When I was young my Mum always used to give me mashed banana and honey when I was poorly. Now I use it as the perfect pre-run snack. 2 bananas,a forkful of honey then just mash. Ideally with a pint of water, 30-60 minutes before I set off. Sorted.
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I always have Manuka honey in the house and during cold/flu season, I give my 3 yr old a spoonful every night - she rarely ends up with the snots/splutters that everyone else gets and if she does, her recovery time is quicker.
Its also amazing for upset tummies!
I'm doing my first Half in two weeks time and haven't been able to get my fueling strategy right - sports drinks/gels just upset my tummy and leave me with cramps and a feeling that resembles a hangover! I am going to try out honey tomorrow (doing a 10m forest run) and see how that works for me.
Great article, thanks!!
I love the stuff so I am definitely going to test it out on my long runs!
Just need to work out a good way to take it with me but I am sure they are ways to do this without any hassle...
Thanks for the inspiration RW!
I'm a big honey fan but does anyone know how to stop it crystallising into sugar before the jar/tube is finished?
I am addicted to Manuka honey!
My additive energy / hydration drink before I run is:
I make a drink of 600ml water, desertspoonful of chia seeds, one of honey, juice of a lime and a pinch of salt .
This keeps me going over 10k's
Alternative to reform crystallised honey, warm in the microwave.
On long runs I mash Half a Banana with 3-4 teaspoons of honey & spoon into a small sandwich bag. Tie the bag with a knot, pushing the mixture into a corner. When you are ready for the boost, just bite the corner to pierce, then squeeze out. Make enough "Bombs" for 1 every 45-60 mins.
I find it helps to keep you & your backback clean & unsticky, to tie a low & high knot in the bag.
It's a good idea to time the Bomb taking so that you have it just before a Drinks Station & wash down with a swig of water.
Hi Virgil
...if your honey starts to crystallise - stand the jar/tube in hot/warm water for about 10-15 minutes - usually does the trick.
Good Luck..!
The facts ... !
Well, the difference in absorption between glucose and fructose is marginal, sucrose is merely 1 glucose molecule attached to 1 fructose molecule, so all sugars are pretty close there.
What was _not_ mentioned is that like all things with a higher fructose level than glucose, it makes you fart, well a very high percenage of us anyway, as fructose intolerance is surprisingly common.
As for eating honey on the run, well that's just plain stupid. The amount of sales of energy gels etc indicate that people want something thats utterly easy-peasy to eat.
Interesting idea for an article but written for printing on chip-wrapping.
Thanks for that - interesting although I have to say I have so much confusion about fructose, glucose and sucrose that I wouldn't be able to comment. The one thing I know is that with all things especially sugars the closer to their natural state the better they are for you. However difficult they might be to metabolise. So I guess honey is better than the gelpacks. I heard some really bad stuff about fructose recently that has totally put me off anything with fructose in it!
I tend to agree with you about eating honey on the run but it obviously works for some people - takes all sorts!!
Thanks for the reply though
Hi Virgil,
crystallizing honey is a problem if you don't eat it fast enough! I usually sit the jar in a small saucepan of hot water for a few minutes, that does the trick but it will crystallize again later.
Looks like a lot of people are getting interested in honey as a natural alternative to expensive , tummy upsetting gels. Hope the bees can cope with the demand!
Good article!
Sounds like a good alternative to the gels! a much cheaper and natural option aswell!
Just got to find a way to take it with me on long runs!
I have taken Honey on runs in medical sample containers.....ideal !!
Good idea Pat Hanson !
does anyone else have any good suggestions for carrying honey on the run?
The more you study what is actually in food the less you want to cook it.
Microwaving creates very high temps and does not always cook evenly, we also know this because often microwaved food needs to "sit a while" to even out in temp. Once you get a food over 130 degrees you start to destroy vitamin C and the hotter you go the more you destroy. So for something like honey which is loaded in good stuff do a gentle heating in water that is JUST warm enough to do the job, well below boiling.
cure it by warming gently in a saucepan bain marie.
nicola
Facts can be confusing. Bad science is when you make assumptions that are unproven. All sugars are not the same. It is silly to say that they are. Look at actual studies of people who use various forms.
The advantage of honey is due to it's other contents, besides the sugar. Honey also contains a type of yeast, which may acount for some of it's benefit for athletes. The yeast and sugar combine to form carbon dioxide, but only after dilution (for example when you eat it). The carbon dioxide then helps the cells of the body to be oxygenated.
Science still hasn't even figured out all that is in honey. We know that there are minerals and some vitamins, as well as some pelyphenols. It varies widely, but generally speaking the darker the honey the healthier it is for humans.
Here is more about the chemistry of honey for those intereseted.
http://www.honey-health.com/honey-6.shtml