The 6 Best Energy Chews, According to a Dietitian

Is an Energy Chew Beneficial?

Whether energy chews can be beneficial depends on how long you exercise and how your digestive tract tolerates fuel during exercise. During exercise that lasts over an hour, energy chews provide carbohydrates to help prevent “bonking” or “hitting the wall,” and some types of chews will also contribute to replenishing electrolyte losses through sweat.

Most chews are not high enough in sodium to provide the recommended 300 to 600 milligrams of sodium per hour of exercise. Therefore, chews may need to be paired with an electrolyte supplement to reach recommended sodium needs. 

Working with a sports dietitian can help you clarify your fueling needs and determine what may work best for your body.

Endurance athletes: If you are an endurance athlete, you likely exercise for long periods, maybe more than 60 to 90 minutes at a time, most days of the week. Some days, you may even have more than one long workout in a day. For endurance athletes, energy chews can help fuel the consistently long workouts that last over an hour or more. Chews can also be helpful for preventing fatigue on days when you have more than one long workout scheduled. 

Those who exercise for 60 or more minutes: Even if you’re not an endurance athlete, you may have days when an endurance workout (such as running or cycling) is longer than 60 to 90 minutes. In these cases, energy chews can help you stay fueled. Some people will need to consume energy during exercise when exercising more than 60 minutes, and others might not need to unless they're exercising for closer to 90 minutes or more. It will likely take some experimentation to figure out what works best for you.

Who Might Not Benefit from Energy Chews

Energy chews make for a great addition when refueling mid-exercise, but there are situations when they might not be the best option. 

Recreational athletes: If you are engaging in exercise for under 60 minutes, you likely will not benefit from taking an energy chew before or during exercise. 

Those who are looking for a new snack option: If you’re not in the middle of a workout, energy chews might not be the best option for a midday snack. Energy chews are formulated with simple sugars, designed to fuel your workout quickly. They are not intended for a snack at rest.

Those with sensitive stomachs, especially when exercising: If you have discomfort such as bloating, cramping, or diarrhea when eating and exercising, you may benefit from experimenting with different energy chews, gels, or bars and/or adding small sips of water when eating mid-activity.

What to Look for in an Energy Chew

Form

Energy chews come in a variety of flavors, consistencies, and ingredients. There is also slight variance on the size of chews and recommended timing and dosing amounts. We recommend trying a few different brands and types of chews to see what consistency is easiest to chew and feels the best for your digestive system.

Evidence shows that caffeine may boost athletic performance, most notably in aerobic exercise. Many energy chews contain caffeine to help boost performance. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you may choose to avoid energy chews that have added caffeine. Always read the label carefully to check whether the product contains caffeine.

Ingredients and Potential Interactions

It is essential to carefully read the ingredient list and nutrition facts panel of a supplement to know which ingredients and how much of each ingredient is included, relative to the recommended daily value of that ingredient. Please bring the supplement label to a healthcare provider to review the different ingredients contained in the supplement and any potential interactions between these ingredients and other supplements and medications you are taking.

Many energy chews contain caffeine to help boost energy. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you may choose to avoid energy chews that have added caffeine. Always read the label carefully to check whether the product contains caffeine.

Carbohydrates: Energy chews consist of easily digested carbohydrates, often referred to as "simple sugars." Carbohydrates should be the primary ingredient listed, as this is the energy source your body needs mid-workout. The carbohydrates in chews can come from a variety of sources with different combinations of the simple sugars sucrose, glucose and maltodextrin. Note that fructose as a primary ingredient in energy chews or other sports nutrition products may cause stomach upset.

Knott recommends, “When choosing an energy chew, look for one that contains a mix of carbohydrate sources. This will help ensure tolerance and aid in maximum absorption while exercising." 

Electrolytes: Electrolyte balance is essential to any endurance athlete. Electrolytes play an important role in controlling fluid balance, muscle contractions, and heart rate. When you are out of balance or low on electrolytes, your performance will diminish. In particular, profuse sweating can result in a sodium imbalance, which means that it’s most important to consume sodium during a long training session.

If you are relying on your energy chews to help replenish your sodium losses, look for options on the higher range for sodium. Use 50 to 100 milligrams of sodium per serving as a good baseline. There are options that do not contain significant amounts of sodium, which simply means it is important to also consume an electrolyte drink, especially for endurance athletes. If you are taking any sort of diuretic medication, resulting in increased losses or storage of electrolytes, be sure to speak with a healthcare provider or sports dietitian about maintaining proper electrolyte balance during bouts of intense training.

Caffeine: Caffeine is often an additive in energy chews, as it has been shown to improve athletic performance. Everyone responds differently to caffeine, so it is important to know how your body responds, and adapt your intake accordingly. That may mean choosing non-caffeinated chews if you are caffeine-sensitive. It is also important to note that taking more than the recommended 3 to 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight will likely not improve performance.

Energy Chew Dosage

Energy chews do not have a standard dose. Most manufacturers take into consideration the total carbohydrate and electrolyte amounts when recommending the serving size. It is important to follow the nutrition label directions for serving size, adapt the dosage according to your needs (making sure to incorporate enough fluids!), and always try new energy chews during training rather than on the day of a competition.

Knott adds, “It's best to choose a chew that offers the optimal amount of carbohydrates in a number of chews that’s comfortable to consume during exercise. For example, if you need 60 grams of carbohydrates in an hour, but it will require eating 10 chews to reach that number, then that may be too many for some athletes to tolerate. Understanding your tolerance and the ease of intake is important for successfully taking in enough carbohydrates via chews during exercise.”

Keep in mind that there may be multiple servings per packet of energy chews. Take note of the serving size and number of servings per packet before beginning your exercise, so you can dose accordingly. Multiple packets may be needed to reach your carbohydrate and sodium goals during exercise. For every hour of moderate intense exercise, the ISSN recommends consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates and up to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour for ultra-endurance athletes. Sodium recommendations during exercise can vary based on sweat rate, climate, and length of exercise, but in general, 300 to 600 milligrams per hour are recommended for exercising for an hour or more.

How Much Is Too Much?

There is no defined upper limit for energy chews, but consuming too many, especially at once, can lead to gastrointestinal upset. The amount you can tolerate will vary by person and product. It's best to test out fuel during training days. Follow package recommendations and, if necessary, slowly adjust the amount until you find the optimal amount for you. If you are unsure how much is right for you or are having difficulty with your fueling, work with a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition.

Chews that contain caffeine and sodium may also exceed recommended doses.

Caffeine: When consumed at 400 to 500 mg/day or more, caffeine has been shown to reduce, rather than enhance, athletic performance, and it may lead to sleep disturbances, stomach upset, irritability, anxiety, or other harmful health outcomes.

Sodium: The range of sodium requirements in the endurance athlete can vary greatly. In certain instances, it has been shown that the ultra-endurance athlete needs more sodium, as they can lose up to 1.7 to 2.9 grams of salt per liter of sweat. Just like with fluids, adequate sodium intake is critical to maintain performance and health while exercising. It is important to monitor your sodium output and intake when training intensely for long periods of time.

Why Trust Verywell Fit

As a lifelong athlete and registered dietitian, Brittany Scanniello is constantly keeping up on the latest sports nutrition research, trends, and new products that have hit the market. In her day-to-day, she works with active people, helping to coach them on their nutrition choices for before, during, and after training, to ensure that they are putting their best foot forward.

We also consulted Allison Knott, MS, RDN, CSSD who specializes in sports dietetics.

We work hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements. You can read more about our dietary supplement methodology here.