Stop Overpaying for Sports Nutrition: How to Fuel Your Triathlon for Less

You don’t need expensive energy gels to train and race well. Here’s how to get the carbohydrate you need for a fraction of the cost.

Stop Overpaying for Sports Nutrition: How to Fuel Your Triathlon for Less

You don’t need expensive energy gels to train and race well. Here’s how to get the
carbohydrate you need for a fraction of the cost.

First, Let’s Talk About the Cost

If you are a triathlete or endurance athlete, you know how quickly sports nutrition expenses add up. A single energy gel might not seem expensive, but when you consume several during every long ride and run, the cost becomes significant.

Let’s compare the cost of getting 60 grams of carbohydrate from commercial energy gels versus a simple homemade alternative.

Fuel source Approximate cost

Standard energy gels $4–$7
Premium energy gels $6–$12

Commercial carbohydrate drink mix Varies by brand; often a few dollars

Homemade table-sugar drink About $0.10 in sugar

These are illustrative retail estimates, not a live price quote. Gel costs vary by brand, package size and retailer; the homemade estimate uses a $2.97 price for a 4 lb bag of sugar. Flavoring, salt, other ingredients and equipment areexcluded.

Sources: Walmart, BikeTiresDirect and Maurten.

That is a substantial difference. If you consume 90 g of carbohydrate per hour on a three-hour ride, you need 270 g of carbohydrate. At the same illustrative ingredient price, the sugar itself costs approximately $0.44 for the entire ride. The point isn’t that commercial gels are bad. They are convenient, portable and useful during racing.

The point is that you don’t need to rely on them for every training session.

1. Table Sugar: A Surprisingly Effective Fuel

One of the simplest and cheapest sources of carbohydrate is ordinary table sugar.
Table sugar, also known as sucrose, consists of glucose and fructose linked together. During digestion, it breaks down into approximately equal amounts of these two sugars.

Why does this matter?

During exercise, glucose and fructose are absorbed through different transport pathways in the intestine. Using both can help your body absorb and utilize more carbohydrate than relying on glucose alone at higher intake rates.

This is why many commercial sports nutrition products use combinations of glucose-based carbohydrates and fructose.

In other words, ordinary table sugar already provides both types of carbohydrate in a convenient, inexpensive form.

Commercial gels may offer different carbohydrate ratios, electrolytes, flavorings and convenient packaging, but their basic fueling ingredients do not have to be expensive.

2. Make Your Own Sports Drink

One of the easiest ways to start saving money is to make your own carbohydrate drink.

Homemade endurance drink

• 750 ml water
• 60 g table sugar
• A little lemon or lime juice for flavor
• Sodium, adjusted to your sweat losses and overall hydration plan

Mix everything until the sugar dissolves.

This provides 60 g of carbohydrate in the bottle. If you drink the entire bottle over an hour, you will have consumed 60 g of carbohydrate during that hour.

You can adjust the sugar concentration to suit your needs and your stomach. Remember that fluid requirements and carbohydrate requirements are related but not identical. You do not need to drink all your hourly carbohydrate in one bottle if you need more fluid or prefer to take some fuel separately.

Also, table sugar does not provide meaningful amounts of sodium, so electrolytes need to be considered separately.

3. When Should You Consider Maltodextrin and Fructose?

Table sugar is a great starting point, especially for athletes who want a simple, affordable solution.

However, if you are targeting higher carbohydrate intakes during long rides or racing, a mixture of maltodextrin and fructose may be worth considering.

Maltodextrin supplies glucose after digestion, while fructose uses a different intestinal transport pathway. A blend providing approximately two parts glucose-based carbohydrate to one part fructose is a common approach for athletes targeting high carbohydrate intake.

For many athletes, 60–90 g of carbohydrate per hour is a useful range to work toward during longer or more demanding endurance sessions. Higher intakes may be possible with appropriate training and tolerance.

You don’t need to start at the top of that range. Build your intake progressively and practice your strategy during training before using it in competition.

4. Don’t Forget Real Food

Fueling doesn’t have to come exclusively from drinks and gels.

• Bananas
• Dates
• Homemade rice cakes
• Other easy-to-digest carbohydrate-rich foods

These can work particularly well during long training rides, when there is time to eat and you may appreciate some variety.

During harder sessions or racing, liquid fuel and gels can be more convenient. The best choice depends on the intensity of your exercise, your digestive tolerance and what you can comfortably consume while moving.

5. How Much Carbohydrate Do You Need?

Your carbohydrate requirements depend on the duration and intensity of your workout, as well as your individual tolerance.

Here are some practical starting points:

Training session Suggested carbohydrate intake

Easy ride lasting 1.5–2 hours 30–45 g/hour as needed
Long ride lasting 2–3 hours 60–75 g/hour
Race-specific long ride or 70.3 preparation 75–90 g/hour, if tolerated

These are guidelines rather than strict rules. Short, easy sessions may require less fueling, while longer or harder sessions generally demand more.

The important thing is to practice. Your gut needs to become accustomed to consuming carbohydrate during exercise, just as your muscles need to adapt to training.

Start with an amount you tolerate comfortably and gradually increase it when your training requires more.

6. The Real Goal Is Better Fueling, Not More Expensive

Products

As coaches and athletes, we should focus on what improves performance rather than assuming that the most expensive product is always the best.

Adequate carbohydrate intake helps support training quality, sustain performance during long sessions and reduce the likelihood of running out of fuel late in a workout or race.

For many athletes, a simple homemade drink can provide a reliable foundation for their fueling strategy.

Commercial gels remain useful for convenience, but they are not the only way to meet your
carbohydrate needs.

My advice is simple: learn how much carbohydrate you need, experiment with affordable options, practice your fueling during training and find a strategy that works for your body and your budget.


You can invest in your performance without spending a fortune on sports nutrition.

Train smart. Fuel smart. Race strong.