Energy Gels: How Many Per Hour? A Mauritius Trail Guide
Plan on one to two energy gels per hour, roughly 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate; take the first at 30 to 45 minutes and drink water with every gel. That is the formula for most runs and rides longer than an hour; anything shorter needs water, not gels. In Mauritius's humidity, alternating a fruit purée with the gels keeps the stomach settled and the sweetness bearable. This DodoFresh guide uses the Baouw gels, purées and bars we stock to build a workable plan for Ferney, Moka, Rodrigues and Le Morne.
How many carbs per hour do runners and cyclists need?
Most adults need 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour once an effort passes the one-hour mark, and none under 45 minutes. The Australian Institute of Sport puts efforts of 1 to 2.5 hours at 30–60 g/h and ultra-endurance events beyond 2.5 hours at up to 90 g/h; the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand on nutrient timing gives the same 30–60 g/h band. The higher figures suit only athletes with a trained gut and a mix of sugars, since a 2014 review by Asker Jeukendrup notes a single carbohydrate source is oxidised at up to about 60 g/h. A Baouw gel carries 30 g of carbohydrate by the brand's published figures: one gel an hour is the floor, two the realistic ceiling.
When should I take the first gel, and how often after?
Take the first gel 30 to 45 minutes in, then one every 30 to 40 minutes until the finish. Muscles and liver hold enough glycogen for roughly an hour; feeding early keeps that tank topped up rather than refilling it once empty. Set a repeating alarm on your watch; in a race you will forget. Take gels at the base of a climb, since muscles need 15 to 20 minutes to feel the sugar, and the last one about 30 minutes before the line. Never double up to catch up: two gels without water invite cramps, and one every 30 minutes already gives 60 g/h.
Gel, purée or bar: which one when?
Gels are fastest and lightest, purées are gentler and add potassium and a little water, and bars only make sense when you can chew steadily. Figures are Baouw's published nutrition per unit; prices are DodoFresh prices at the time of writing.
| Product | Carbs per unit | Texture and best moment | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Energy Gel Apricot-Thyme 85 g | 30 g | Smooth fruit gel, less sweet, herbal; every 30–40 min, hours 2 to 4 | Rs 200 |
| Organic Energy Gel Peach-Matcha Tea 85 g | 30 g | 0.1 % matcha green tea; a mid-race lift | Rs 200 |
| Organic Energy Purée Mango-Passion-Ginger 90 g | 19 g | Blended fruit, 484 mg potassium; alternate with gels in heat | Rs 190 |
| Organic Energy Purée Sweet Potato-Carrot-Timut Pepper 90 g | 17 g, 1.02 g salt | Savoury; from hour 3 | Rs 190 |
| Extra Organic Energy Bar Banana-Pecan 50 g | 28 g | Chewy dates and nuts; hikes, long climbs | Rs 184 |
Every gel, purée and bar in the table is organic, vegan and gluten-free; the Extra bars also have no added sugar. Count a purée as half a gel in your hourly total. The Peach-Matcha gel contains matcha green tea, which naturally carries a little caffeine; the brand publishes no figure, so if you avoid caffeine or are pregnant, pick another flavour.
Why does heat change the plan?
A hot gut absorbs less, so the gel that sat fine on a cool morning can sit like a stone at 11 am in February. Mauritius Meteorological Services describes summer, November to April, as hot and humid at around 27–34 °C with humidity above 80 %; even a September start at Ferney is sticky by mid-morning. Three fixes help. Water with every gel: the Australian Institute of Sport advises taking gels with water or dilute fluids to reduce gut upsets. Smaller, more frequent doses: a purée alternated with gels, or half a gel every 15 minutes. Salt: sweat carries sodium away, so a savoury purée or an electrolyte tablet in your bottle covers what plain water cannot; we compare the two in our electrolytes vs water guide.
How do I train my stomach before race day?
Train your stomach like your legs: gradually, weekly, with exactly what you will use on race day. Jeukendrup's review recommends practising the race intake strategy in training, and the Australian Institute of Sport says athletes should practise gels and assess tolerance before competition. Start six weeks out: on your weekly long run take 30 g/h (one gel) for two weeks, then 45 g/h, then 60 g/h, always with water. After two hours you will know whether Apricot-Thyme and the savoury purée deserve their place. Do two sessions in late-morning heat, because humidity is half the test. Nothing new on race day.
