Veloforte’s natural nectars are easier to stomach than synthetic gels and can be added to water for an instant energy drink…

Veloforte Energy Gel

£29.99 for 15 – international delivery available, veloforte.com 

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Pros:

  • Real-food ingredients 
  • Compact and portable 
  • Slips down easily  

Cons:

  • Some challenging flavours 
  • Quite expensive  

Taste: 4/5
Energy: 4/5
Portability: 5/5
OVERALL: 4/5 

Almost as important as picking the right running shoe is choosing the best running gel. If you can’t stomach gloopy gels, Veloforte’s all-natural ‘nectars’ offer a completely different take on energy replenishment. They use simple, natural ingredients and are designed to be easier to swallow, fresher on the palate and lighter on the gut. 

Each compact 33g pouch packs a pretty standard 22g hit of carbs, along with added electrolytes to support hydration. You’d need three of these to hit that 60g carbs per hour recommended for most people. 

Veloforte energy gel consistency

If you’re used to regular gels, Veloforte’s almost-liquid consistency can take a bit of getting used to. It’s more like a syrup than a gel. It slips down more easily without water than thicker gels. However, the runny, cordial-like style of some flavours has a sweetness that leaves you wanting a drink to wash them down. 

The flipside to having a syrup rather than a thicker gel is that you can add this to water and make a carb drink, which is perfect if you want added energy in your drinks bottle.  

The all-natural flavours are interesting too, with interesting combinations like beetroot and lemon, cherry and guarana, and blackcurrant and elderflower. In testing, some of these took a little getting used to, but they’re a welcome antidote to the chemical faux flavours of many gels. The date, lime and ginger is a favourite: sweet but fresh and zingy. The beetroot was a bit more challenging. 

When I needed to take more than three or four gels in a single session, I found the Veloforte Energy Gels worked best when used every second or third gel, as a change of pace from other flavours. 

All Veloforte’s gels have added electrolytes, and there’s two caffeine options with 75mg of slow-acting caffeine from guarana for an extra mental energy boost. 

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