I was recently listening to my favorite podcast, Ben Greenfield Fitness (one of the best out there, love those guys) and he was talking about fueling for races and made some comment about a high fat gummy for fuel. It got me thinking that I could create one myself that could be stuffed away in a ziploc for use on a long training day. You don't have to be an athlete to enjoy these, you can just call this coconut jello and enjoy it as a high fat treat!! I'm sure some of you athletes out there know what Clif Blocks are...gummy blocks full of sugar that are meant to be consumed during a race. Some people need substance rather than a liquid, so these work great, but it's all sugar! More and more athletes are turning to a high fat, low carb lifestyle and are doing away with the gels, gu's and other simple sugars as fuel during races and longer training sessions. The purpose of this is to tap into your bodies fat stores for energy rather than being a sugar burner. These gummies are a perfect source of fat for quick energy and you get some protein (amino acids) from the gelatin as well! The triathlon and marathon season is coming to a close, but these would be good for those looking for a convenient way to fuel your workouts or to tie you over between meals.
I am a huge fan of gelatin, I actually use it daily in hot bone broth, soups or just in hot water. It is beneficial for the gut, joints, skin and much more!! Wellness Mama has a great post about its benefits and all of the ways to use it. I recommend Great Lake's Gelatin (Natural Grocer's sells it) or Upgraded Self Collagen from The Bulletproof Exec website.
I also love using MCT oil (Medium-Chained-Triglycerides, also found in coconut oil and are different than Long-chained-triglycerides found in oil olive and other fats). MCT's are absorbed more like carbohydrates and are used and burned quickly by the body and not stored in the fat cells and any extra are converted into ketones. Sounds like the perfect fat for fueling your long runs, bike rides or whatever activity you choose! MCT oil is tasteless and stays in liquid form, so it is perfect for salad dressings or to drizzle on any dish for added fat. You can certainly leave this out of the recipe, but it's what provides the fat along with the coconut milk that will be your fuel! Don't get crazy and start dumping MCT oil on all your meals right away, it can cause intestinal issues for some people that are not used to large amounts of fat. I actually didn't have any issues with it and add it to my morning smoothie every day. I use Dave Asprey's MCT Oil or I'd suggest Now Foods MCT Oil that can be found at some health food stores in the supplement department or from Amazon.
I have not taken these out on a run (I typically don't eat anything), but please let me know if they survive the heat and how they worked for you!!
Chocolate Coconut Gummies
Ingredients
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp gelatin (from grass-fed source, see above for sources)
- 1 tbsp or more MCT oil (optional, see above for sources)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tsp cacao powder (these are also good without, but cacao adds flavor and antioxidants)
- couple sprinkles of sea salt
- Stevia or other sweetener to taste (I used a tbsp of Swerve for no sugar option)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until well combined
- Pour into a candy mold or glass dish (size depends on how thick you want the gummies to be) and refrigerate until firm
- Cut into desired size and store in the refrigerator
Notes
You can tailor these to your liking by adding more cacao or none at all or try using different extracts or flavorings.
xo,
