Analytics Don't Lie: Best Running Energy Gels By Ingredient Quality

You know the saying: fueling strategies are like opinions, everyone's got one. Or something like that. With the proliferation of energy gels on the market, each with its own claims on ingredient quality, performance efficacy and ease of digestion, it's hard to know which way is up. Here at Supwell, we prioritize quality nutrition, so we analyzed the 10 most popular running gels on the market and ranked them from best to worst based on their ingredient list. 

Top Energy Gels for Running Based on Ingredient Quality

Quick note before we get started: it's impossible to know what the best gel is for you without trying a few, as each of our bodies processes the ingredients differently—for example, some people's bodies respond well to maltodextrin, the highly processed quick-digesting carb, while others don't. You can use this analysis to help narrow your list and save a few bucks on your Amazon order (and hopefully a few mid-run trips to the bathroom as well). Here are the 10 most popular energy gels for running ranked worst to first based on their ingredient quality.

The Stragglers: Numbers 8 to 10

These gels are subpar, using low-quality carbohydrate sources, preservatives and other additives.

10. GU Energy Gel

GU slides into the tenth spot as the worst energy gel based on ingredient quality. It had the most number of ingredients of all the contenders at 18. It's formulated with maltodextrin as the main carbohydrate source for energy and also uses preservatives (sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate). However, the stuff works, as GU is basically synonymous with "energy gel" due to its prevalence at road races across America; it's the most popular gel on this list by far, with nearly three times as much consumer interest as the second most popular (Clif).

• Popularity: 1 of 10 (most popular)‍
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 22 grams (T-6th of 10)
• GU Jet Blackberry Energy Gel Ingredients: Maltodextrin, Water, Fructose, Natural Flavors, Leucine, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Green Tea (Leaf) Extract (Contains Caffeine), Potassium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Valine, Sea Salt, Malic Acid, Gellan Gum, Isoleucine, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative). 
• Number of Ingredients: 18 (10th most of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? Yes
• Preservatives? Yes
• Other Additives? Yes

9. Hammer Energy Gel

Hammer Energy Gel uses maltodextrin as its key energy source. It also has preservatives and additives like cultured dextrose, ascorbic acid and malic acid. Of the 10 gels we analyzed, it had the second highest number of ingredients at 16. However, 4 of these ingredients are the added amino acids L-Leucine, L-Alanine, L-Valine and L-Isoleucine, which are meant to boost performance. Bottom line is that while Hammer might be effective for you if your body tolerates maltodextrin well and you like the added amino acids, it also has preservatives and additives.

• Popularity: 10 of 10 (least popular)
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 22 grams (T-6th of 10)
• Hammer Energy Gel Ingredients: Maltodextrin, Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Energy Smart® (Grape Juice, Rice Dextrin), Cultured Dextrose, Cinnamon, Ascorbic Acid, Vanilla Extract, Malic Acid, Potassium Carbonate, Salt, L-Leucine, L-Alanine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine.
• Number of Ingredients: 16 (9th most of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? Yes
• Preservatives? Yes
• Other Additives? Yes

8. Sis Energy Gel

Like Hammer and GU, Sis is made with maltodextrin and has added preservatives. Sis also uses the intentionally vague "natural flavors" label instead of disclosing the actual flavoring. None of the key ingredients are whole foods–based, so Sis slots in toward the bottom of our list.

• Popularity: 4th of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 22 grams (T-6th of 10)
• Sis Apple Energy Gel Ingredients: WATER, MALTODEXTRIN (FROM MAIZE) (33%), GELLING AGENTS (GELLAN GUM, XANTHAN GUM), NATURAL FLAVOURING, ACIDITY REGULATORS (CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE), PRESERVATIVES (SODIUM BENZOATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE), SWEETENER (ACESULFAME K), SODIUM CHLORIDE, ANTIOXIDANT (ASCORBIC ACID)
• Number of Ingredients: 12 (8th most of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? Yes
• Preservatives? Yes

Middle of the Pack: Numbers 7 to 4

This is the turning point in the list, as ingredient quality starts to get better.

7. Clif Bloks

Clif Bloks is the only energy supplement on this list that's not a gel—it's a chewable gummy. We chose to include it here because of its popularity (#2 of 10) and because Clif's energy gel was discontinued. Clif Bloks are made with maltodextrin and also have some ingredients sourced from whole foods, like carrot juice and blueberry juice. They use cane sugar instead of a more processed sweetener and have minimal preservatives. They're middle of the pack for number of ingredients, tied for 6th most.

• Popularity: 2nd of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 24 grams (T-3rd of 10)
• Clif Bloks Black Cherry Ingredients: TAPIOCA SYRUP*, CANE SUGAR*, MALTODEXTRIN*, PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, CARROT AND BLUEBERRY JUICE (FOR COLOR), POTASSIUM CITRATE, SEA SALT, SUNFLOWER OIL*, CARNAUBA WAX*.
• Number of Ingredients: 11 (T-6th most of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? Yes
• Preservatives? Yes

6. Ucan Energy Gel

Middle of the pack in both popularity and ingredient quality, this would be a good option for athletes who don't like maltodextrin but want a faster-digesting carbohydrate than the whole–foods based gels offer. With sponsored athletes like the great American marathoner Emma Bates, it's clear Ucan works. Instead of maltodextrin as its energy source, Ucan uses a proprietary corn starch called LIVSTEADY. There are some additives like thickening agents xanthan gum and cellulose gum, as well as the natural preservative lactic acid.

