Energy Compotes: Convenience, Effectiveness, and Enjoyment
Halfway between an energy bar and an energy gel, an energy compote is a purée of blended fruit and/or vegetables, enriched—or not—with carbohydrates, proteins, or vitamins. Some are sweet, while others are savory.
The relatively liquid texture of an energy compote makes it very easy to consume during exercise, especially while running. It digests more quickly than solid food because there is no need to chew. This allows the energy compote to be absorbed by the body more quickly and easily, providing an almost immediate “boost” effect. Its fruit-rich composition makes these compotes very enjoyable sports nutrition products to consume while racing or training.
Finally, their packaging in small, resealable soft pouches is very practical: it takes up little space in a pocket, trail vest, or running belt, is highly resistant to impact, and allows consumption in several servings.
Although this category of energy compotes and purées is fairly new to the market, it is growing rapidly, often at the expense of gels; nevertheless, few brands offer them.
The Mulebar Energy Compote Range
Mulebar was one of the first brands to launch, in 2016, a range of 7 vegan, gluten-free recipes, two of which (apricot and banana) are also certified organic.
Let's compare the nutritional values of Mulebar and the main competing brands, based on the values listed on their respective websites. Since the serving sizes are not identical (65g, 80g, 90g), I compared everything on a per-100g basis to make the differences easier to read. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
Mulebar Strawberry–Redcurrant–Beetroot vs Baouw Raspberry–Strawberry–Basil:
Mulebar Apricot and Overstims Ultra Apricot–Apple:
Mulebar Banana vs. Atlet Butternut–Sweet Potato–Almond:
Mulebar Sweet Potato–Carrot–Orange vs. 4ultra Sweet Potato–Butternut:
How many energy compotes should you consume per hour of running?
Carbohydrate consumption aims to replenish glycogen stores, the energy reserve that powers our muscles. Depending on the intensity of the effort, body size, sex, outdoor temperature, and other factors, individual carbohydrate needs range from 50 g to 120 g. You should therefore test during training, since you may have noticed in the comparisons above that the calorie amounts vary greatly from one brand to another.
