*
Disclaimer: I received the UCAN Bars to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (Ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews
There seems to be hundreds of gels,
snack bars, jelly beans, and gummies that have everything from glucose as a
primary source of fuel, to isotonic gels that you can take without water. UCAN has come up with snack bars that use superstarch as
the primary source of fuel.
What
is Superstarch?
UCAN uses an all-natural, carbohydrate that is
patented. The Superstarch comes from
hydrothermally treated, non-GMO corn. UCAN had top researchers from around the globe searching
for a food that maintained blood sugar levels for the longest period of
time. The results produced the
Superstarch that UCAN uses
today.
Why
is Superstarch so great?
Using superstarch provides a steady
release of glucose so you don’t have an early spike in blood sugar, which can
lead to a crash later on in your workout. Superstarch provides a more reliable,
extended source of energy that will last longer than traditional energy
sources. Dr. Cathy Yeckel explains
Superstarch as “… giving little bits of energy over time, keeping your blood
sugar stable… it gives you energy without disrupting your metabolism. It’s
revolutionary.”
Benefits
include:
·
Steady energy
·
Burn fat for fuel
·
No GI distress
·
Healthy,
efficient calories
·
Optimize recovery
·
Improve body
composition
UCAN has been featured in several top fitness magazines
including Men’s Health, Competitor, and Runner’s World. Some of the top runners in the world use UCAN products including Meb Keflezighi (Silver Medalist in
the 2004 Olympics Marathon, winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon and winner
of the 2014 Boston Marathon).
My
experience:
I tested the Chocolate, Peach Passion,
and Cinnamon Swirl UCAN snack bars. I first tried
the Chocolate bar and absolutely loved the flavor and texture. I did feel like I had a steadier source of
energy during my interval training, where I normally would have plenty of
energy in the beginning, but would start lagging toward the end of my
workout.
I wish I could say that I loved the
Peach Passion and Cinnamon Swirl as much as the Chocolate. The taste and texture were not working for me
(the texture more than the taste to be honest).
It would take me 5-10 minutes to eat because I could only take small
bites at a time. The results as far as
sustained energy were the same as the chocolate though and some of the other BibRave
Pro’s really liked these flavors and said they didn’t mind the
texture, so take that into account.
With that being said, I would
absolutely buy the Chocolate bars again.
The only down side top the Chocolate bars is that they can melt in the
heat, where the Peach Passion and Cinnamon Swirl will hold up better in hot
conditions.
Pros:
Provides steady energy
Won’t cause blood sugar spikes
No GI Distress
Gluten-Free
No Trans-Fats and GMO Free
Cons:
The texture can take a little getting
used to. Some bars have a better texture than other bars.
UCAN’s Social Media Links:
You can pick up your UCAN bars at their website.
If you like saving money (who doesn’t), be sure to use the code
“BIBRAVE” at checkout to save 15% off. I
really like the benefits from the superstarch and will definitely keep using UCAN bars in my training, although I will be picking my flavors
wisely.
If you would like to see what other BibRave
Pro’s though about UCAN bars, visit their blog reviews below.
