## foofighter

hummina shadeeba said:


> *hfcs?* = High Fructose Corn Syrup
> the chinese sell it in the honey?
> to avoid cramps, I guess by taking lots of water and electrolytes, what can I put in the water?
> molasses, salt, and honey?
> how much salt?
> I'm going to search for "best homemade gel" and see what I get. This surely has been discussed.


look in bold


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## sdeeer

Actually, most of the honey in stores has HFCS in it to "cut" the honey so that it is cheaper. 

And your body digest HFCS the same way as sucrose (both are glucose and fructose). (FACT).


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## mattlikeshockey

im with nyvram. I only buy raw honey, from a local farmer, so no HFCS cut in. 

If our body really process HFCS the same as other sugars why is corn showing up in our hair and body composition? 

Thanks for the tip with honey and molasses in a gel flask. I was trying to figure out a good way to carry some on a ride. thought keeping a little bear in my pocket would be laughed at.


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## CMan

I know this conversation has taken a twist, but I'll just throw this in. This weekend I had a flask with 1/2 honey, 1/2 hammer gel, and a couple drops of vanilla in it. I was dying on a hill and took a hit off the flask. The honey and hammer really wasn't mixed well, so I got mainly honey. 30 seconds later I was back to normal. I could really tell the boost.

~C


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## sdeeer

CMan said:


> I know this conversation has taken a twist, but I'll just throw this in. This weekend I had a flask with 1/2 honey, 1/2 hammer gel, and a couple drops of vanilla in it. I was dying on a hill and took a hit off the flask. The honey and hammer really wasn't mixed well, so I got mainly honey. 30 seconds later I was back to normal. I could really tell the boost.
> 
> ~C


I can tell you that any carbohydrate is likely to have the same effect, even non-sweet carbohydrates like maltodextrin. 

There is evidence that we have sensors in our mouth (most likely on our tongue) that send a signal to the brain, activating pleasure centers, thus lowering RPE, before the substrate is even in the blood stream.

To complicate matters though, (and further off topic of honey vs gel) is the role of miniscule sublingual absorption of glucose and its potential effect on the brain and RPE.......


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## sdeeer

mattlikeshockey said:


> If our body really process HFCS the same as other sugars why is corn showing up in our hair and body composition?
> 
> Thanks for the tip with honey and molasses in a gel flask. I was trying to figure out a good way to carry some on a ride. thought keeping a little bear in my pocket would be laughed at.


What do you mean "corn showing up in our hair and body composition". You know that you are what you eat literally right? The carbon (actual molecules) from food are the same ones that get stored or metabolized.......

So you have corn, cow, pig, chicken, wheat, oxygen, water, green beans, etc, in your hair and your body composition. 

What is your point?


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## CMan

sdeeer said:


> I can tell you that any carbohydrate is likely to have the same effect, even non-sweet carbohydrates like maltodextrin.
> 
> There is evidence that we have sensors in our mouth (most likely on our tongue) that send a signal to the brain, activating pleasure centers, thus lowering RPE, before the substrate is even in the blood stream.
> 
> To complicate matters though, (and further off topic of honey vs gel) is the role of miniscule sublingual absorption of glucose and its potential effect on the brain and RPE.......


Very interesting and now that you post that I remember reading/hearing something about how just the act of drinking an energy drink might give you a boost (before it's even had a chance to be absorbed into the body).

~C


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## ZoSoSwiM

It's been said that simply tasting something sweet will trick the body into releasing more energy. Something about the survival mechanisms we have. 

On that note Gels works well for me.. I love honey and have considered getting a flask to make my own gel.. Might have to sooner than later and see how it works. Tons of recipes out there too. Hell.. take some honey.. some strawberry jelly, some salt and mix it up with a bit of water and you'll have enough energy to get through anything.


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## Kram

I just tried it this past weekend. Used mostly honey (without HFCS) and a little bit of green tea to cut it + some sea salt and buckwheat honey. Didn't taste bad, didn't bonk and didn't throw up. A winner in my book.


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## louise

How are you all taking honey on a ride?

I like honey, but not sure how you are taking it on a ride?


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## redondoaveb

Has anyone tried bee pollen or royal jelly? Any benefits?


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## evs

Oh, they put the beehive in their camelbaks and put a straw in it and suck on it when they need some honey. Also that way they ride fast so the bees don't sting them. How long have you been here? Go ask hubby...haha lol


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## black_box

louise said:


> How are you all taking honey on a ride?
> I like honey, but not sure how you are taking it on a ride?


You can buy re-usable "gel flasks" for your homebrew energy mix.


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## louise

black_box said:


> You can buy re-usable "gel flasks" for your homebrew energy mix.



Thank you.






evs said:


> Oh, they put the beehive in their camelbaks and put a straw in it and suck on it when they need some honey. Also that way they ride fast so the bees don't sting them. How long have you been here? Go ask hubby...haha lol



So, I assume you are, what, 13?


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## Gripped

ZoSoSwiM said:


> It's been said that simply tasting something sweet will trick the body into releasing more energy. Something about the survival mechanisms we have.


Internal governor. Radiolab did a really nice piece on it. Listen to it here:

http://www.radiolab.org/2010/apr/05/limits-of-the-body/

Fascinating stuff.


