We Tasted 27 Flavors of GU—and Ranked Them All
Is Lemon Sublime truly sublime? Is Chocolate Outrage outrageous? We slurped dozens of energy gels to assemble this definitive list of the best and, well, not-best flavors.
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If you've done any distance running, you’ve probably eaten an energy gel. You know, those little foil packets that contain roughly 100 calories of nutrients, meant to be consumed midrun (or midrace) to replace the fuel you're expending. They’re ubiquitous, an iconic part of the culture of running.
Thing is, the world of energy gels is vast, with so many flavors that it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. Some are sweet, tangy, and fruity; others milder, creamier, nuttier. Which are yummier? Which yuckier? Are there any you’ll truly look forward to squeezing into your mouth at mile 11?
To find out, we assembled the staff of Runner’s World (plus a couple of colleagues from Bicycling) to taste 27 different flavors of GU, one of the most popular energy-gel makers, and assemble what we believe is a definitive ranking, from "Tastefully Nude" (yes, it’s real) up to... well, you’re going to have to read on to learn our absolute favorite.
27. Tastefully Nude
“Like day-old marshmallows—sweet without any real taste.”—Betty Wong-Ortiz, Editor-in-Chief
Buy it: Amazon.com
26. Cucumber Mint
“I thought it was maybe V8. Tasted a little like vegetables. It’s not sweet, which I might like at some point.”—Riley Missel, Editorial Assistant, Bicycling
Buy it: Amazon.com
25. Cherry Lime
“It’s a very flat hint of both flavors. Imagine a cherry cola formed into a Jell-O, sat out, and you squirted some lime juice on that cherry cola Jell-O. This tastes like I imagine that would.”—Brian Dalek, Senior Digital Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
24. Peanut Butter
“An actual peanut butter flavor! Shockingly decent to ingest. I would pair this with a chocolate bar. PB taste takes a second to kick in.”—Marissa Stephenson, Deputy Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
23. Salted Watermelon
“Better than a too-much Jolly Rancher and balanced watermelon flavor. I’m a fan!”—Marissa Stephenson, Deputy Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
22. Salted Caramel
“Delicious! Milky and buttery in a sweet and decadent way. A touch of salt cuts the sweetness. Reminds me of a McDonald’s Caramel Sundae that I haven’t had since I was like, 14. Do they still make those?”—Molly Ritterbeck, Fitness & Gear Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
21. Strawberry Banana
“I like banana, but when promised an accompanying strawberry flavor, I demand it. Banana dominates your palate. So if you’re into that, I’d say go for it. This is for the person who goes for the banana instead of the cookie at the finish line. Which is fine, but not when I could have gotten strawberry too. I’ll use it, but I won’t be as happy about it as I could be.”—Drew Dawson, Editorial Assistant
Buy it: Amazon.com
20. Caramel Macchiato
“This was good. Really good. I tasted caramel, but more importantly the chocolate. I also like coffee in any energy product I use. I would use this.”—Warren Greene, Associate Director of Operations
Buy it: Amazon.com
RELATED: What to Eat and Drink After Your Big Race—and What Not To
19. Mandarin Orange
“Surprisingly tastes exactly like mandarin oranges, which I have been known to eat by the can-full. Sweet and tangy without being overwhelmingly citrusy.”—Paige Triola, Web Producer
Buy it: Amazon.com
18. Lemonade
“It certainly tastes like lemonade, but lemonade that has been mixed with sticky... goo. It’s way too sweet to eat more than a taste. As I write this, my fingers are super sticky.”—Heather Irvine, Senior Editor (Food & Nutrition)
Buy it: Amazon.com
17. Pineapple
“The sweetness of the pineapple hits you right away. It reminds me of the clear Haribo gummy bears. I love citrus anything, and this pineapple flavor is a nice alternative to the lemon or lime.”—Amy Wolff, Photo Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
16. Gingerade
“I love a good ginger beer, and if I can’t have that while running, this is the next best thing. Impeccable ginger beer replication.”—Heather Irvine, Senior Editor (Food & Nutrition)
Buy it: Amazon.com
15. Jet Blackberry
“Made my tastebuds burst and tickle! It was sweet and berry-ish, but with depth.”—Molly Ritterbeck, Fitness & Gear Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
14. Vanilla Orange
“This was surprisingly really good. Like a warm Creamsicle. Could I eat an entire one on the run? Not sure… but I would try.”—Heather Irvine, Senior Editor (Food & Nutrition)
Buy it: Amazon.com
13. Sea Salt Chocolate
“This one was my favorite. I could/would eat this one. The chocolate taste was accurate and the salt wasn’t too strong. It was really good.”—Monica Grater, Social Media Editor
Buy it: Amazon.com
12. Lemon Sublime
“I got the lemon flavor for sure and there is a hint of lime in the finish. I’m not a citrus guy, so it wasn’t great, but it was still pretty good.”—Warren Greene, Associate Director of Operations
Buy it: Amazon.com
11. Blueberry Pomegranate
“The blueberry is the dominant flavor here. I can’t really taste the pomegranate. No matter, very tasty. I’m not usually one for the berry flavors, but this one tastes like Lip Smackers chapstick, but in a good, oh, I’d eat this if it was food and not chapstick kind of way.”—Drew Dawson, Editorial Assistant
Buy it: Amazon.com
RELATED: 9 Things You Don’t Need to Be Adding to Your Smoothies
10. Vanilla Bean
“The flavor is nice and mellow, like melted vanilla ice cream. It has a bit of a caramelly aftertaste and I’m not mad about it.”—Paige Triola, Web Producer
Buy it: Amazon.com
9. Tri-Berry
“A perfect berry blend without being too sweet—impressive for a glucose pouch.”—Heather Irvine, Senior Editor (Food & Nutrition)
Buy it: Amazon.com
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