tags: #publish links: [[Recipes]], [[Nutrition and Diet]], [[Running Resources]] created: 2022-01-26 Wed --- # Maltodextrin sports nutrition gel recipe A far cheaper alternative to commercial gels - like 1/8 the cost, and less than an hour to make a big batch that lasts me for a few months of long runs and races. The other advantage is they don't have all the random extra ingredients, preservatives and fillers that commercial gels do, so you may find them easier to digest. Maltodextrin powder is the main ingredient - I buy 3kg bags of it from a sports supplements retailer, it's pretty cheap. Note: this stuff is carb-dense and concentrated. A 110-125ml gel flask is about the same as 3x commercial gel sachets. A flask should last you an hour and a half of hard racing - consume them quicker than that and your gut won't keep up. While malto requires less water than any other carbohydrate for your gut to absorb it, you *do* need to drink water along with these, or you're going to have a bad time. Sip the gel every 10 mins or so and drink a few mouthfuls of water with it. ## Ingredients Maltodextrin powder 1360g Water 1500ml Salt 5g (aids absorption, replaces some salt lost through sweat) Citric acid 3.5g (preservative + sharpens flavour) *optional* Pectin 9.6g (thickener) Makes enough for approx 18x 110-115ml gel flasks. ### Flavourings Malto on its own is not actually that sweet, yet a little sickly. Pick some of the following to add whichever sugars you want, or experiment: **Maple syrup** - sugar content is 100% sucrose - 5-8g/flask. 32g / 460ml = 4 flasks, mid sweetness. **Agave syrup** - 50-90% fructose, rest is glucose - 5-10g/flask **Apple or pear syrup (concentrated juice)** - 8g/flask. 32g / 460ml = 4 flasks, as strong as you want it (syrup brings some acidity). **Cherry juice concentrate** ### Other additives Guarana powder works well as a caffeinator - 3g per flask is enough to make a fairly strong caffeinated gel, estimated around 100mg caffeine per flask. It is rather strong flavoured and earthy - you may or may not like the taste :D *optional* Choline 4.2g for the full batch above - ## Method Use boiling water. Put the maltodextrin in a large saucepan, add the water, heat on medium then low heat and stir with a fork until fully dissolved. This will take some time, it's a reasonably saturated solution. Add the salt and citric acid, stir in. For the pectin - do not add all in one go, as it will easily form lumps. Stir the mix continuously and sprinkle it in a little at a time, waiting till it's dispersed before adding more.