There really is no comparison between e-Gel and Clif SHOT Gel. e-Gel is the
most complete energy gel on the market today while Clif SHOT has one of
the highest sugar levels, very low electrolyte levels and no amino acids
or antioxidants.
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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. Clif SHOT on the other hand uses brown rice syrup
which sounds good on the label, but unfortunately it is a very high sugar
content cabohydrate. Most flavors of Clif SHOT also include
juice concentrates which contain a
combination of fructose, glucose and sucrose. The danger of high sugar content products
such as Clif SHOT energy gel is that they
can elevate your blood sugar level too far too fast which can lead to a
sugar crash (also known as bonking). Higher sugar content also raises the
osmolality of the product which can reduce energy delivery, delay fluid
absorption and promote 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. e-Gel has approximately 5 times the amount of sodium and
potassium compared to Clif SHOT. 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. Clif SHOT and most
other energy gels on
the market today fail to include amino acids because they are expensive
ingredients.
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Citrates
Citrates 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.
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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. Clif SHOT has caffeine in their
Double Espresso and Strawberry flavors only.
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Pricing
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At retail, a pack of Clif SHOT cost about 15% less than a pack of e-Gel, however, each pack of e-Gel
contains more than 50% more energy than a pack of Clif SHOT (37 grams vs. 25 grams). On a cost per calorie basis
Clif SHOT is 25% more expensive than e-Gel.
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Clif SHOT is a trademark of
Clif Bar, INc.. The nutritional information shown above for Clif SHOT is
for a single serving packet of their Vanilla flavor as published December
2008. Other Clif SHOT flavors have virtually identical nutritional profiles with the exception
of caffeine that is included in their strawberry and Double Espresso
flavors.
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