Energy Chews vs Gels: Which Is Better for Endurance Athletes? | FTP Endurance Fuel
Runner's World Award-Winning Fuel
Energy Chews vs Gels: Which Should You Race With?
Both deliver the carbs. Only one of them still tastes good at mile 20. Here's the honest comparison — and why thousands of runners and riders are switching.
SHOP ENERGY PASTILLES1kg bulk packs · Taster packs from £5.49 · Free of sticky wrappers
The quick verdict: gels and chews deliver energy equally well on paper — but chews win on stomach comfort, taste over long efforts, precise dosing and packaging. The best fuel is the one you'll actually keep taking, all the way to the finish.
The Head-to-Head
| Energy Chews | Energy Gels | |
| Carbs per serving | ~30g, portionable ✅ | 20–25g, all at once |
| Stomach comfort late-race | Paced, gentle ✅ | Common cause of GI distress |
| Needs water? | Helpful, not essential ✅ | Usually essential |
| Taste at hour 3+ | Fruit, not syrup ✅ | Flavour fatigue is real |
| Packaging on course | One resealable pouch ✅ | A wrapper per serving |
| Cost per gram of carbs | From ~£4.30/100g in bulk ✅ | Significantly higher per sachet |
Same Science, Better Experience
Quality chews and gels both use fast-absorbing carbohydrates — FTP Pastilles run a 1:1 glucose-to-fructose blend that supports absorption up to 90g per hour, the same dual-transporter science the pro peloton fuels with. The difference is everything around the carbs: chewing paces your intake naturally, there's no syrup bolus hitting an already-stressed gut, and you take exactly as much as you need — one pastille or five — instead of committing to a full sachet.
Over 90% of Ironman athletes report GI symptoms mid-race. If you've ever gagged on your fourth gel of the day, you already know which side of this comparison you're on.
Ditch the gels for your next long session
Try a taster pack first — test them on a training run, not race day.
Pick Your Fuel
Tart Cherry Pastilles — 1kg
Carbs + anthocyanins for recovery. The award-winner.
£42.99
SHOP TART CHERRY
Common Questions
Do chews work as fast as gels?
Near enough that it doesn't matter — chewing starts carb breakdown in the mouth, and both are felt within ~15 minutes. Consistency of intake beats onset speed every time.
How many chews replace a gel?
2 FTP pastilles ≈ 30g of carbs ≈ 1.2 gels. For 60–90g per hour, take 2 pastilles every 25–30 minutes.
Can I mix chews and gels in one race?
Absolutely — many athletes use chews for steady fuelling and keep a gel for the final push. Just count total carbs per hour across everything.
Ready to fuel without the gag reflex?
Join the runners and riders who've made the switch. Test a taster on your next long session.
SHOP ALL ENERGY PASTILLESWant the deep dive? Read our full editorial comparison — Energy Chews vs Gels: Which Is Better for Endurance Sport? — plus how many gels a marathon actually takes and how many carbs per hour you need.
