Nougat for energy on rides?

[toontra]

Several years ago whilst touring in Italy, on impulse, I bought some nougat sweets and chewed a few during the ride for the next few days. I became fond of them 

I'm wondering if nougat is a suitable energy source as an alternative to gels or energy bars?  It certainly tastes nicer and has the right texture - neither too chewy or too soft.  Barratts do 35g bars which would fit in the jersey nicely and not leave a sticky mess like gel wrappers.

[Peter]

I think the main consideration might be whether or not there are sufficient dentists on your route.

[ElyDave]

I've taken to the Nature Valley bars, not sticky and easy to eat half and put the rest back in your pocket for later.  I'm very rarely using gels these days other than measured blood sugar <4.5

[MikeFromLFE]

I've taken to the Nature Valley bars, not sticky and easy to eat half and put the rest back in your pocket for later.  I'm very rarely using gels these days other than measured blood sugar <4.5

I really like the Nature Valley bars, particularly the caramel ones ( I dislike chocolate). Unfortunately they have unfortunate gastric effects on me - I'm not sure why but it may be the peanuts.

[ElyDave]

I've taken to the Nature Valley bars, not sticky and easy to eat half and put the rest back in your pocket for later.  I'm very rarely using gels these days other than measured blood sugar <4.5

I really like the Nature Valley bars, particularly the caramel ones ( I dislike chocolate). Unfortunately they have unfortunate gastric effects on me - I'm not sure why but it may be the peanuts.

Go for the plain oat and honey?

[markcjagar]

chocolate Hobnobs, I can do 200km on a standard size packet

[sojournermike]

Several years ago whilst touring in Italy, on impulse, I bought some nougat sweets and chewed a few during the ride for the next few days. I became fond of them 

I'm wondering if nougat is a suitable energy source as an alternative to gels or energy bars?  It certainly tastes nicer and has the right texture - neither too chewy or too soft.  Barratts do 35g bars which would fit in the jersey nicely and not leave a sticky mess like gel wrappers.

I had a block of nougat on one of Deano’s events a couple of years back. My wife bought it me as she knows I’m partial… worked brilliantly from about 140km to the end c.210 iirc. As you say, nice to eat as well. Never used a gel.

[finch]

Make my own energy bars
INGREDIENTS

115ml blended olive & sunflower oil
200g Demerara sugar
2 tbsp. Honey
1 tbsp. Peanut butter
1⁄2 tsp. Vanilla extract
30g sultanas
30g raisins
30g cranberries
30g chopped almonds
30g chopped walnuts
30g mixed seeds
50g chopped dates
225g jumbo oats ( rolled )

Pre-heat oven to 180oC.

Line an 8” x 12” sandwich tin with baking parchment.

Put the oil in a large saucepan and add the sugar, honey, peanut butter and vanilla extract.
Heat over a high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mix has come to a rolling boil.

Stir in the sultanas, raisins, cranberries, almonds, walnuts, seeds, and dates.

Gradually add the oats while mixing well to ensure everything is well coated.

Press the mix into the sandwich tin and place in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes.
Cool on a rack to firm up before cutting into 24 x 1” wide bars.
Once cooled completely the bars can be wrapped in baking parchment and stored for a couple of weeks

You get a lot of “elite” club people round here who on a Sunday ride in big groups all looking exactly the same with the same kind of bike roaming around for probably 75km tops chucking out gel packs all over the side of the road and I find it a little weird - I tried one once - didn’t need it I just wanted to try it - it was horrible

My bars can be wrapped in biodegradable baking paper and secured with a small circular sticker so even if you don’t have the pocket space for a wad of paper it’s not harming the local eco system and they’re bloody tasty as well

[Sergeant Pluck]

I might give this a go, Finch. I wonder what the calorie content is like per bar?

I took 2 energy bars with me on a ride at the weekend - I don't normally buy them but picked up a couple at the LBS counter to try them. Fairly healthy ones as these things go, lots of nuts, dates, etc. Later on at home I happened to look at the calorie content - 1000 per bar! I thought they seemed a bit rich.   

