Reader Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5

HOMEMADE GOO
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I've been using a form of homemade sports gel, and it's been really successful - and I have a circle of friends that are way into it!

I read the ingredient of a few popular gel products, and I thought - geesh, this stuff is simple!

Here's my recipe:
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1. Brown Rice Syrup (easily available at health food stores) --- [carbs]

2. Protein Powder (vanilla seems to work best) --- [protein]

3. Cashew Butter --- [fat]

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I make this stuff in bulk, and I never measure anything, so bear with me.

a) Start with a blender, a full blender load will be our volume.

b) The brown rice syrup will be too thick to mix in a blender. Warm the stuff up for about 15 minutes by putting the jars into tub (or in the sink) with hot water. Avoid a microwave, which will work fine, but may create bad vibes. The syrup needs to be thin enough so you don - 't burn out the blender's motor.

c) Pour a bunch of syrup into the blender, have some hot water ready for adding to the syrup, a little is all thats needed to thin it out.

d) Add a heaping spoonful of cashew butter.

e) Add a few scoops of protein powder.

f) Taste it, if there is too much protein powder, it'll taste chalky - just add some more syrup.

That's it!

I store it in old Gatorade bottles in the fridge.

When I do a long trip, I carry it in an old grocery store soda bottle.

I use a funnel and fill up the gel flasks. I found - 'em at a local sports store - but they are easy to get on the web:
http://www.all3sports.com/product_info.php?pName=hammer-gel-flask

I use this GOO while backcountry skiing, this is where it's really successful for me. I get a good boost on those long uphill skin tracks!

enjoy,
M!



[reply to Ryan's posting below]

Puke green? True enough. That oppressive color is from my hippy spiralina protein powder. Alas, I'm colorblind, so I can't factor the ascetics into my recipe. But, I did make a batch with cranberry protein powder - AND - by-golly, it ended up pink!

Edited by mikeclelland on 06/02/2007 08:30:35 MDT.

Rating: 4 / 5

I've used Mike's, and made my own per his recipe.

It's nasty.

The color, I mean. Like a pukey green. But then again, that may very well provide some of its social appeal when hiking or skiing in a group.

I wish it was more pliable at thirty degrees below zero. Then again, I wish a lot of things were more pliable at thirty below.

The real kicker, and why it gets a 4 and not a 5, is that I want it to be pink so it looks yummy too.

Edited by ryan on 12/02/2006 22:46:46 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

I made Mike's mix, and made it again, and then again, even once more, but no more after that.

Its fantastic! Super mixture

a great cheap alternative to store bought blends.

my ingredients:

Organic Almond butter (I like it)

Organic Brown Rice Syrup

and vanilla SOY! based protein

(the reasoning for this is Soy based protein metabolizes easier and quicker)

"Whey peptides have great bioavailability and an excellent amino acid profile, which is ideal for recovery but its concentration of glutamine contributes to the ammonia burden when consumed during effort. Soy protein does not readily produce ammonia. Soy isoflavones have a strong anti-oxidant effect. Soy protein's amino acid profile (lower lysine to arginine ratio) reduces the insulin to glucagon ratio, which can favor fat metabolism. Soy protein's amino acid profile also replenishes Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine, which are the main BCAAs burned during endurance effort."



Ive used it on hard moutaineering days and traveling rugby games!

G-R-E-A-T

Thanks Mike!


T. Horse