Baby Food Ain't Just For the Babies!

To GU or not to GU. . . that is the question. Well, pre-Paleo I used GU gel exclusively during my long runs (15+ miles) or when I felt like my activity level was high and I needed a little "pick me up". Trying to find an alternative to GU gel was difficult. I have a very sensitive stomach to sugars, so finding a low sugar sport gel was tricky. I have used the Hammer Nutrition gels with great success and they are very gentle on my stomach due to its low sugar levels. I continue to use those during races, just because they work well for me and are the closest "Paleo" gel that my stomach can tolerate. During races, I need variety or I would get very sick of gels and wouldn't be able to eat them later in a 50 or 100 mile race. I needed to find paleo friendly fuel that will get me through an ultra and didn't have a ton of added sugars.

My usual flavor of gel that I use

Enter. . . . BABY FOOD!

I know it sounds weird and trust me, you will get some looks from fellow runners. I brought some to a group run a few weeks back and had to explain that I wasn't nuts or that I tripped on the trail and bumped my head. Yes this is baby food AND yes I am using it for fuel. I was trying to find a way to replenish my carbohydrates without eating the regular ultra food of potato chips, potatoes, candy or fruit. (Although, I do eat oranges during my runs as well)

The sweet potato baby food I use is organic and I carefully check the ingredient list to make sure there are only sweet potatoes in it without any added sugars. Another option is to use apple sauce, but the amount of sugars in it really does a number on my GI system.

This is the brand baby food I use. Comes in a convenient pouch to fit in my hydration pack

Very comparable to the gel levels of carbs AND has vitamins too!

I usually supplement my nutrition with baby food on runs over 20+ miles or on really technical trails when I am expending a lot of energy. It's not very scientific, I just determine if I need it based on my energy levels. I can even just use the baby food to completely replace my gels, but I do like to have the option of the gel to add some variety. If you want to take it to the next level, you can make your own gel baby food by added some coconut milk or coconut oil. This will give you the healthy fats that your body is used to burning for fuel as a Paleothlete. I haven't experimented with this yet, but plan on seeing if that will be beneficial during my fall races.

When you are on your next long run, put some baby food in your packs. It's a great alternative to gels or typical ultra aid station foods.

Enjoy!