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## mcaswell

louise said:


> How are you all taking honey on a ride?
> 
> I like honey, but not sure how you are taking it on a ride?


Ordered a box of these from Amazon a few weeks ago...

http://www.amazon.com/Kraft-Pure-Ho...2KD8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307758145&sr=8-1

The packets are pretty small... about the size of a fast food condiment packet. If I calculated correctly, each is around 35 calories, so it takes 3 packets to approximately equal a Gu gel in terms of energy.

They're probably not practical to use to fuel a century, but for shorter rides, or as a supplement to other energy sources, I think they're a winner if you just want to be able to grab and go as you're headed out the door.

The cost per calorie is about 1/3 that of gels.

--Michael


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## Lookbiker

Been a GU fan for a few years but now using those Stinger Honey gels. The Stingers certainly taste better and provide the same boost. Those Stinger waffles are dry but taste so good that I need to limit my intake or I'll gain weight on a long ride.


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## Blackss06

This thread convinced me to buy a flask and try out honey. I'm impressed, gave me everything I needed. No more GU for me. Thanks!


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## speedyg55

I used to take a 50/50 honey/water mix in a gel flask on rides. It did the trick but was always a bit difficult to get down. I recently switched to light corn syrup and have been really happy with the results. In my opinion, it tastes better. It also has the same amount of calories as honey but I don't have to mix in water to make it palatable; therefore, I get twice as many calories in a flask. Plus, it has a little bit of sodium in it. Say what you will about corn syrup but readily available calories are just that, in my opinion.


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## BicycleBastard

I hadn't considered adding a couple drops of honey to my water or some other drink for the ride itself but I swear by my pre-race meal of 2 pieces of wheat toast with lots of yummy honey smeared all over it. Eaten about 45 minutes to half hour before the race has always seemed to help give me the kind of lasting energy I need to ride hard. The honey is a quick energy booster while the bread is a bit slower to break down providing a little more lasting energy. 

Being a big choc-a-holic honey is a great substitute for a late night sugar fix as well. A peanut butter and honey sandwich with a small glass of 2% milk really satisfies when im not starving but have the munchies in the late evening.


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## redlude97

Just an FYI, Honey and HFCS are mostly composed of the same two sugars, fructose and glucose at approximatively the same 55:45 ratio, compared to table sugar(sucrose) which is exactly 50:50 fructose and glucose. There may be other benefits in honey, but from a glycogen replenishment standpoint they are essentially the same and HFCS is both cheaper and easier to down IME.


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## sdeeer

redlude97 said:


> Just an FYI, Honey and HFCS are mostly composed of the same two sugars, fructose and glucose at approximatively the same 55:45 ratio, compared to table sugar(sucrose) which is exactly 50:50 fructose and glucose. There may be other benefits in honey, but from a glycogen replenishment standpoint they are essentially the same and HFCS is both cheaper and easier to down IME.


That is correct and I have data from a recent study ready to be submitted which supports that.

Other than the taste/get down part. The HFCS had a greater incidence of gastric complaints than the honey. But everyone is different in their preference and gastric fortitude.


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## redlude97

sdeeer said:


> That is correct and I have data from a recent study ready to be submitted which supports that.
> 
> Other than the taste/get down part. The HFCS had a greater incidence of gastric complaints than the honey. But everyone is different in their preference and gastric fortitude.


Yea I just meant in terms of swallowing it, honey is just too viscous for me. I don't get stomach issues with either


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## speedyg55

sdeeer said:


> That is correct and I have data from a recent study ready to be submitted which supports that.
> 
> Other than the taste/get down part. The HFCS had a greater incidence of gastric complaints than the honey. But everyone is different in their preference and gastric fortitude.


My gastric fortitude must be strong 


redlude97 said:


> Yea I just meant in terms of swallowing it, honey is just too viscous for me. I don't get stomach issues with either


I'm the same way. Like I said, I have to do a 50/50 honey/water mix to get it to go down. With the corn syrup, I can eat it without diluting it which effectively gives me twice the calories in my gel flask.


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## vo2maxcarbon

I just like honey. The rest of the information is just fun facts for me.


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## glance2

I have a gel flask with a 50:50 mix of honey and water. I have lots of seasonal allergies and prefer to use local honey rather than store brand honey. They say that local honey helps with allergies, so far I agree.


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## austincrx

I use those little 'sandwich rounds' with honey or honey and peanut butter inside, cut in half, and wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. Fits nicely in my jersey pockets, I did a 90 mile race where I took 8 of them with me I think, plus two packs of shot blocks. I think I ate all the sandwiches and none of the shots. They really do work, and the bread and peanut butter help when you've got a long race/ride, I eat the honey and pb ones first, then the only-honey ones near the end of the race/ride for an 'energy boost' so to speak. I gave some to team mates and they liked them also.


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## Luis Leon

I will definitely try the honey on my next ride. Seems like a good alternative to the pricey power gels.


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## glance2

austincrx said:


> I use those little 'sandwich rounds' with honey or honey and peanut butter inside, cut in half, and wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. Fits nicely in my jersey pockets, I did a 90 mile race where I took 8 of them with me I think, plus two packs of shot blocks. I think I ate all the sandwiches and none of the shots.


How do you make the sandwich rounds?


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## Speedmenace

I've put honey in my water before, tastes abit sickly but gives a good energy boost


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