Best Energy Gel Alternatives for Ultramarathons – Dried Mango and Watermelon


Why is dried mango a great energy gel alternative?

 

 

Dried mangoes satisfy several criteria for ultramarathon fueling: delicious, energy- and nutrient-rich, and easy to carry.

 

What is dried mango? Tropical deliciousness

Mango is a tropical fruit from the stone fruit family. It’s a major commercial crop in Southeast Asia and very popular worldwide due to its sweet, delightful flavor.

Dried mango is the dehydrated version of the fresh fruit. Although some of the mango’s nutrients are lost during drying, dried mango is still a great source of calories and carbohydrates.

While many dried fruits no longer taste like the original fruit (raisins, dried cranberry, for example), dried mango retains the deliciousness in a less messy form.

 

Dried mango nutrition

100 g of dried mango provides the following:

314 calories
81 g carbohydrates, of which 75 g are from sugar and 5 g are dietary fiber
2.45 g protein
1.18 g fat
454 mg potassium
29 g calcium
162 mg sodium
55 mog vitamin A
16.1 mg vitamin C

Dried mango packs a serious punch when it comes to calories and carbohydrates. For your reference: a standard GU energy gel is 32 g and provides 100 calories and 22 g of carbohydrates.

33 g (a third of 100 g) of dried mangoes provide 105 calories and 27 g of carbohydrates and a variety of micro-nutrients – a very decent carbohydrate-to-weight ratio.

 

Easy to bring along and consume

As pointed out in the above section, dried mango delivers energy without weighing you down. Many brands package their dried mangoes in a ziplock bag. Run, open the bag, eat a few pieces, and then zip it back up for later. No fuss, no mess. You can also repackage the dried mangoes in smaller baggies to avoid bringing the whole retail package.

Here’s a friendly tip: Dried mangoes are on the chewy side of the texture spectrum, and depending on the brand, they might come in big pieces.

It’s a solid food containing dietary fiber, so it reacts slower than energy gels. But you can make consumption easier. Pre-cut into smaller portions, chew thoroughly and enjoy it. Yummy food equals good mood equals good performance.



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