• ‍Popularity: 5th of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 19 grams (10th of 10)
• Ucan Orange Energy Gel Ingredients: Water, LIVSTEADY corn starch*, erythritol, glycerin, natural flavors, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, ascorbic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, potassium sorbate.
• Number of Ingredients: 11 (T-6th most of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? No
• Preservatives? Yes

5. Honey Stinger Energy Gel

The energy gel product from the iconic waffle brand, Honey Stinger breaks into the top 5 best energy gels with its tight ingredient list and focus on quality. Honey Stinger uses organic honey as its energy source, plus has electrolytes (potassium citrate and salt) and b vitamins to assist with performance. There are no added preservatives or extraneous ingredients. Note: this is the only gel on the list that isn't strictly vegan, as it contains honey.

• Popularity: 7th of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 24 grams (T-3rd of 10)
• Honey Stinger Gold Energy Gel Ingredients: Honey, Water, Potassium Citrate, Salt, Niacinamide (Vit B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vit B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit B6), Riboflavin (Vit B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vit B1), Cyanocobalamin (Vit B12).
• Number of Ingredients: 10 (5th least of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? No
• Preservatives? No

4. Huma Energy Gel

Huma is a chia-based energy gel that uses other whole foods ingredients like real berries and brown rice. While these are a house favorite at Supwell based on their performance, flavor and easy availability (Amazon same-day delivery for those of us who may need last-minute gels…), they don't crack the top 3 due to the stiff competition ahead. Namely, the one ding is that these have a preservative (citric acid), whereas the others ranked higher do not.

• Popularity: 6th of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 23 grams (T-5th of 10)
• Huma Strawberry Energy Gel Ingredients: Strawberries, Evaporated Cane Juice, Brown Rice Syrup, Filtered Water, Milled Chia Seeds, Strawberry Concentrate, Sea Salt, Citric Acid
• Number of Ingredients: 8 (T-3rd least of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? No
• Preservatives? Yes

The Lead Pack: Top 3 Running Gels

These gels are the best of the best based on what's inside. They have extremely tight ingredient lists, no preservatives and no other additives like food coloring or gellants.

3. Spring Energy Gel

Loved by everyone from your local running store owner to hybrid athlete, Youtube star and supplement company CEO Nick Bare, Spring Energy Gel isn't just a fan favorite; it's a verified top running gel based on its stellar ingredient quality. With basmati rice and yams as the key energy sources of the popular Awesome Sauce flavor, these gels pack a punch with 180 calories and 45 grams of carbohydrates—far above our sample average of 26.2 (coincidental, much? Also, for the nerds here, the standard deviation was 8.8). The only negative of Spring Energy Gels is finding a place to buy them; they're not on Amazon and are often sold out in stores.

• Popularity: 3rd of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 45 grams (1st of 10)
• Spring Awesome Sauce Energy Gel Ingredients: Organic Basmati Rice, Apple Juice, Organic Apple Sauce, Yams, Maple Syrup, Organic Lemon Juice, Sea Salt, Cinnamon Vanilla
• Number of Ingredients: 8 (T-3rd least of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? No
• Preservatives? No

2. Maurten Energy Gel

Maurten is the best-kept secret of the competitive endurance athlete world. It's what powers sub-2 hour marathoner Eliud Kipchoge and the ultra trail running legend Kilian Jornet. The ingredient list sounds more like a science experiment than food you'd want to put in your body, but each item on it has a tight performance-oriented mission: glucose and fructose for carbohydrate-based energy; sodium alginate (derived from algae) and calcium carbonate to form the gel structure which transports the carbs. Maurten claims that this unique "hydrogel" formulation of carbohydrates reduces the risk of gastrointestinal distress by bypassing the stomach and going straight to the intestines for faster absorption.

• Popularity: 8th of 10
• Carbohydrates per serving: 40 grams (2nd of 10)
• Maurten 100 Energy Gel Ingredients: Water, Glucose, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate, Gluconic acid, Sodium Alginate
• Number of Ingredients: 6 (T-1st fewest of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? No
• Preservatives? No

1. Muir Energy Gel

Muir's commitment to whole foods ingredients is impressive. There are only 6 ingredients in the mix—tied with Maurten for fewest—and all of them are recognizable and pronounable. They use real fruit as their carbohydrate energy source instead of maltodextrin. The one downside is that the carb load in a Muir gel isn't as high as others on the list at 21 grams per serving, ninth of the ten analzyed, so they may not be the best choice for athletes with higher nutritional needs. 

• Popularity: 9th of 10
• Carbohydrates Per Serving: 21 (9th of 10)
• Muir Pineapple Passionfruit Energy Gel Ingredients: Passionfruit, pineapple, banana, coconut palm nectar, blackstrap molasses, himalayan sea salt
• Number of Ingredients: 6 (T-1st fewest of 10 analyzed)
• Maltodextrin? No
• Preservatives? No

How We Analyzed the Market to Find Our Top 10: Methodology & Final Thoughts

To get our initial list we found the 10 most popular energy gels based on consumer interest, i.e., Google search data. We then looked at the ingredients of each gel, asking three questions: Is it made of entirely whole foods? Is it free from preservatives? Is it free from maltodextrin? We also looked at the number of ingredients in each gel, ranking gels with fewer ingredients higher on the list. 

For the sake of the analysis, we favored gels with free from maltrodextrin and with fewer preservatives. However, it's important to note that not all preservatives are bad across the board. Some, like potassium sorbate, are relatively harmless and play an important role in fending off bacteria like Salmonella.

Likewise, maltodextrin, while a highly processed ingredient, is also extremely effective at replenishing glycogen stores during workouts and delivering instant energy. As such, the gels on this list made with whole foods–based energy sources may not be as effective for you, and vice versa. In general, there are tradeoffs involved with fueling for performance vs eating for holistic health and wellness, so you may want to consider a gel with ingredients you wouldn't typically eat if it's going to give you performance benefits.