Food and Drink
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What food is best for long canoe trip, where weight is not an issue? Alex Savannah, GA
A Texas-based company is marketing a brand of bottled H20, called Evolv, that supposedly can ward off disease and boost your aerobic capacity. It’s fascinating case study of a notable trend—nutritional products that are being sold with a mix of miracle health claims and complex financial structures that promise easy riches. Our advice? Investor beware.
I am currently stationed in Naples, Italy for another year and a half. Can you list ten things that I should accomplish in Europe while I'm here? I love to travel and fish and I am more concerned with seeing the natural beauty of the continent than anything else.BlakeNaples, Italy
I'm on a tight budget. What are some quality, practical holiday gifts for my wife that won't require a second mortgage? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
With a combination of whole foods—nuts, seeds, and fruit— these bars are healthy and taste nutritious. In a good way. www.theprobar.com…
Ultra freaks, take note: Gu’s new high-powered sugar slurp has about three times the citrates and amino acids of its regular gels and may help battle fatigue in extreme races. Taste? Salty and a touch bitter. gusports.com…
Clif’s first 100 percent organic bar contains two servings of fruit—and no more than five ingredients total. Our fave: Dark Chocolate & Walnut. www.clifbar.com…
Four-Pack If you already get your carbs and calories somewhere else, this lactose-free shake speeds recovery with 15 grams of protein but just 100 calories—130 less than regular Muscle Milk. cytosport.com…
The Hooah!’s claim to fame? It was developed by the U.S. military, which found that it improved stamina. The Chocolate Crisp is like eating a flavored Rice Krispie treat. www.hooahbar.com…
Unlike the regular stuff you get at the gas ‘n’ go, this Gatorade mix has 79 g of healthy sugars (no high-fructose corn syrup) and much more salt—350 milligrams. Buy it online or at a health-food store. gatorade.com/performance…
Sports nutritionists recommend a bar like this—with 20 grams of protein—before resistance training. Caution: The honey-based Peanut Butta Pro is a bit sweet for a mid-hike snack. www.honeystinger.com…
“Extreme” might be overkill, as these are just jelly beans (sugar plus corn syrup) with 50 mg of caffeine plus a little salt and vitamins. Pop them before workouts for a nice energy surge—100 calories, 25 g sugar. Midrun, we found them hard to chew. sportbeans.com…
Looking for sweeter fare? The caramel flavors taste like candy but still have 23 vitamins and minerals and five grams of fiber and protein. This bar has only 100 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. www.balance.com…
A new, refreshingly not-so-sweet endurance drink, Xood has no artificial anything. But each 16-oz packet does have 30 g of carbs (natural maltodextrin and fructose), 105 mg of sodium, and 2.5 g of whey protein. xoodhealth.com BummerThe concoction is too frothy to carry…
Mainline your nutrients with this 73 percent organic bar. Açaí, the Amazon’s superfruit, adds essential fatty acids, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, altogether, the ingredients add up to a full serving of vegetables. theprobar.com…
Missed lunch? Don’t also miss your workout. These heavy-duty meal-replacement bars have 280 calories—38 g of carbs, 20 g of protein, and 6 g of fat—and taste pretty darn good. promaxnutrition.com BonusSome flavors have no high-fructose corn syrup.
OK, we have mixed feelings about Muscle Milk—it does, after all, contain lean lipids in an attempt to mimic that miraculous growth drink called breast milk—but it works! Best used as a post-strength-workout shake. Pack of four, cytosport.com…
These oat-and-chocolate-covered cookie-dough balls are savory and satisfying, with 11 g of protein and the same carb blend as regular PowerBars. But even with water, they’re a bit dry for midworkout fueling. powerbar.com…
Twelve sugar-free electrolyte tabs come in a pocket-size tube. Dissolve a tab in 16 ounces of water and drink—the taste is clean and refreshing. For an extra boost try the new Kona cola flavor with caffeine. nuun.com…
Power Pills We like these candylike energy beans more now that they contain natural sugar instead of corn syrup. They’re potent and tasty, but a little fumble-prone for fast-forward activities. sportbeans.com…
Tastes like a cookie, works like an energy bar. Best for long days when you need big-time calories. Each bar contains about 100 grams of carbs and 650 calories, about three times the average bar. bigsurbar.com…
Pick You Up Training hard? This 250-calorie packet of whey protein (eight grams), sugars (52 grams of maltodextrin and fructose), electrolytes, and amino acids rushes aid to your muscles to prep you for tomorrow. Taste? Smooth and sweet—not chalky. guenergy.com…
You’ll drink more if your water doesn’t taste like a stale reservoir. Add flavor and vitamins with this drink mix, which comes in a box of ten packets (add one packet to 16 or so ounces of water; 20 calories each). propelwater.com…
Smart Snack An organic, 210-calorie mash-up of the trendiest power foods—from açai to goji berries—with five grams of natural protein and eight grams of healthy fats. There’s too much fiber (five grams) for pre-run fuel, but it makes for a palatable hunger smasher before you reach for the chips.
