Honey

[Noodley]

How good is honey as a source of energy when cycling compared to energy gels, etc?

And in what quantities?

 

[bonj2]

on a scale of 1 to 10, if sugar is 1, and pasta is 10, then honey is about 2.5 to 3.
A lot more complex sugars than just sugar (which is mainly just glucose), but still only really sugars.

 

[very-near]

Sugar is crap for anything more than just a lift when you go hypo.

Better to use porridge before you start out

 

[Crackle]

Dunno but it's very good for treating road rash, just smear it on, Minouka honey is best.

I think Bonjy's scale sounds right, a bit like jam, will give you a quick hit but leave you feeling worse after.

 

[Crackle]

We need FF again (I know he's reading this )

 

[Renard]

The thing about a lot of the proprietry 'energy' formulas is that they don't read much different from the ingredients list on normal foods. A lot of it is marketing IMO.

 

[Fab Foodie]

We need FF again (I know he's reading this )

damn... you've found me out!

Not my area of expertise really and I can't fully answer Noodleys question, but a quick google reveals that Honey is about 80% a mixed bag of simple sugars:

Typical Honey Analysis
Fructose: 38%
Glucose: 31%
Sucrose: 1%
Water: 17%
Other sugars: 9% (maltose, melezitose)
Ash: 0.17%

What is the amount of calorie in honey? Does honey contain more calories than table sugar?
One tablespoon of honey has 64 calories, and one tablespoon of sugar has 46 calories. (Or has 22 calories in one teaspoon of honey versus 16 calories in one teaspoon of table sugar.) While the amount of calorie in honey is more, we actually use less of it since it is sweeter than table sugar. And for many people, honey is still a preferred healthier choice because of its vitamins and minerals that can aid in digestion, and its anti-oxidants which can also bring health benefits.

Honey contains the same basic sugar units as table sugar -- glucose and fructose. Granulated table sugar, or sucrose, has glucose and fructose hooked together, whereas in honey, fructose and glucose remain in individual units. Fructose is sweeter than glucose, which is one of the reasons fructose is used in so many food products today. However, fructose does not convert to energy as efficiently as glucose. As a result, processed foods containing granulated sugar high in fructose convert to fat stores more easily than honey. Honey, a natural sweetener, has only one processing step involved – heating to prevent crystallization and yeast fermentation during storage, whereas, table sugar is highly processed

Reading around suggests that Honey's energy release is slower than table sugar and is fairly low GI. Potentially a good thing. Energy bars are glucose and maltodextrin rich which are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.... also potentially a good thing!

Back in the old days we used home made energy drinks from diluted fruit juice, a spoonful of honey and a tiny pinch of salt.
There's no good reason not to use honey, it just doesn't come in convenient packets with a lot of marketing on the outside.

I guess use at about the same weight as you'd use an energy gel... but on really nice wholemeal bread!

 

[Noodley]

....it just doesn't come in convenient packets...I guess use at about the same weight as you'd use an energy gel...

Thanks guys.

I find gels and energy drinks give me bad cramps, they always have no matter how long I persevere. I was thinking of alternatives and was thinking of honey as an option to give me some energy boost when required.

I found these bottles:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17064

which look like they would be convenient means of taking honey with me on a ride. I'm doing my first ride in almost 8 weeks this weekend and shall give it a go to see how it works....it might be a long 100 miles!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks guys.

I find gels and energy drinks give me bad cramps, they always have no matter how long I persevere. I was thinking of alternatives and was thinking of honey as an option to give me some energy boost when required.

I found these bottles:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17064

which look like they would be convenient means of taking honey with me on a ride. I'm doing my first ride in almost 8 weeks this weekend and shall give it a go to see how it works....it might be a long 100 miles!

IIRC, the cramps are from the Maltodextrin in energy gels, you should not have that issue with honey. I like the bottles, neat idea, hope they don't get too sticky! Have a good ride!

 

[Noodley]

IIRC, the cramps are from the Maltodextrin in energy gels, you should not have that issue with honey. I like the bottles, neat idea, hope they don't get too sticky! Have a good ride!

Thanks FF.

And if I fall off (or anyone else does) I have the medicinal powers of honey to cover any wounds

 

[Jim_Noir]

One of my Dogs is diabetic, so I have loads of Glucogel kicking around. I noticed the other day in the gym a body builder taking a tube of it, asked him if he was ok as I thought he was diabetic and taking a hypo. But no turns out he takes it as an boost when training... he also injects insulin twice a day to help out! So maybe try some Glucogel.

 

[Bill Gates]

For any ride over 1.5 hours I take with me a bottle of home made energy drink consisting of a mix of Lemon Barley squash, half a drink bottle of cranberry juice, 3 large spoonfuls of honey topped up with water.

I've tried sports drinks and gels and do not notice any discernible difference to energy levels during riding. When it comes to cost and the taste then no contest. Home made everytime.

 

[jimboalee]

What they never tell you on the honey jar label is how much Bee puke is in it.

Incidentally, and I'm sure I've mentioed this before, but I will again so bear with me.
On the table were 8 squeezy bottles of honey. One each for the riders.
At the end of breakfast, all 8 bottles were empty.

So if its good enough for Lance, it'll be good enough for us.

 

[jimboalee]

Alex Zulle swigged back glucose syrup out of plastic screwtop bottles just before a climb.

He's 6' 1" and weighed around 70 kg in race trim. That is a BMI of 20 for a bloke who had giant leg muscles ??

 

[Crackle]

What they never tell you on the honey jar label is how much Bee puke is in it.

As quotes go that's up there with the best

Interested to hear how you get on Noodley. As for the road rash, it really does work. Have used it on the kids rashes lots of times, mixed up with stuff like tea tree and smeared on under a wet wrap if poss. I was sceptical at first but it does seem to work. Perhaps it's the bee puke.