Fruit gums and jelly babies usually contain 75 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, mostly in the form of glucose and table sugar. A banana of the same weight only provides around 20 grams of carbohydrates. Gummy bears can therefore be a good source of easily available carbohydrates on the bike. Some manufacturers have already recognised this and offer special sports fruit gums. In addition to gels and bars, you can also snack on gummy bears to get the 60 grams of carbohydrates that you should consume every hour on longer tours of medium exertion. However, as with any carbohydrate intake, you should also drink enough water.
During high-intensity exercise, fruit gums have the disadvantage over gels that the firmer consistency can lead to gastrointestinal problems. Fruit gums are also well suited for direct regeneration after long or intensive training, ideally combined with a carbohydrate drink, bar, banana or a sweet sandwich. The protein from gelatine can even speed up recovery - but only in combination with a dairy product, as the biological value of gelatine protein is rather low.
Despite all this, gummy bears are sweets that should not dominate an athlete's diet due to their low nutrient density, even if they contain added vitamins.
