British cuisine is not necessarily known for fine flavors or special stomach compatibility. all the more bigger was our surprise after we got one In the evening through all 11 tested energy gels from the Welsh company TORQ. They tasted! And really good. 

Our astonishment is perhaps understandable for flavor variants such as rhubarb and vanilla pudding (rhubarb and custard) or strawberry yogurt. And still, the gels just taste as good as one Gel can only taste. Especially the somewhat extravagant flavors bring a welcome change to our food pouch.  

TORQ uses only natural flavorings and dispenses entirely with colorings and unnecessary sweeteners such as aspartame. The gels are of course vegan. we face Matt Hart, the founder of the company, a bit as mad professor who spends nights in his lab working on various tinkering with flavor notes. This impression is confirmed when we Sales manager Richard Samuels shares how he recently made 14 different oat bars should test variations of the apple strudel flavor.

To After completing his degree in exercise science, Matt aspired to a career as a professional mountain biker, but found himself more and more in the situation that him his Asked competitors for advice on nutrition and training. This resulted in the company TORQ in 1999, initially as a fitness consultancy and from 2004 became the first TORQ energy bars launched. The science based TORQ has also retained this approach in product development . 

The 2:1 maltodextrin to fructose blend

Each gel contains 30 grams of carbohydrates. With Depending on the intensity of the effort, one can use two gels per hour meet most of its energy needs. To the Excite our body ’s absorption capacity of carbohydrates , the gels consist of a 2:1 maltodextrin to fructose mixture. It should allow up to 90 grams carbohydrates per hour what we ingest however, would not necessarily recommend. This composition is from the current study situation and has now also for many enforced by other manufacturers. 

The consistency of the gels is liquid enough to - if necessary - also without being ingested additional water, which we really like Welcome. The gel's silky smooth texture leaves a pleasant velvety mouthfeel. Overall, they are also particularly good as Emergency gel that you should also have with you on shorter runs. who already times ran into a wall on the park circuit knows what we are talking about. 

A small "securing tab" should prevent the upper part of the packaging from tearing off completely when opening and in nature lands. Good idea - but unfortunately doesn't always work. Here could be improved.

While Florian is on his 100km Jonas was allowed to use the gels for cycling trips Endurance test over 56 km and 2,600 meters of altitude difference at the king of the Bayerwald execute. Result: Zero stomach problems after seven gels and thanks to the great atmosphere on the course a fantastic racing experience.

We find them particularly successful Flavors Orange and Banana, Apple Crumble and also Lemon Drizzle. We would have expected a little more from Caramel Latte, which unfortunately is just ok. but maybe we are spoiled with coffee from the gels of another manufacturer. We'll tell you which one that is another time. Until then: stay hungry. Your Jonas & Florian.

You can order the TORQ energy gels here

This text was first published in RUNTIME 1/22.