Women’s Running USA – September 2019

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VFUEL Endurance

Drink Mix

Black Cherry Cola

Enjoy the cola taste sans

caff eine in this heavy-duty

endurance fuel, which

packs in the calories (200

per serving), carbs (49

grams of easy-to-digest

dextrose), and electrolytes.

The naturally fl avored drink

dissolves clear in water and

has a mild but sweet fl avor.

$23.95 for 12 packets,

vfuel.com

Hammer Nutrition

Endurolytes Fizz Cola

Drop an effervescent tablet into

a bottle of ice water for some

delicious hydration. Rich in

electrolytes and caffeine (20

milligrams from green tea) and

low on carbs, this

naturally flavored

drink nails the cola

flavor with very lit-

tle aftertaste, despite

containing monk

fruit and stevia.

$4.95 for 13-tablet

tube, hammernutri-

tion.com

Honey Stinger Energy

Chews Caff einated

Cherry Cola

Made up of 95 percent organic

ingredients, these honey-sweet-

ened chews deliver 32 milli-

grams of white tea–derived

caff eine, electrolytes, vitamin

C, and 39 grams of carbs. The

soft texture and clean, cher-

ry-forward fl avor make them

as addicting as candy.

$28.68 for 12-pack,

honeystinger.com

Tailwind

Nutrition

Endurance Fuel

Colorado Cola

The newest addi-

tion to the Duran-

go-based company’s

caffeinated drink

line contains 35 mil-

ligrams of caff eine,

100 calories, and 25

grams of carbs plus

electrolytes per serv-

ing. Made with natural fl avors,

it mixes clear in water and

provides a super-drinkable,

most-accurate cola taste.

$2.50 for 2-serving stick pack,

tailwindnutrition.com

Craving Cola

There’s something about an ice-cold Coke at the end of a hot workout

that just tastes so good. These four sports nutrition products deliver

healthy hydration and fuel for your runs, with that familiar, refreshing cola

flavor. BY BETHANY MAVIS

Especially for those who

don’t count themselves as

“soda drinkers,” why would

a hot, sweaty run prompt a

crisp, bubbly Coke craving?

Part of it is physiological,

and likely subconscious,

says Lauren Antonucci,

R.D., an endurance athlete

and board-certified sports

dietitian based in New York.

Because of the high amount

of sugar and caff eine, we

believe it can give us a

mental and energy boost.

The bubbles may also speed

up the delivery of caff eine,

says Antonucci.

Triathletes know this well

(you’ll find Coke at Ironman

aid stations, generally

during the later parts of the

run, when most athletes are

behind in calories, she says).

Caff eine has been shown to

help extend endurance and

lower our rate of perceived

exertion, which means it can

make the final push to the

finish feel not quite so hard.

So, it’s not that soda is a

miracle fix, but it can feel like

one as your brain attempts to

cool down and score an in-

stant energy boost when your

body is running on empty.

Why Is

Coke So

Refreshing?

34 WOMEN’S RUNNING SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

FOOD