Following a crowdfunding campaign last year, sports nutrition company, Protein Rebel, has rolled out Maple Ignite – which is billed by the company as the UK’s first pure maple syrup energy gel.
Made from a light maple syrup harvested from Canadian maple trees and blended with sea salt, Maple Ignite claims to deliver a sustained energy boost to support endurance activities such as running and cycling.
“Maple syrup is nature’s performance fuel,” said Tim Boote, founder of Protein Rebel. “It’s high in sucrose which provides a balanced and prolonged energy source while being very gentle on the gut.”
The company notes that maple syrup is naturally high in carbohydrate and the electrolytes potassium and calcium. By blending the syrup with sea salt, this provides added sodium to replenish salts lost through sweating.
Each 36g tube of Maple Ignite provides 24g of carbohydrates, 110mg of sodium, 90mg potassium, 27mg calcium and also contains iron and manganese.
Tim Boote continued “Many people struggle to digest fructose and maltodextrin-based gels which end up sitting in the gut, causing gastrointestinal upset, accelerating dehydration, and not providing the vital energy needed.
“By replacing chemicals with all-natural Maple Ignite, the stomach is at very low risk of distress and you can be confident of getting the energy boost you need when your body most needs it.”
According to Protein Rebel, maple syrup is a renewable source of energy – as a maple tree is capable of bearing sap for up to 200 years. Plus, maple trees sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with an estimated 100 pounds of carbon dioxide sequestered per gallon of maple syrup.
Costing £1.99 per gel, Maple Ignite’s packaging also includes a tag to keep the top and bottom of the packaging together. This helps to reduce litter.
“We’re focused on bringing natural sports nutrition products to market that are not only healthier for our bodies, but are also healthier for the planet,” added Boote.
