Our Favorite GU Energy Gels Reviewed
Brian Price
We’ve compiled a list of the best GU energy gels that are sure to give you that little extra punch while running. They are packed with nutrients, amino acids, and carbohydrates that assist in reducing fatigue and muscle damage while increasing your endurance. If you’re new to energy gels or just want a better way to carb-load, check out our custom criteria to see how we selected the best GU energy gels and to learn more about energy gel in general.
In a Hurry? The test winner after 17 hrs of research
Caffeine, sodium, potassium
Original formula
Amino acids to reduce fatigue
Portable packets
24 or 8 count available
Less sweet than other flavors
Dual source energy
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Tri Berry -
Vanilla Bean
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Sea Salt Chocolate
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Roctane Pineapple
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Chocolate Outrage
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Strawberry Kiwi
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Vanilla Orange
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Mandarin Orange
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Blueberry Pomegranate
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Assorted Flavor
- Criteria Used for Evaluation
- Other Factors to Consider
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
Our Favorite GU Energy Gels
1. Tri Berry
Caffeine, sodium, potassium
Original formula
Amino acids to reduce fatigue
Portable packets
24 or 8 count available
Less sweet than other flavors
Dual source energy
Taste will vary by user
The Tri Berry energy gel is for those who need some extra fuel with a mild taste and easy delivery.
Read moreEnergy
With two great sources of energy in each packet, the Tri Berry energy gel is part of the original GU energy gel line. It’s perfect for routine workouts and short runs.
Nutrition
Each packet contains 450mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, 20mg of caffeine, and at least 21g total carbs. Tri Berry is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
Many of the flavors from GU pack a sweet punch, but the Tri Berry energy gel strikes a good balance, lending just enough flavor to make the gel palatable without being overly sweet or overpowering.
Cost
Compared to other gels on our list, this one is about the same if not slightly cheaper and is available in both the 24 count pack and the 8 count pack.
2. Vanilla Bean
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Decreases chances of muscle damage.
Taste will vary by user
Contains Caffeine
Gu Vanilla Bean energy gel allows for a steady amount of energy instead of a huge sugar rush followed by a crash.
Read moreEnergy
This GU Vanilla Bean energy gel is best used when taken 5 minutes before your run, and every 45 minutes during it. It is typically used for longer runs.
Nutrition:
It has 20mg of caffeine. Each packet contains 450mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, and at least 21g total carbs. Vanilla Bean is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
Most reviewers liked the taste of the Vanilla Bean GU energy gel flavor, which a very small amount of users claiming it to be chalky.
Cost
The price per 24 pack is much more cost efficient and will be of great value.
3. Sea Salt Chocolate
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Extra caffeine, sodium, and potassium
Dual energy source
Sweet flavor
Added amino acids for extra endurance
Taste may for each user
The GU Sea Salt Chocolate Roctane energy gels are strong enough to get you through your most intense routines and runs while being easy to carry and having a great taste.
Read moreEnergy
The Sea Salt Chocolate energy gels have a little more caffeine kick and are packed with nutrients that help deliver long endurance energy. This gel is part of the Roctane line of energy gels and offers great extra fuel for longer runs or more intense workouts.
Nutrition
Each packet contains 1425 mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, 35 grams of caffeine, and at least 21g total carbs. Sea Salt Chocolate is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
People who love the Sea Salt Chocolate say it’s because of the true chocolate taste and the subtle salt flavor. It’s sweet and rich and will make this easy energy delivery feel like a treat.
Cost
The cost is comparable to other gels on our list, although these are only available in the 24 count pack, so you’ll have to make a bit of an initial investment.
4. Roctane Pineapple
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Dual fuel source
Fruity taste
Sodium, Potassium, and amino acids added
No caffeine
Taste may vary for each user
Flavor a little pricey
The Pineapple energy gel is a fruity fuel option from GU that is sure to keep you going through marathons and intense workouts.
Read moreEnergy
This energy gel is part of the Roctane line from GU which means it has a little extra in the way of additives to give you even more fuel for longer runs and more intense workouts. Unlike other Roctane options, however, there’s no caffeine.
Nutrition
Pineapple is a great caffeine-free option that also contains 125mg Sodium, 55mg Potassium, and 1425mg of amino acids. This helps with mental fatigue and muscle recovery.
Taste
If you like citrus the Pineapple energy gel flavor makes a great alternative to your typical lemon or lime taste. It’s comparable to the fruity flavor of sweet gummy candies.
Cost
This flavor is more expensive than the other flavors on our list and is only available in a 24 count pack. It’s definitely worth the initial investment and is sure to be one of your favorite ways to carb-load during a big run.
