Powerbar Gel is convenient because you can buy it almost anywhere,
however, in a head to head comparison it has a difficult time standing up
next to most other energy gels, particularly e-Gel. Powerbar Gel has more
than double the sugar level (not good) compared to e-Gel, lower in
electrolytes, no amino acids and no antioxidants. e-Gel on the other hand
has been the most complete energy gel on the market since 2002 and today
we are still using the same proven formula. Take a look:
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Carbohydrates
Maltodextrin is the preferred carbohydrate source for endurance athletes and
as such it is the primary ingredient in e-Gel as well as most other good
products on the market. Both e-Gel and Powerbar contain maltodextrin and
both products also contain fructose. The difference is that Powerbar Gel
contains so much fructose that the total sugars are a whopping 37% of the
total carbohydrates - that's higher than just about any other gel on the
market. There are several problems with high sugar content products:
1) They can elevate your blood sugar level too far too fast which can
lead to a sugar crash (also known as bonking).
2) Higher sugar content increases the osmolality of the product which
can reduce energy delivery, slow absorption rates and contribute to
temporary dehydration.
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Electrolytes
e-Gel is the ONLY energy gel that is designed to provide complete and
balanced electrolyte replacement that is critical for proper hydration and
to avoid muscle cramping. The sodium and potassium levels in e-Gel are
designed to meet the American College of Sports Medicine's recommendation
for electrolyte replacement during intense athletic activity.
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Amino Acids
The amino acids in e-Gel are designed to reduce lactic acid
build up, maintain muscle protein and aid in recovery. Powerbar Gel has no
amino acids.
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Citrates
The Citrates in e-Gel assist in the carbohydrate to energy conversion process as well as
reduce and slow the build-up of lactic acid in your muscles.
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Antioxidants
e-Gel is one of the few energy gels that contains antioxidant vitamins C and E
to help protect against tissue damage,
reduce soreness and aid in the recovery process. Powerbar Gel contains no
antioxidants.
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Vitamin B6
e-Gel is the only energy gel to include vitamin B6 which assists in the
energy conversion process.
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Caffeine
While caffeine may give a temporary mental boost, unfortunately it is a
diuretic, meaning that it causes your kidneys to produce more urine - thus
promoting dehydration. Proper hydration is critical to optimum performance,
and in our opinion caffeine should not be incorporated into your sports
nutrition program. Our recommendation has always been that if you feel that
you NEED caffeine, then only use a caffeinated product (there are plenty on
the market) near the end of your
competition when you need the psychological boost the most and there is
little time to cause dehydration. We strongly recommend against relying on a
caffeinated product for the duration of the competition.
* None of e-Gel's flavors contain caffeine. Powerbar has caffeine in a few of
their flavors.
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Fat
Studies have shown that fat should not be in nutritional products that are
consumed during intense athletic activity. As such, all flavors of e-Gel are
fat-free. Powerbar Gel has fat in the Chocolate flavor.
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Pricing
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e-Gel and Powerbar Gel have the
same retail price per pack ($1.49). However, each pack of e-Gel
contains 37% more energy than a pack of Powerbar Gel (37 grams vs. 27 grams). On a cost per calorie basis
Powerbar Gel is 35% more expensive than e-Gel.
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The nutritional information shown above for
Powerbar Gel is
for a single serving packet of their Flavor flavor as published December
2008.
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