Running News Daily

Could Potatoes be an alternative to energy Gels? Research has found potatoes have the same energy-boosting benefits as carbohydrate gels

Not a fan of energy carbohydrate gels? Struggle to stomach sweet sickly energy gels and tired of spending your hard-earned cash on them? Then, believe it or not, potatoes could be the answer! Scientists from the University of Illinois have found consuming potato puree during prolonged exercise works just as well as gels in sustaining blood glucose levels and boosting performance.

This means potato, in a puree form, could be a great savory alternative to sweet, sickly energy gels.

“Research has shown that ingesting concentrated carbohydrate gels during prolonged exercise promotes carbohydrate availability during exercise and improves exercise performance,” said Nicholas Burd, who led the research.

“Our study aim was to expand and diversify race-fuelling options for athletes and offset flavour fatigue.”

Potatoes are a promising alternative for athletes because they represent a cost-effective, nutrient-dense and whole-food source of carbohydrates,” the researchers reported in the Journal of Applied Physiology. “Furthermore, they serve as a savoury race fuel option when compared (with) the high sweetness of (carbohydrate) gels.”

The study monitored 12 active people who cycled an average of 165 miles a week, who either consumed just water, a commercially available carbohydrate gel or an equivalent amount of carbohydrates obtained from potatoes.