SiS vs. Maurten vs. Huma, Energy Gels with Stomach-Friendly Reputations

Huma Original – all-natural ingredients, including chia seeds

Does the source of sugars matter? There are two schools:

1. Sugar is sugar. Your body will metabolize it into glycogen regardless of the source.
2. Natural over artificial. The production process of synthetic carbohydrates differs from how nature does it. Your body may react less favorably to artificial ingredients, so nutrients from natural sources are more bioavailable and healthier.

As the self-proclaimed best-selling, all-natural energy gel, Huma certainly epitomizes the latter. The company calls its products the stomach happy gels, incorporating only natural ingredients, including the popular superfood chia seeds. Its core marketing message? Natural ingredients are the gentlest on our digestive system.

Here’s the ingredient list and nutritional facts of one of its flavors.

The carbohydrate sources are fruit puree (fructose), cane sugar (sucrose), and brown rice syrup (glucose), sugar from natural sources as advertised. The energy gel also provides 1-2 g of dietary fiber, which should theoretically slow sugar absorption, help you avoid big blood sugar spikes and crashes, and make it easier on your digestive system.

What are the pros and cons of Huma Orginal energy gel?

Let’s start with the good. Pros:

• We tested Huma Original in a 25 km progression session and can attest that it delivered consistent energy.
• It has a light, fruity flavor that’s good for hotter temperatures. The product series includes eight flavors for a nice variety.
• There was no notable “surge” after intake, which I used to think was a bad thing, but I have since learned that surges are likely associated with a spike in blood sugar. What goes up must come down. I now much prefer a stable, slower-reacting fueling experience.

Cons:

1. The sachet is big since it’s a 40+ g energy gel. Make sure it fits in your fuel-carrying gears.
2. This is not a real con, but I thought it’s gimmicky. While the company doesn’t specify how much chia seeds are used, the superfood is listed fourth or fifth on the ingredient lists. I don’t know if there are enough to be genuinely beneficial.
3. Due to the milled chia seeds, the gel seems to have a bit of oil. So pay attention to expiration dates and store them in cool environments.

Maurten Gel 100 – the pioneer of hydrogel

This relatively young brand was founded with the mission of solving gastrointestinal distress. According to Maurten, carbohydrates encapsulated in a hydrogel can bypass the stomach to the intestines, where they can be absorbed faster without causing gastrointestinal distress.

The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract (mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus), liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Each organ moves food and fluids along, processes food and drinks into absorbable components, or distributes nutrients to various parts of the body. 

By skipping the stomach, Maurten simplified the absorption protocol to eliminate some possible complications during digestion. We have tested Maurten Gel 100 extensively in a mountain ultra, marathons, and workouts, as well as the brand’s Drink Mix, if you are interested in learning more.

Here are the ingredients and nutritional facts of Maurten Gel 100

• Water
• Glucose
• Fructose
• Calcium Carbonate
• Gluconic acid
• Sodium Alginate

40 g sachet provides the following:

• 100 calories
• Carbohydrate 25 g
• Fat 0 g
• Protein 0 g
• Sodium 35 mg
• Calcium 21.6 mg

Many energy gels in the market consist of at least ten to twenty ingredients with added flavoring, preservatives, and other nutrients. Looking at Maurten’s six listed ingredients, it’s pretty much just sugar, salt, and thickeners.

What are the pros and cons of Maurten Gel 100?

Pros:

• I give Maurten Gel 100 two thumbs up regarding taste and consistency. Instead of adding more flavoring, Maurten provides a neutral taste that made its energy gels more tasteless and less sweet. Due to the hydrogel, the texture is like a not quite completely set jello.
• 100 calories and 25 g of carbohydrates, a generous dose of energy
• The milder taste makes it easier to consume multiple packs without taste fatigue.

Cons:

• It’s pricey. The cost could add up if you use it regularly for training. USD 43.5 for a box of 12 Gel100 and USD 50 for a box of Caf100.
• Despite all the technological bells and whistles, there was no noticeable “feelings” compared with other gels regarding energy delivery. But it did its job, providing consistent energy without bad taste and stomach issues.