Jelly Belly Sport Beans Review

I've used gels over the years to fuel my longer runs. One day, I read a book by an ultra-runner who said they were being used as syrup for pancakes at the fuel stations. I don't know why that freaked me out, but now I don't use them much. I was looking for alternatives, and someone told me that Jelly Belly made Sport Beans with electrolytes, Vitamins B and C, and carbs. They're also gluten-free, which is a big thing for me. I figured it was worth a shot. Even if they didn't work, well, I had jelly beans in the house. Win-win. 

I ordered a bunch of flavors and tried them in the middle of a 16-mile run. While I don't love chewing stuff while running, these went down easy and didn't give me the weird tummy ache that gels sometimes do if you don't have enough liquid to drink with them. I definitely felt a burst of energy, and my legs stopped cramping up on me. 

It's recommended to eat one pack 30 minutes before you run and some as needed as you go. They do mention consuming with water, but I usually don't with no problem. Your mileage may vary there. I did find that the caffeinated ones made me thirstier than the regular ones. 

Each pack is a nice size (and the packs are resealable), and there are 100 calories per serving, with 19 grams of sugar and 25 grams of carbs. They have potassium and sodium for fluid balance. They really don't taste much different than regular beans, though if you're looking for it, you might be able to detect the sodium a tiny bit. There are plenty of flavors, and I really only notice it in the lemon-lime, but I actually think that's not a bad thing.