[finch]

I have no idea to be honest - I’m sure it could be figured out by divvying up the numbers on the packets then again by whatever you cut them into but I never tried tbh . They ARE quite sweet but I haven’t gotten any larger if that is any barometer of unheathiness

[Polar Bear]

I have a couple of Anita Bean's cookery books.  In one is a recipe for energy balls.  I must dig it out and give it a try.

[Sergeant Pluck]

They ARE quite sweet but I haven’t gotten any larger if that is any barometer of unheathiness

They are in the oven...

Quite a good way of using up part-used packs of nuts and pumpkin seeds and what not.

[T42]

I used to carry nougat, but in summer it got soft & sticky and in winter it turned into concrete.

[finch]

They ARE quite sweet but I haven’t gotten any larger if that is any barometer of unheathiness

They are in the oven...

Quite a good way of using up part-used packs of nuts and pumpkin seeds and what not.

I did the same thing the other night - almonds , walnuts , pecans , raisins , sultanas and cranberries , I put in some extra peanut butter and a little treacle , worked really well and emptied lots of little tubs. I ran out of stickers though so I had to wrap some of the parchment paper and seal them with parcel tape - hey , it worked !

[Sergeant Pluck]

I did consider extra peanut butter, but then I would have had no PB left. Treacle would have been a good addition - I have some but didn’t think of it.

Not confident of being able to restrict myself to a 24th of this when I test it out later:

[hellymedic]

I used to carry nougat, but in summer it got soft & sticky and in winter it turned into concrete.

I advise against chocolate as touring fodder for similar reasons; it's only any use between 5C & 20C.

Most UK nougat is >90% sugar.

Liquorice allsorts have a wider useful temperature range.

Personal preference rules!

[finch]

I did consider extra peanut butter, but then I would have had no PB left. Treacle would have been a good addition - I have some but didn’t think of it.

Not confident of being able to restrict myself to a 24th of this when I test it out later:

Looks great

[giropaul]

Marzipan was a favourite of several professional riders I knew.
Ideally I’d look at using complex sugars and carbs in the early parts of a ride, moving to simple sugars towards the finale.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Looks great

I suspect a little less oven time might have been better - they are delicious but a tad hard to get into initially.

[finch]

I’d imagine that it’s the kind of thing you discover depending on the oven you have - mine come out “just” set when they’ve cooled and stay pretty chewy - just out the fridge they’re a bit on the tough side but fished out a jersey pocket after an hour on the bike and they’re fine - maybe 5 mins less would get the same results I’m getting

[Sergeant Pluck]

It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to shorten cooking time in this oven - I think a few minutes less will do it. They also probably cooked on a bit in the tin after I took them out, as I didn’t want to risk removing too early.

[Flite]

Definitely home-made bars are best, but if not, I like the Nak'd bars - no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colours etc to upset the digestive system, and easy to carry.

[Wowbagger]

I used to carry nougat, but in summer it got soft & sticky and in winter it turned into concrete.

I advise against chocolate as touring fodder for similar reasons; it's only any use between 5C & 20C.

Most UK nougat is >90% sugar.

Liquorice allsorts have a wider useful temperature range.

Personal preference rules!

Also, you can pretend to be Beryl Burton.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Version 2 of finch’s energy bars done today: hazelnuts and toasted sliced almonds were my only available nuts, so they went in, as did a double helping of Manilife’s most excellent peanut butter, and also a spoonful of treacle. I had no demerara so used a mixture of white caster and golden syrup. Had no dates so used extra sultanas, raisins and cranberries. They are delicious - but the best thing is that by reducing the oven time to 12 1/2 minutes they are going to be much easier to eat while awheel.

Marzipan was a favourite of several professional riders I knew.
Ideally I’d look at using complex sugars and carbs in the early parts of a ride, moving to simple sugars towards the finale.

With than in mind I took a bar of chocolate-covered marzipan on my ride last Sunday. That was the only thing I ate during the 80 km or so (due to having already eaten all of finch’s energy bars v1)  and I think it worked very well.

[finch]

The adaptability of the energy bar recipe is great - and it’s nice to read about variations , was thinking of adding maple syrup and or cashews in my next batch