Serving:32g	~4 figs	Honey	GU	PyGmy sCröTs (Dried Figs) vs. Honey.vs. GU(Goo)
Calories	80	97	100
Total Fat	0.3g	0g	0g
Sodium	3mg	1mg	55mg
Potassium	218mg	17mg	45mg
Total Carb	19.73g	26.37g	25g
Sugars	16.8g	26.3g	5g
Protein	1.06g	0g	0g
Vitamin C	.4mg	.2mg	~82mg
Vitamin E	.11mg	NA	14mg
Calcium	52mg	2mg	2mg
Magnesium	22mg	1mg	NA

Over coffee at the end of a weekday morning group ride, I blurted it out;  “A GU could be a good source of quick fuel when you’re just about to get jack-bonked out.”

Shit!!  I was just thinking about the previous Saturday ride; 80 miles, no rest, no balls, no legs, no mud and no depth; there I was, feeling the need for a quick jolt of juice, near the end, when the personal package of pygmy-scrots had long gone empty.  F*#k! Let myself get caught off guard and simply blurted out “A GU could help.”  {I didn’t really believe it. The idea just came spewing out. Shit.}

As I’ve heartily promoted whole foods vs. engineered foods, I was instantly attacked for what appeared to be a conviction contradiction {cc} (the blah-blog counts as conviction these days).

In a perfect world you’re continuously consuming fuel and water but sometimes you lose track in the heat of the pace when a bit’o-suffering starts to set in.   Then, before you know it; blamo, you’re finished and need something QUICK.  Well, GU’s not it.  Hell no!  Damn, there are so many other quick fixes.

Consider honey for a quick jolt.  Look at those numbers. 

You’z not gonna find much potassium in honey but there are plenty of other good sources for that junk.  For that matter, GU hardly has any potassium.  Keep a banana in your pocket.  Gotta get back to basics when it comes to fuel.  The convenience of the packaging is what gave GU and all those other gel packs their appeal.  I’ve not read one single piece of evidence that there’s really anything worthwhile in those pack-o’squirts except the convenience.   Gotta get some convenience packaging for honey.  {Convenience, humph!  Convenience is gonna kill us. Love convenience. But you can create your own.}

Potassium: Potassium and sodium are essential dietary minerals and electrolytes. The term electrolyte refers to a substance that dissociates into ions (charged particles) in solution, making it capable of conducting electricity. Normal body function depends on tight regulation of potassium concentrations both inside and outside of cells. For equilibrium between these two minerals, it is recommended to consume from two to five times as much potassium as sodium.

Potassium in other common foods: (Surprised?)

Consider Trader Joe Trail Mix too:

• Simply the Best Trek Mix: roasted salted cashews, roasted salted almonds, dried pineapple, cranberries & tart cherries.
• Omega Trek Mix: cranberries, roasted salted almonds, walnuts, roasted pepitas, roasted salted pecans, dry roasted salted pistachios.

Sources:

• Balch, Phyllis A. “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.” Fourth Edition (Penguin Books, 2006).
• Minton, Barbara. “Balance Sodium with Potassium for Good Health.” (Natural News.com, October, 2008).
• USDA Nutritional Data Base: Visit Entryworks.com’s Nutrition Resource

ohh Quel Blurts Animaux!