Fuel Your Endurance: How to Make Your Own Natural Energy Gels
If you spend hours running, cycling, or pushing your limits, you know that fueling is just as important as training. But swallowing dozens of expensive, overly sweet, plastic-wrapped gels week after week can take a toll on your wallet, your stomach, and the environment.
The good news? Making your own energy gels at home is incredibly easy. All you need is maltodextrin, fructose, a little salt, and your favourite fruit juice.
The Short Science of Fuelling
During endurance activities, your body relies on glycogen (stored carbohydrates) for energy. Once those stores are depleted, you hit the dreaded “wall.” Here’s a quick breakdown of what your body needs to keep going:
Carbohydrates: Most athletes need 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour for efforts lasting over 90 minutes. For ultra-endurance events, that can jump to 90+ grams. Using a blend of maltodextrin and fructose (usually a 2:1 or 1:0.8 ratio) is the golden rule. Why? They use different pathways in your gut to absorb into the bloodstream, so you can absorb more energy with less stomach discomfort.
Electrolytes: When you sweat, you lose sodium. Depending on your body size, sweat rate, and the heat, you might need anywhere from 300 to 600 mg of sodium per hour. A pinch of regular salt in your gel helps replace what you lose and may reduce cramping risk.
Hydration: Gels are highly concentrated. Your body needs water to process those carbs, which is why commercial gels always say, “consume with water.” When making your own, you can tweak the water and juice content to make them easier to swallow.
What are the benefits of making your own gel?
If you are on the fence about mixing your own sports nutrition, here is why making the switch can be a game-changer:
🌍 A Massive Cut in Plastic Waste: We’ve all dealt with the sticky mess of torn gel wrappers in our pockets. Switching to a reusable soft flask doesn’t just save your gear; it drastically shrinks your environmental footprint. Instead of tossing thousands of unrecyclable foil packets every year, you are left with just a handful of recyclable bulk ingredient bags.
💰 Massive Cost Savings: Commercial gels typically cost anywhere from 1 to 3 EUR each. Buying bulk maltodextrin and fructose can drop the cost to pennies per serving. To put this into perspective, let’s compare common SiS and Maurten gels with a DIY option:
| Option | Typical carbs per serving | Sodium per serving | Per serving (EUR) | Packaging waste | Cost for ~90g carbs (race hour) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiS GO Isotonic Gel (60 ml) | ~22g | ~10–30mg | ~1–1.5 | Single-use sachet | ~4.10–6.15 |
| Maurten Gel 100 (40 g) | 25g | ~35mg | ~3–3.50 | Single-use sachet | ~10.80–12.60 |
| DIY (maltodextrin + fructose + salt + juice) | ~25–30g (you choose) | 100–300mg (you choose) | ~0.20–0.45 | Reusable flask | ~0.60–1.62 |
When you scale this over a full year of training and racing, the savings become substantial.
Approximate numbers based on common EU retail prices and typical serving specs; exact values vary by store, country, and recipe.
🍋 Total Flavor & Content Control: Because maltodextrin and fructose have no artificial flavorings or preservatives, you have full control of taste by using real lime, orange, or berry juice. You can also adjust the consistency with a natural thickener (like pectin or chia) and add extra sodium for hot summer days.
As a bonus, using soft flasks lets you consume your gel gradually with small sips, which can also free up your hands (e.g., on a TT bike).
The Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients Start by measuring out your carbohydrate powders and salt. Keeping the ratio right ensures smooth digestion on the go.
For a 150 ml flask: 55 g maltodextrin, 45 g fructose, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 60 ml of water, and a drizzle of lime juice.
Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients Squeeze in your fresh juice (lime or orange works brilliantly to cut the sweetness of the carbs) and add warm water. The warm water helps the powders dissolve much faster.
Step 3: Stir It Up Whisk everything together until the liquid is completely clear and no clumps remain. If you are using a thickener, this is where you’ll see the texture start to change.
Step 4: Pour into Flasks Use a funnel to transfer your liquid gold into a reusable gel flask. A 150ml flask can easily hold enough fuel for a 2-hour run!
Step 5: Store in the Fridge Because you are using real juice and no artificial preservatives, store your gels in the fridge until you are ready to hit the road or trail. They should keep well for several days. In my own experience - up to 6 days.
Where to buy
You can find maltodextrin and fructose in large packs at most retail stores. I tend to order them from Amazon in 1–3 kg bags.
Summary
For many people, plastic waste alone is a big reason to switch, but as you can see, there are many more advantages.
I hope this was useful. If you have comments or would like to reach out, use my email alex(at)nekrasov.nl. I would be happy to hear your feedback.