5. Chocolate Outrage
Anti-oxidents
Ginger to relax the stomach
Dense fructose
Helps reduce inflammation
Boosts energy when needed
Ok for those who prefer caffeine
Runners are looking for a supplement which allows them to meet the energy demands created by challenging runs which are often over a long time period.
This Chocolate Orange Gel serves for reducing psychological fatigue resulting from challenging activity, greatly decreases the potential for muscle damage and enables an athlete to give maximum performance.
Read moreEnergy
The packet gives calories at 100%, dense fructose and maltodex (carbohydrates) which results in energy.
A sound hydration is balanced through the inclusion of a primary electrolyte in the form of sodium, decreased potential for muscle damage through amino acids such as valine, leucine and isoleucine.
Nutrition
Caffeine although a stimulant can also be regarded as a conceptual nutrient when it is combined with nutrients which serve to maintain high levels of glucose while fighting the effects of free radicals through the addition of camomile (anti-oxidants) which can reduce the potential of inflammation.
Taste
This combination of energy giving ingredients are topped of with tasty orange flavor.
Cost
The cost is standard among energy gels, affordable.
6. Strawberry Kiwi
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Caffeine Free
Taste varies by user
Looking for a GU energy gel that will boost your endurance without all the caffeine, you might want to give the Strawberry Kiwi flavor a try.
Read moreEnergy
This GU Strawberry Kiwi energy gel is best used when taken 5 minutes before your run, and every 45 minutes during it. It is typically used for longer runs.
Nutrition:
It has zero grams of caffeine. Each packet contains 1425 mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, and at least 21g total carbs. Strawberry Kiwi is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
Although taste is a preference, most reviewers liked the taste of the Most reviewers liked the taste of the Strawberry Kiwi GU energy gel flavor, with a very small amount of users claiming to not like the flavor.
Cost
The price per 24 pack is much more cost efficient and will be of great value.
7. Vanilla Orange
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Extra caffeine, sodium, and potassium
Dual energy source
Sweet flavor
Added amino acids for extra endurance
Taste varies by user
The Vanilla Orange energy gel is a sweet way to pack on energy for those who need that extra boost on especially long runs.
Read moreEnergy
The Vanilla Orange energy gel is part of the Roctane line from GU. It is a little more heavy duty than the original and has caffeine content, so it’s typically used for longer runs or more intense workouts.
Nutrition
Each packet contains 1425 mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, 35 grams of caffeine, and at least 21g total carbs. Vanilla Orange is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
Although taste is a preference, most reviewers liked the taste of the Vanilla Orange energy gel, claiming it tasted like a creamsicle or orange soda. If you could use a sweet pick me up during your run, take this flavor for a spin.
Cost
It’s available in a 24 count which is a larger investment initially but is comparable to most of the other options on our list. Buying in bulk also saves you money in the long run.
8. Mandarin Orange
Great taste with fruity Mandarin Orange
Gluten Free
Use before and during a race to maintain energy level
Caffeine for added energy boost
Easy to carry
Not for runners if they prefer caffeine free gels
Delicious tangy mandarin taste.
A good performance gel (energy food) to keep you going through training or long challenging runs, don’t drop your pace and you can eat this while still on the move.
Packed with nutritious fuel and round off with ginger which will gently sooth your stomach, check out this good and proven gel with it’s specialized formula for carbohydrates. Works nicely with recovery time products for runners.
Read moreEnergy
This gel contains a combination of high level nutrients in doses which work together to maintain the bodies glucose level so that performance energy remains constant and fatigue is kept at bay.
Caffeine a known stimulant will give that needed boost as and when needed.
This gel is produced as gluten free.
Nutrient
For a good combination of nutrients you get calcium, vitamin E, Vitamin C, Potassium, sodium, citric acid, sea salt, chamomile to sooth the stomach, cola nut, paprika, ginger, GU anti-oxident blend, filtered water just to mention the basics.
When ingesting this gel it can be followed up with a drink of water, the sachets can be taken just before a long run and during a long run to maintain a balanced energetic performance and contributes towards a nice recovery time.
Taste
Great taste with fruity Mandarin Orange.
Cost.
Nice on the running budget and you get energy in return
9. Blueberry Pomegranate
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Taste May very with user
Looking for a GU energy gel that will boost your endurance, you might want to give the Blueberry Pomegranate flavor a try.
Read moreEnergy
It has 35 grams of caffeine. Each packet contains 1425 mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, and at least 21g total carbs. Blueberry Pomegranate is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
Although taste is a preference, most reviewers liked the taste of the Blueberry Pomegranate GU energy gel flavor, with a very small amount of users claiming to not like the flavor.
Cost
The price per 24 pack is much more cost efficient and will be of great value.
10. Assorted Flavor
Portable packets
Packed with nutrients
Loaded with carbohydrates
Reduces mental fatigue
Caffeine & Non-Caffeine flavors
Taste will vary by user
It might be a good idea to try an assorted flavor pack so that you can find out which flavors you like best.
