I’m starting to get a bit confused with all the energy bar options out there. Having delved a little into the science of glucose and fructose, I’m surprised to see how many energy bars seem to be fruit-based, like this example:
Fruit Mix 58% (Date Paste, Dried Apple Pieces 12%, Fruit Juice Concentrates (Apple, Pear, Grape), Rice Starch, Apple Paste 5% (Sulphites), Oat Blend 25% (Rolled Oats, Oat Flour), Humectant (Glycerol), Crisp Rice (Rice Flour, Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin)), Maltodextrin, Sunflower Oil, Flavouring, Antioxidant (Mixed Tocopherols).
Am I right in thinking (a) this wouldn’t really get me much energy until 90 minutes after eating it, and (b) could easily cause me gastric discomfort if I can’t process all that fructose?
On the other hand, this one…
Organic Glucose and Invert Sugar Syrup, Organic Oats, Organic Raisins (Organic Raisins, Organic Sunflower Oil.), Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Dried Apple (12%), Organic Rice Crispies (Organic Rice Flour, Organic Raw Cane Sugar, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Malted Barley Flour), Acidity Regulator: Malic Acid, Sea Salt.
…sounds much more easily digestible.
Am I missing something with all these fruit-based energy bars, or are they as bad an idea for medium to high intensity rides as the warnings I’m hearing? Why are there so many of them out there? The Skratch Labs energy bars even have nut butter as their main ingredient…