Sometimes Halloween Candy is Better than Energy Gels for Your Workout. Here's Why.

Cyclists who are sick of the frightening cost and ghastly gloop of energy gels should consider dressing as a demon and going trick-or-treating this Halloween.

The candy that will be dished out to expectant ghouls and gremlins this weekend is almost perfect riding fuel.

Kids’ favorites like Nerds Gummy Clusters, Sour Patch Kids, and the ever-controversial candy corn can deliver 10 times more energy per dollar and multiple times more flavor per mouthful than primo sports nutrition products.

But before you go craft a costume and muster a trick-or-treat patrol, there are a few things you should know.

They might save your candy-fueled bike rides from becoming a fright.

Cheap, tasty, festive fueling

Carbs are the body’s preferred source of fast energy, but they’re a limited resource. The muscles and liver can only store a limited amount of carbohydrates, making it essential to top up during any longer, harder ride. Those who don’t face the prospect of an empty fuel tank and a miserable slog home.

Halloween candy provides exactly what the working muscles need: fast-acting, low-fiber carbohydrates.

At the basic level, it’s no different from the gels and drinks that promise to bonk-proof your ride with perfectly synthesized packages of energy.

And we all know the promise of sport nutrition comes at a price. A packet of “pina colada” or “birthday cake” flavor sports goo can cost close to five bucks.

When we compared the cost and nutritional values of nine popular Halloween candies to some of our favored gels, the results were not surprising.

A couple of handfuls of candy will deliver the same amount of carbohydrate as a leading energy gel, at just a fraction of the price.

For example, per our calculations, every gram of carbohydrate in a hyper-researched Maurten hydrogel costs 11 cents. One gram of carbohydrate from the Halloween love-or-hate candy corn costs one cent.

You can see the charts below.

Why candy might not work out for your workout

So that’s it, right? No energy gels, ever again?

Not necessarily.

Not all carbs are created equal, and candy carbs are not always the best carbs for workout fuel – no matter how damn cheap and tasty they might be.

The modern sports nutrition that enabled the high-carb fueling “revolution” uses specific sugar blends to maximize carbohydrate absorption into the gut and oxidation by the muscles.

By using both glucose and fructose in 1:0.8 or 2:1 ratios, leading products allow athletes like Tadej Pogačar to fuel at more than 500 calories of carbs per hour, for six hours straight.

Try that with a bag of Twizzlers; we dare you. Maybe stash some toilet paper in your jersey pocket if you do.

Mass-market candy rarely, if ever, uses the glucose-to-fructose ratios that have saved the WorldTour from the explosive G.I. distress that once haunted high-carb fueling. Targeting the pro-standard 120 grams of carbs per hour with a packet of Sour Patch Kids will result in scenes worthy of the most icky horror movie.

If you hope to “train hard” rather than just “ride,” skip the sweeties. Invest in your workout and splurge on sports nutrition.

Halloween heroes and villains: caffeine, sodium, fiber, and fat

In many cases, energy gels and drinks are not just energy.

Many products are boosted with stimulants like caffeine or taurine, or minerals like sodium and potassium.

Electrolyte supplementation can be especially important for any rider going long or going hard. Candy won’t help keep sodium balance in check.

By contrast, candies can include things you might not want in the fueling mix.

Fiber and fats are not your friends if you need fast energy. They slow digestion, and can cause gut rot if eaten during workout intensity.

So, we’re sorry to say it, Snickers fans. That delicious stick of chocolate and nuts might wreck your workout. Save it for when you get home – your stomach will thank you, and your jersey lining might, too. There’s no coming back from finding a melted chocolate bar smooshed into your back pocket after a long or hot ride.

If you want fast fuel, choose your Halloween candy carefully. Nerds Gummy Clusters, Sour Patch Kids, and Skittles will give you more speed than Snickers or Reese’s.

But that’s not to say chocolate doesn’t have a place in your cycling cupboard.

For long, low-intensity rides, chocolate’s satiety and slower-release energy can see you right for endless kilometers. Just ask Oreo and Payday bar afficionado, Lachlan Morton.

But for the sake of your sleek new apparel, consider how you carry it.

Portability and accessibility

And perhaps two of the most obvious considerations when considering gels vs. candy: Portability and munch-ability.

As tasty as Nerds Gummy Clusters might be, anyone who’s tried chewing them down mid-effort is in for a fright. The choking hazard of small candies is very real if you’re trying to hit a workout.

And that’s if you can even access them while on the move.

An easily overlooked benefit of an energy gel is just how easy it is to access and open while you’re clinging to the wheels of the weekend group ride. Ever tried tearing open a packet of Sour Patch Kids with frozen mid-winter fingers while riding 350 watts? Trust us, don’t bother.

A couple of real-food fueling transportation tips?

Pre-open candy packets before you go ride for easy accessibility.

And if you can’t face a six-hour ride without a Twix, we get it. But stash it in the bar bag, not the pocket of your $150 jersey.

Sport nutrition vs. candy: The Halloween showdown

Considering some over-age trick-or-treating this weekend?

Here’s how Team Velo’s favorite candies compare to some leading energy gels to help guide your Halloween ghouling.

We’ve included the costs and total nutritional values of packet sizes often found in a local store, and added our golden metric: cost per carbohydrate.

We’ve also included some reasonable serving sizes for cyclists meticulous enough to split an XL sack of sweets into portions before they ride.

The takeaway from these charts?

Candy can give you 10 times more carbs per dollar than sport nutrition.

Candy corn worked out as the cheapest of all the grocery store treats, but could you handle the polarizing, waxy consistency?

By contrast, Maurten is the most expensive energy gel. The hydrogel goop is 11 times more costly per gram of carbohydrate than candy corn.

But as we explored above, sport nutrition can be a price worth paying for.

If you’re considering a spooky fueling strategy this Halloween season, moderate your intensity, remember your electrolytes, and be cautious of chocolate. And definitely make sure you can open the damn packets.

Want to consider some other real-food options for your ride? Here are some of our favorites.  

Velo’s favorite sport nutrition

Velo’s favorite candy