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With the heat of summer in full swing I've been constantly attempting, and sometimes losing, a battle with my electrolyte balance. Between my work outdoors as a full time hiking guide and helping my boyfriend train for his first half marathon, I've been spending a lot of time in the low elevations of East Tennessee - often times in sweltering heat and humidity with heat indexes in the high 90s and low 100s. When I was offered the opportunity to try out Fuel 100 Electro-Bites I jumped at the chance to try something new. Here are my thoughts on this product.
After doing some research regarding Fuel 100 Electro-Bites I was excited to try them out for two reasons - the first being that they weren't fruit chews and the second being that they weren't sickly sweet. While this product comes in five flavors, only three of them are flavors that sound sweet: pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, and salty vanilla. The other two flavors are simply salty and salty vinegar. This immediately appealed to me because of recent I've been all sugared out and I've been on a quest for savory fueling options that are also easy to eat on the trails or on a run. These tiny bites fit the bill! The other thing that appealed to me was the fact these were a dry, baked product. No sticky gels, chews, or sweet drink mixes. Don't get me wrong, I love a sweet electrolyte tab after a hot and long run, but getting the chance to try something different was definitely a plus!
I took these out on a training run on a night when the heat index at sunset was 94 degrees. Even though I ran an easy 3.5 miles I knew I had sweat more than I did on 10 mile runs back in the winter time. If I don't replace electrolytes immediately I usually get dull and throbbing headaches so being able to grab them and go was a big plus for me. I ripped the tab off the bag of the apple cinnamon bites and dug in! The first thing I noticed was the fact that even though these bites were dry, they didn't make my mouth feel dry. The crunchy little bites were actually fun to chew and were easy to swallow despite being hot and sweaty. I was able to follow the bites by drinking down some cold water and felt great. The apple cinnamon flavor was very mild and the hint of coconut oil was delicious as well.
Easy to refuel after a long, hot run!
I also brought along the salty vinegar flavor on a longer day hike during a humid and hot June afternoon. The vinegar flavor wasn't overpowering and again the coconut oil was very mild and present as well. These bites stored well in a pack and since they're baked they don't melt the way an electrolyte chew would. You also don't have to worry about adding a tab to water and waiting for it to mix before drinking. All you have to do is rip the top off and start snacking!
I've got my fuel for after the hike!
Personally, I loved these little electro-bites and would definitely buy them again. The fact that they're so much different from anything I've tried recently really sold me on this tasty and quick fuel for athletes. They're formulated for distance athletes and have 100 calories per pack, including 190mg of Sodium, 55mg of Potassium and 46mg of Magnesium. Fuel 100 Electro-Bites will have a place in my pack for the rest of the season for sure!
A handful of baked electro bites - yum!
Have you tried any new electrolyte replacement products recently? What's your favorite way to refuel during a hot and humid summer run or hike?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Fuel 100 Electro-Bites for free from Fuel 100 as coordinated by Outdoor PR in consideration for review publication. All opinions, as always on this blog, are my own.
