If you’re into long-distance running, you might find yourself losing a significant amount of energy midway into your sessions. Vigorous endurance exercises require plenty of energy to perform at an elite level, but eating something to refuel is probably the last thing on your mind as you’re running.
Luckily, eating a few Gatorade Energy Chews or Clif Bloks before or during your runs can help give you a much-needed energy boost. Both are easy to ingest and taste great, but there’s a minor difference in their usage and inherent nutritional value.
Gatorade is famous for its sports drinks, and frankly, they dominate that market by a landslide. However, they’re just beginning to branch out with alternative nutritional products like Gatorade Energy Chews.
Gatorade sports drinks help rehydrate and replenish electrolytes, and Gatorade Energy Chews are essentially a solid edible form of those drinks. They’re relatively inexpensive, as you can get a pack of five sleeves for around $9. You can also find multipacks and variety packs for anywhere from $13-$20.
Energy chews are mostly made of simple sugars the body breaks down into necessary carbohydrates. There’s a lot that goes into the science of athletic performance and nutrition. Essentially, according to the National Institutes of Health, you should consume approximately 30 grams of carbohydrates after every hour of continuous running.
According to the usage directions on the label, one sleeve contains six chews that should all be consumed 5 minutes before exercise, with another six chews consumed every 30 to 45 minutes. In terms of nutrition, they offer 100 calories, 70 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 24 grams of total carbohydrates, 16 grams of sugar and no protein. They also contain small amounts of vitamin B3, B5 and B6.
Gatorade Energy Chews are bite-size, look like gummy candy and come packaged in a convenient portable sleeve. This makes them easy to store, open and eat while running or performing other activities. They can help boost energy during extended periods of rigorous physical activity and can be consumed alongside Gatorade sports drinks and other beverages without any side effects.
They’re available in four flavors: Cool Blue, Fruit Punch, Strawberry and Green Apple and can be purchased as part of variety packs and multipacks for better value.
Unfortunately for those looking for an additional energy boost, they don’t contain any caffeine, and there aren’t any caffeinated options available. Also, although they’re sweet, they have a grainy texture that makes them less enjoyable than other chews.
You might already know about Clif Energy Bars, the majority of which boast adequate amounts of carbohydrates, sugar, fats and protein. They make for excellent post-workout snacks, but they’re not ideal for consumption right before or during exercise.
Clif Bloks are like Gatorade Energy Chews, but their usage is slightly different. Instead of consuming an entire sleeve of six chews, you only need to eat three chews after every 30 to 45 minutes of continuous exercise.
The nutritional value of Clif Bloks is also different. One sleeve of six Clif Bloks contains 200 calories, 100 milligrams of sodium, 40 milligrams of potassium, 48 grams of total carbohydrates, 24 grams of sugar and no protein.
One sleeve of Clif Bloks containing six chews costs around $3, but multipacks and variety packs can cost as low as $10 and as much as $50, depending on the number of sleeves in the package.
Clif Bloks are similar in size and shape to Gatorade Energy Chews, so they’re also bite-size and packaged in a portable sleeve. Like Gatorade’s chews, they’re also available in variety packs and multipacks, so you can try different flavors to determine the one you like best.
According to both expert and user reviews, Clif Bloks are some of the best-tasting chews. Unlike Gatorade Energy Chews, they’re available in five regular flavors and offer three caffeinated options. The flavors are Citrus, Cran Razz, Margarita, Mountain Berry, Strawberry, Orange with Caffeine, Tropical Punch with Caffeine and Black Cherry with Caffeine.
Caffeinated options contain 50 milligrams of caffeine, more than any comparable energy chews. It’s not a ton of caffeine, but it might be enough to give you a brief jolt of extra energy.
Clif Bloks are a favorite among athletes. The only real drawback is their price, which is significantly higher than that of Gatorade Energy Chews. You only need to consume half a sleeve of Clif Bloks to achieve the same effect as ingesting six Gatorade Energy Chews, but you’ll still get less bang for your buck in the long run.
Long-distance runners and marathon athletes often need to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes like potassium and sodium, all of which diminish significantly during strenuous exercise and are mostly lost through sweating.
Both products will help athletes rehydrate and replenish critical nutrients, but other than that, there are enough differences to make which one you buy a matter of preference.
Gatorade Energy Chews are the better value, but according to comparison reviews, they generally don’t taste as good as Clif Bloks. They are also only available in four flavors. Clif Bloks are available in eight flavors, three of which contain caffeine. This factor alone can be a game-changer for some people looking for energy chews that provide an extra kick.
Caffeine is the main ingredient in pre-workout products and can help increase energy depending on the user’s tolerance. So, if you want that added burst of energy as you run, go with one of the caffeinated flavors of Clif Bloks. Otherwise, Gatorade Energy Chews are the better choice if you’re more budget-conscious and don’t mind the gritty texture.
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