Read moreEnergy
This GU Tastefully Nude energy gel is best used when taken 5 minutes before your run, and every 45 minutes during it. It is typically used for longer runs.
Nutrition:
Caffeine varies by flavor. Each packet contains 450mg of Amino acids, 100 calories, and at least 21g total carbs. Tastefully Nude is filled with carbohydrates that can be absorbed quickly. It also contains amino acids that help limit muscle fiber damage, increase your speed of recovery, and it has electrolytes that help maintain your water balance.
Taste
Taste will vary by user. Assorted flavors is a great way to figure out which flavors you will like best. Flavors include: Vanilla Orange, Cherry Lime, Lemonade and 6 packets each of Blueberry/Pomegranate, and Strawberry Kiwi.
Cost
The price per 24 pack is much more cost efficient and will be of great value, plus you get to try lots of flavors.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Taste
While ingesting a product like this is all about enhancing performance, if it tastes good or even great that's a huge bonus. If this wasn't an important factor then GU wouldn't go to the trouble of spending tons of money in research and development to create the 29 different flavors of GU Energy Gels and Roctane Energy Gels that they have. 29 different flavors! Yes, we know that's a lot to choose from, so we scoured the internet and considered over 1400 reviews from real-world users to find the 9 best ones. The 10th is a variety pack because we feel that it's important to be able to give you different options and we loved that one of the options was an option with a ton of different options! Still with us? Good. Yes, we tested and tasted some of the flavors ourselves, but since taste is such a subjective thing we considered actual user reviews and weighted them more highly than our own opinions because they represent a wider variety of tastes and come from people from all different walks of life. Because of this, we feel that this list is a good and true representation of the 10 actual best flavors and not just our admittedly limited opinion.
Flavors
With this criteria we look at whether or not the stated flavor actually tastes like what it's supposed to. Sure, it could say Strawberry-Banana, but does it actually taste like strawberries and bananas? Most likely you've tried a food product that was supposed to taste like something but in actuality it didn't really resemble the real-life food all that much and was probably way too sweet. For the most part we found that GU does a good job of creating products that taste like what their labeled as, but like with everything else some options taste more true to life than others and we reflected this in its rating.
Side Effects
You'd think that even though each product on our list is made by the same company and for the same purpose that they all react the same inside your body. During our research, however, we found that different people reacted differently to different flavors so we wanted to make sure this was reflected in the ratings for each product. This was fairly tedious work to do, as it meant we had to scour and consider a ton of different reviews to find the information. But in the end, we think it was worth it because it means you, our valued readers, are getting the most accurate information about how each of the products on this list can and will affect your most important possession, your body. The most common side effect that energy gels cause is known as gut rot, which is a combination of nausea, bloating, cramping, and diarrhea. The science behind this is complicated, but basically what happens is that sugar loves water and energy gels contain a lot of sugar, which can pull water out of your cells and cause the side effects mentioned above. But fear not! By drinking 11 oz. or more of water along with your energy gel these negative side effects can be neutralized and you'll most likely be able to realize the positive effects of GU energy gels without the negative ones. Every person's system is different, however, and we highly recommend experimenting with different gels and amounts of water, especially if you're going to be using them as an energy source during a race.
Product Purity
Some of the products on this list contain caffeine, which can be a benefit to some and a detriment to others, depending on each person's unique bodily systems, when they take the gel, and what their goals are when they ingest it. Caffeine is best known for its energy boosting properties, but it has also been shown to increase mental sharpness and acuity as well as make the carbohydrates in the gel be more readily absorbed by your body. Additionally, caffeine has been shown to decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, throat cancer, and has many other benefits as well. If you're a marathon runner, however, be aware that too much caffeine late in a race, after mile 20 usually, can cause your body to override it's natural inclination to slow down and lessen performance in order to prevent causing itself harm. While this may sound good in theory if you're trying to set a new personal record or simply finish a long race, your body has these natural governors in place for a reason, and ingesting caffeine late in a race may help you keep up a high pace during the finish, but that high pace at that stage of the race can also cause your body a lot of harm and make it harder for you to recover. In the end, we believe in moderation in everything, and if you're truly serious about using caffeine as a way to boost your performance in a marathon length or longer endurance race above and beyond what an energy gel gives you we highly recommend you do more research on the subject as it's too complicated and scientific to go into in this forum and your health and well being is one thing we don't recommend outsourcing to others, no matter how much you trust the source.
Expert Interviews & Opinions
Taste Flavors Side Effects Product Purity 
GU (pronounced “goo”) is a company started by a biophysicist from Berkley who was looking to create a better way for his daughter who is an ultra-marathon runner, to get energy while running. It’s the company that started it all and is still one of the leading brands of energy gels for runners to choose from.
