How to read an energy gel label
The back of a gel carries more numbers than it seems. Once you know what each one means, it is easy to compare flavours and work out how much carbohydrate you are actually taking.
- Author:
- Honey Bee Power
- Updated:
- 2 min read
Net quantity and serving
The Honey Bee Power gel has a net quantity of 40 g, which is also the one serving in the directions. So you can read the table in two columns: per 100 g and per 40 g.
From 100 g to 40 g
The values per 40 g are the values per 100 g multiplied by 0.4. Example for orange: 78 g of carbohydrate per 100 g × 0.4 = 31.2 g in one gel. The same goes for energy: 1330 kJ per 100 g gives 532 kJ per 40 g.
- Orange: 31.2 g of carbohydrate per 40 g
- Lemon: 29 g
- Raspberry: 32.8 g
Carbohydrate and sugars
Carbohydrate is almost everything in the table, and most of it is sugars from honey: in orange, 30 g of sugars out of 31.2 g of carbohydrate. Fat, fibre and protein are 0 g.
Ingredients in order
Ingredients are listed from the largest share to the smallest (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011). That is why multifloral honey comes first, while guarana seed extract, which contains caffeine, accounts for 1%. Raspberry has no sea salt, so it lists three ingredients.
Warning and storage
The label warns that the gel is not recommended for people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or children. Store at room temperature (up to 25 °C) and out of reach of small children.
This is general information, not medical or nutritional advice.