In this week’s d drinks from Skratch Labs, Honey Stinger, GU Energy and Safe Catch. There’s something for everyone with vegan recovery drinks, hibiscus-flavored caffeine-free energy drinks, sustainably sourced salmon and rapid hydration mixes for before, during and after your ride.
Skratch Labs Rice Cakes and Vegan Recovery Drink
The Skratch Labs Crispy Rice Cakes are made from a blend of brown rice, wild rice, red rice, and quinoa. They are aimed at athletes who don’t want to be weighed down by their mid-ride nutrition.
Each Crispy Rice Cake delivers 180-190 calories, said to be sufficient for around 1 hour of riding. A major selling point is that they aren’t crumbly, so should be easy to eat on the go. They contain non-GMO ingredients and are allergen friendly: gluten-free, peanut-free, dairy-free, and gelatin-free. Pick them up in Strawberry and Mallow, Mallow and Chocolate flavors for $2.45 per bar, or $17.95 for eight.
Skratch Labs have also introduced a plant-based version of their popular milk-based recovery drink. The Vegan Sport Recovery Drink Mix has a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio and is said to speed up recovery faster than protein alone by replacing muscle and liver glycogen stores. 10 grams of pea and rice protein provide the essential amino acids for muscle repair and growth, while 1 billion probiotic cultures are there to support your gut.
Honey Stinger Rapid Hydration
Honey Stinger, from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has launched a new Rapid Hydration Mix that is all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Developed by nutritionists, the six formulas are aimed at the three important stages of training and racing; preparation, performance, and recovery.
The Prepare Hydration Mix replenishes fluids lost to daily dehydration and is said to support mental focus with citicoline and L-Theanine. This one is intended to be consumed within one hour of commencing activity and is available in Strawberry Lemonade and Pomegranate Passionfruit flavors.
The Perform mix aims to replace electrolytes lost during exertion. The formulation is said to deliver 50% more carbohydrate absorption than glucose alone, giving you a quick boost of available energy when you need it most. It comes in Black Cherry and Mango Melon flavors, the latter of which contains 50 milligrams of caffeine from guayusa.
The Recover mix is intended to be consumed with one hour post-exercise. Lacking protein, it’s really more of a re-hydration mix with the addition of Zinc and Elderberry to support the immune system. Available in Berry Defense or Tangerine Defense flavors.
Honey Stinger recommends mixing each formula with 16 ounces of water. One pouch of 24 single serving packets retails at $32.99. Additionally, athletes can try all six flavors with a Rapid Hydration Sample Pack, retailing for $14.99.
GU Roctane Energy Drink
GU Energy have released a caffeine-free energy drink mix that delivers 1900mg of amino acids and 320mg of sodium per serving, and it’s naturally flavored. The Roctane Strawberry Hibiscus Energy Drink Mix is said to help you mentally reset after you arduous session in the pain cave.
Hibiscus is an unusual flavor to see in sports nutrition. It has allegedly seen a huge spike in popularity in recent years and was named “Flavor of the Year” in 2019 by Firmenich, the world’s largest flavor developer. Its slightly tart, herbaceous flavor is meant to be a natural match for sweet strawberries, creating a refreshing taste profile with a lively zing.
Safe Catch Seasoned Salmon
Here’s an unusual one, but definitely one of the more natural ways of getting high-quality protein into your diet immediately post-workout. Safe Catch seasoned salmon offers essential Omega 3 oils in addition to lean protein, and the company guarantees that their salmon contains the lowest levels of mercury of any brand…because they test every single fish that goes into the final product and their Mercury limit is 10 times stricter than the FDA’s.
Safe Catch seasoned salmon is available in citrus dill, Italian herb, and rosemary dijon flavors. Each pouch contains a 3-ounce serving and there is no extra salt added. There are no additives or fillers; just pure salmon. A pack of 12 pouches will set you back $35.99.
