directions_run During Run

Ginger & Honey Gel

Name: Ginger & Honey Gel
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 gels
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (170 g) honey; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh ginger juice (from about 4 tbsp grated ginger); 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; 1-2 tbsp water, to thin

Take every 30-45 min

Honey, fresh ginger juice, lemon, and salt. The gel for stomachs that turn after hour two. Ginger has real evidence for settling nausea, and honey is one of the gentlest carb sources you can carry.

skilletCook0 min

soup_kitchenPrep10 min

restaurantYield4 gels

boltCarbs~35g

water_dropSodium145mg

exerciseProteins~0g

grassFiber~0g

For your run

When: Take every 30-45 minDetails
Use it as your regular gel from the start, or keep it as the gel you switch to once sweet gels stop going down. Take with a few mouthfuls of water.
Why it works: Honey is roughly equal parts glucose and fructose, which is close to the ratio that absorbs fastest during exercise. Ginger acts on the same pathways as anti-nausea medication, and a real dose of juice is what makes it work; a pinch of powder does nothing. Lemon and salt cut the sweetness and add sodium.
Wrong time: Fine at any point during a run. Before a run, 2 tablespoons of ginger juice on an empty stomach is a lot; save it for when you are moving.
How much: One gel (35 g carb) every 30-45 minutes. If your stomach is already unhappy, take half a gel every 20 minutes with water instead of a full one.
On the run: Keeps a week in the fridge and a full day in a vest. Honey does not freeze solid, so a flask straight from the fridge is still squeezable on a cold morning.
Replaces: Any commercial gel, plus the ginger chews you buy separately. About $0.40 per gel.
Fits: Long runRaceUltra
GI risk: Low GI risk

Ingredients

Gel

1/2 cup (170 g) honey

2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh ginger juice (from about 4 tbsp grated ginger)

2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1-2 tbsp water, to thin

Notes

Fresh ginger juice, not powder. Grate a thumb of ginger onto a square of cheesecloth or into a fine sieve and press; you need about 2 tablespoons of juice. It stings a little on the tongue at first and then calms everything down. If even this is too much late in a run, switch to the Ginger Anti-Nausea Electrolyte Drink, which is the same idea diluted.