Need more tasty treats to fuel those rides? In this roundup, we have new pre-workout, hydration, sports drink, and recovery products! It’s a big list, including brands like Pro Rich, Sunshine Sparkling Waters, and Sprout Living that may be new to you. GU launched Boon snack foods, Nuun has expanded their lineup, and upstart Phenom has the first alkaline sports and energy drinks to help you go farther!
GU Boon Stroopwafels and Almond Butters
As I like to remind my kids when they’re stocking up on candy, “Do you eat to live? Or live to eat?” If the idea of purposeful eating jives with you, too, then the new Boon line from GU should look mighty good.
With three Stroopwafel flavors -Sweet Ginger, Cinnamon Spice, Vanilla Cardamom- and four Almond Butters -Chai Spice, Espresso Bean, Sweet Ginger, Cinnamon Spice- there’s something for every palate.
Boon Stroopwafels (MSRP: $17.50 10ct. box) are made with a gluten-free flour blend of five ancient grains – quinoa, chia, buckwheat, millet & amaranth. The Boon Almond Butters blend California almonds, cashews and add MCT Oil, a uniquely fast-acting fat that converts into usable energy instead of stored as body fat. Currently offered in 10oz. glass jars ($15 each), they’ll add single-serve packets soon, too.
Boon has eco-friendliness and community built-in with its TerraCycle partnership for packaging and thoughtfully selected ingredient partners like Equator Coffee Roasters, The Coffee Cherry Company and The Ginger People. Check it all out at eatboon.com
Nuun Instant Hydration & Podium Pre/During/Post Workout
As they say, once you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated to the point where your performance is suffering. But we all get there, either because we forget to drink (or we drink too much the night before). Either way, the new Nuun Instant will get you back to baseline approximately 2x to 3x faster than water alone.
The Nuun Instant drink mix is based on WHO oral rehydration products designed to treat folks suffering from severe dehydration in extreme conditions. Then they made it vegan, with an ultra-clean formula that’s free of any artificial colors, flavors or other ingredients. In addition to the glucose and electrolytes, it includes 100% of the daily suggested servings of both Vitamin C and Vitamin B12, both of which may help with energy levels. $15.99 for 8 packets, comes in Lemon Lime and Watermelon.
Nuun upgraded their Endurance sports drink last year, and now they’ve added a preworkout drink mix (with caffeine or without, two flavors) called Prime. For after your ride, run or swim, their new Recover mix uses BCAA’s plus Glutamine to help rebuild muscle without the thickness of whey or other complete proteins. Check it all out at Nuunlife.com
Phenom Alkaline sports, energy & hydration drinks
By eliminating the citric acid used by every other sports drink to create that crisp, tart flavor, Phenoh has created the first alkaline sports drink lineup we’ve seen. It’s not just the absence of acids, they also add Bicarbonate and Phosphate to push the beverage to a minimum of 8 on the pH scale (7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic).
They say the benefit is that Bicarbonate and Phosphate help buffer acidic buildup and increase the body’s ability to handle lactic acid increases and improve overall energy production.
Called PERFORM, the formula has 6 essential electrolytes, honey, Himalayan pink salt, purple sweet potato, beet, and rhodiola rosea. $20 for 18 packets. They also have mixes to boost hydration, immunity, energy and relaxation. Check it all out at Phenoh.com
PRO RICH protein recovery ice cream
Uummm, yes, please. Protein packed ice cream? Sounds like the best way to finish a big ride in the summer. And a great excuse to put that Dometic electric cooler in your car. Available in five flavors, they’re packed with more than just protein. They’re also low sugar, and avoid any sugar alcohols that can mess with your gut.
They come three tubes to a box, $11.79 per box. They ship frozen and packed with dry ice, get free shipping if you order 5 or more at a time. Now, the real question is, if you tell your kids this ice cream is healthy, will they still want it? Check them out at ProRichNutrition.com
Sunshine Energy Drinks
Want a healthier alternative to EXTREME!!!! energy drinks? Check out NC-based Sunshine Energy Drinks, which add vitamins (A/B/C/D/E plus B3/5/6/12) and electrolytes (calcium/potassium/magnesium). The caffeine comes from green coffee beans and is just 70mg per can…enough to get you moving, not shaking.
Six flavors are available – Lotus Pear, Pomegranate Acai, Citrus Lime, Clementine Twist, Blueberry Lemonade, and Ginger Berry. About $2.50 each. Grab some at local grocers in NC, or online at DrinkTheSunshine.com
Sprout Living’s vegan Epic Protein recovery mixes
Epic Protein from Sprout Living is a multi-source, organic plant-based protein powder made with whole superfoods sourced from around the world. There are no fillers, thickeners or added flavors (natural or artificial), relying only on the real food ingredients for both flavor and consistency.
Epic Protein comes in six flavors, including Epic Sport, Coffee Mushroom, Pro Collagen, Chocolate Maca, Vanilla Lucuma, Green Kingdom and Original. Flavors range from 15g to 26g of protein, so check that before going only on the flavor. 13 servings per pouch, $29.95 to $34.95 each. Learn more at SproutLiving.com
