I've finally perfected me recipe for energy drink/gel.
The need for a homemade product comes about due to a severe alergy to some food colourings that I have. I think everyone has a reaction to food colourings - you can see at school (I'm a teacher) when pupils have had a lot of sweets. With me its really bad though; if I accidentally ate a glacé cherry packed with E111 I wouldn't be able to go to work. Anyway I started looking for something more natural than fluorescent blue powerade. Tom Williams of Marathon Talk directed me to Torq who make natuural drinks, gels, and bars.
From information on Torq's website and trial and error I put this together. These quantities give the best taste and consistency but I have used much more carbs in the same liquid which cuts down on weight but is not as palatable.
80g maltodextrin
40g fructose
60g lime juice
Boiling water to make upto 350ml
2.5ml elete electrolytes
I make it in the shaker you get free when you buy protein powder which has ml markings on the side. I put the cup on a scales weigh the dry ingredients in weigh the lime juice in add boiling water until you've got 350mls then shake it until its clear then add the electrolyte.
Maltodextrin is a starch powder derived (I believe) from potatoes starch you can get it from body building shops like GNC but its about 4 times more than at bulkpowders.com. Although you'll need to buy 1kg or more.
For the fructose I buy Tate and Lyle fruit sugar which is really cheap. For the lime juice I use tesco lime juice which is about 70p for 250ml in the ingredients isle. The Elete electrolytes are by far true most expensive thing.
If you use it please let me know how you get on. I'd really like to know how it compares with commercial products.