What should I pack for a 10 km, a 20 km, a 35 km and a 50 km+ race?
Pack by hours on your feet, not kilometres: a trail kilometre is worth two or three road ones. The 2026 calendar gives anchors: the CIEL Ferney Trail on 12 September (5, 10, 18 and 35 km), Moka Trail on 3 October, Trail de Rodrigues on 8 November and Mauritius by UTMB at Le Morne in June 2027. Treat these as starting points to test in training, not prescriptions.
- 5–10 km (under 75 minutes for most): water only; one gel if you will be out over an hour.
- 18–20 km (2 to 3 hours): 3–4 gels, one purée, a 500 ml bottle refilled at aid stations; first gel at 40 minutes, then every 35.
- 35 km (5 to 7 hours): 6–8 gels, 2–3 purées including the savoury one, one Extra bar for the long hike; 45–60 g/h and salt from hour two.
- 50 km+ (8 hours or more): 1.5 to 2 units an hour, mixed: gels on runnable sections, purées on climbs, a bar when walking, a savoury purée every 2 to 3 hours, a protein bar in the drop bag.
Where can I buy energy gels in Mauritius?
DodoFresh stocks Baouw in Mauritius: gels Rs 200, purées Rs 190, Extra bars Rs 184, in the sports supplements collection, with the full Baouw range and the energy and protein bars on their own pages. Delivery runs Monday to Friday; order before 11:30 am for same-day delivery, otherwise next working day. Minimum order Rs 999, standard delivery Rs 399, free standard delivery for DodoPrime members from Rs 1,999. DodoMarket holds a 4.8-star rating from more than 3,900 verified Judge.me reviews. For a Saturday race, order by Friday 11:30 am at the latest; there is no weekend delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Can fruit purées replace gels?
Partly. A Baouw purée gives 15 to 19 g of carbohydrate against 30 g in a gel, so two purées an hour match one gel, and the volume is not always welcome. Purées shine as the gentler half of a gel, purée, gel rotation, and bring potassium and a little water, useful in the heat.
Do I need gels for a 10 km?
Usually not. Sports-medicine guidance says carbohydrate is not needed under 45 minutes, and a 10 km road race sits under an hour for most runners, so water is enough. A hilly 10 km trail taking 75 to 90 minutes is different: one gel at 40 minutes, with water, may help you finish stronger.
How many gels for a 35 km trail?
Budget six to eight gels for a 35 km trail of five to seven hours, and swap two or three for purées, including a savoury one from hour three. That is 45 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour. Carry one or two extra: an unused gel weighs 85 g, a bonk costs an hour.
Are Baouw gels organic and vegan?
Yes. Each Baouw energy gel, energy purée and energy bar sold at DodoFresh is certified organic, vegan and gluten-free, built on fruit purée, agave syrup and olive oil rather than glucose syrup. The Extra bars also have no added sugar. The protein bar shares those labels but is a recovery product, not a mid-race one.
Should I take gels with water?
Yes, every time. A gel is a concentrated sugar solution that sits heavily without water, which is why the Australian Institute of Sport advises taking gels with water or dilute fluids. Two or three mouthfuls, about 150 to 200 ml, per gel is a good habit; Baouw also suggests diluting a gel in a 500 ml bottle.
What if gels upset my stomach?
Halve the dose and double the frequency: half a gel every 15 minutes, always with water, is kinder than a whole gel every 30. Switch the next feed to a purée, or the savoury sweet-potato pouch if sweetness is the problem, and ease off for ten minutes. If it happens every time, train the gut over six weeks at lower doses and see a sports dietitian or doctor.
The bottom line
One to two gels an hour, the first at 30 to 45 minutes, water with every one, and a purée in the rotation once the heat builds: that carries most people from Ferney's 18 km to a long day at Le Morne. Rehearse it on long runs and pack one unit more than the maths says. Browse the sports supplements collection or message us on WhatsApp at +230 5510 8188 for help building a pack for your distance.