You need to take energy gels with water so your body can properly absorb and digest the gels. This will help with any possible stomach issues while running. Seriously, drink at least 11 oz. of water anytime you take an energy gel, and don't substitute an energy drink for the water as that would be too much sugar for your body to absorb at one time and may cause your insulin to spike and end up resulting in a sugar crash and leave you with even less energy than you had before.
Other Factors to Consider
Bottom Line
Runners spoke, and we listened. They don’t want to mix powders, measure fluids, or worry about pounding carbs before they run for the energy they need to go the distance. However, we wanted to make sure that there wasn’t a sacrifice on performance to gain convenience. Testers were more than pleased with the positive gains they achieved with GU Energy Gels, and they were happy they give the supplement a serious consideration.
We went through a metric ton of user feedback and recommendations when searching for the best energy gels, and we determined that the original innovator, GU, has the best chance of working for you. Time and time again, we found that the company’s proprietary formula seems to have the right mixture to delivery energy effectively to marathon runners and endurance athletes. It’s important to note what type of activities the testers reported during their use to determine the best match for what is expected from the product.
Frequently Asked Questions
q: Why are energy gels becoming so popular?
There are a bunch of reasons. Every athlete can work and train to up their personal level of endurance but no matter what level he or she reaches it is human nature to push yourself to your limits in a competitive event. It's like running towards the distant horizon, you never actually reach it, there is always further to go and athletes train to increase personal endurance but they find if they regularly compete that there is always room to further increase a personal level of stamina.
Any method to go that extra mile faster and efficiently and better than those you are competing against must be worthy of trying. Gels give the option to boost your performance regardless of how you fit you actually are but the boost is temporary so your timing to use them needs to be an exact judgment because you are taking your body beyond its general stamina or endurance level and the effect of the gel will wear of because it is temporary.
Most of us have very little understanding of which types of foods and in which portions and combinations we can eat to get this quick acting short-term boost but the makers of gels put in a lot of professional work and testing to ensure these factors are in exactly the correct balance. Therefore they do the thinking for us, they package what we need into a convenient method for quick consumption and a very quick effect, this is why these gels are becoming ever increasingly popular, they work at those important moments when we need them.
q: Can I just eat some almonds, apples, or a bunch of pasta for my next marathon?
Not if you need high-quality carbohydrates that will work most effectively for your long-term running. Here’s the main point: empty calories are your enemy, and not are a healthy way to prepare for a marathon. These energy gels have about 100 calories and give you the carbs you need without anything that you don’t need.
Having said that, we are talking about the gels being a way to access 100% energy-rich food which digests very quickly into the body and gives you a boost of stamina and energy. If you were to consult a dietician it is certain that they could advise a diet which you could follow in the days building up to a race and this diet combined with training would be another way to improve your endurance and stamina but though dieticians are excellent you need to keep in mind that they will charge a fee.
If you are very regularly competing in physically demanding races at a professional level diet is a very important factor. If you occasionally enter a marathon run then the energy gels are a perfect alternative to get needed energy at exactly the time you choose to need it.
q: Sodium isn’t great when eating, why is it great for a marathon?
Sodium is the primary electrolyte lost in sweat. Additionally, it aids in hydration by maintaining proper water balance. This is such a crucial part of any type of endurance training that it should be a top priority when selecting a nutritional supplement.
When running a challenging race you are going to sweat and when you sweat you lose salt and that salt works towards maintaining a healthy balance for your body so the more you lose the more your balanced body functionality is impacted. Replacing the loss of sodium keeps the body's functionality in check which also means your body is more up to the task of taking on any enduring challenges. If you lose too much sodium and your electrolyte balance gets adversely affected there will be a gradual string of additional complications both physically and mentally.
q: How often should I eat GU Energy during a marathon?
According to user feedback and testers, for a marathon, you want to eat a packet every thirty to forty-five minutes. The human body can digest about 350 calories an hour, so figure that two single serving one hundred calorie packs will be exactly what you need. They will start to work immediately to make sure that you keep an eye on your time.
Each product will carry instructions indicating the amount you can consume and how often and these instructions are designed to be exactly right for those in a competitive or challenging activity but after the activity it is a good idea to switch back to natural food sources to maintain your body and only use the energy gels for the purpose for which they are made.
If you make the gels part of your daily regular diet they are good for getting energy but they do lack other things which we get naturally from our daily natural foods and in order to maintain a healthy body we are dependent on natural rather than manufactured food sources. Like all foods, it is important that we consume them in context.
Sources
- , Runner’s World, Running Website
- , Competitor, Running Website
- , Runners Connect, Running Blog
- , Roctane energy gels the Roctane difference,
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