IN A SERIES OF BLIND TRIALS CARRIED OUT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS SPORT AND NUTRITION LABORATORY, AND PRESENTED TO THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE, IT WAS FOUND THAT HONEY IS AN EFFECTIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY AS ANY COMMERCIAL ENERGY GEL, AND HAD OTHER STRIKING BENEFITS.
The trial found that honey, when given to competitive cyclists at 10 mile intervals of a simulated 40 mile race, significantly increased power and speed over the placebo and equalled the performance of glucose (the carb which makes up the bulk of most conventional energy gels).
The research paper said, “This study shows that honey is an effective carbohydrate for endurance athletes. “Our first study suggested honey could operate as a ‘time released’ muscle fuel for exercising muscles. Our second experiment suggest that honey would be a good carbohydrate source to replenish muscles. However, our last study convinced us that honey can improve endurance exercise capacity,” concluded the authors.
The research was sponsored by the American National Honey Board, however, the results demonstrate the honey is an effective, safe and healthy source of energy for runners, cyclists and other endurance athletes.