Make your own energy snacks? Sounds like work, but it’s not with these all-natural DIY bars, which are as easy to bake as instant brownies. (makes nine bars); matisseandjacks.com…
Trickle Charger This mix between a 100-calorie gel and four-ounce sports drink has been designed specifically to top off your stores before a workout. The main sugar, isomaltulose, is a sweetener that digests slower (for more sustained energy) than traditional sugars. Our take: Works as intended. gatorade.com…
G2 has the same sodium-to-water ratio as regular Gatorade, for optimum hydration, but half the calories (25) per serving, so you can drink it when you’re not working out. drinkg2.com Bummer: Tastes like candy, and not in a good way.
Daily Dose Lance may shill for FRS, but it’s hard to tell whether quercetin—the dominant ingredient in this company’s drinks and chews—really ramps up your mitochondrial power plants and endurance. Small, company-funded studies say yes. We say quite possibly. frs.com…
Recognizable ingredients taste best. The 170- to 190-calorie Pure bars are a mix of nuts, soy, sugar, and dried fruit—with nine grams of protein and about six grams of hunger-stalling fat. balance.com…
The Best Energy Blobs Of the many of chews we’ve tested over the years, these are our favorites. They come in great flavors (like fruit smoothie and pomegranate), are easy to digest, and are made almost entirely from natural, non-GMO ingredients (like tapioca syrup and honey). honeystinger.com…
Quickly replenish your energy stores mid-run with 13 grams of carbs (maltodextrin and fructose), 55 milligrams sodium, and an easy-down, Tang-like taste. cytomax.com…
Strawberries, soy, raisins, coconut, and chocolate: With 130 calories, four grams of protein, and 17 grams of carbs, this slender bar will help you postpone dinner until after your run. The penalty: 2.5 grams of saturated fat. soyjoy.com…
This 100-percent-real-fruit energy bar features a maltodextrin-fructose blend to deliver more energy to muscles over the long haul, with six grams of protein and zero junk food. powerbar.com…
What's the best overall food to carry on a thru-hike on the Colorado Trail while striving to be ultralight?
I'm building an emergency kit into a small fanny pack for day hikes in Colorado. I don't have space for cookware so I was wondering if there's a titanium water bottle that could be used to boil water over a campfire if necessary. – Jerry Colorado Springs, CO
Vitamins C and E might be key to retaining strength as you age
Presenting nine foolproof rules to keep in mind when scouting for presents (or just a little swag for yourself), plus 67 great products we couldn't keep under wraps.
2010 Buyer’s Guide Videos Summer ϳԹ Winter Buyer's Guide 2009/2010 Winter Buyer's Guide Trail Shoes Sleeping Bags Women’s Gear Road Bikes…
Sixty seconds. That’s how long it takes you to roll over and go back to sleepor, with the push of a button on the Jura-Capresso Impressa J5, brew up a perfect cup of espresso to get you into your gear closet and out the door. Before you’ve even registered what…
From showroom cookers to backyard fire pits, choice cuts of beef to slaw-covered brats, perfect margaritas to domestic sixers, it’s summer. Time to move the kitchen outside.
How could he? As host of the ribald series ‘No Reservations’, Bourdain is the ultimate adventure traveler, eating (and drinking) his way across the planet, courageously swallowing whatever the locals do. This has 1. Caused him to acquire a very funky flavor and 2. Seriously altered his mind.
Window shopping is nice, but there's nothing like wrapping your fingers around the sharp, hard edges of a new pair of skis to spark the urge to give (or get). To help you savor the mood this holiday season we present the year's best bounty in all its lust-worthy forms. From the slickest bike to the toughest laptop, these are the gifts you'll want to have—a
Thirteen otherwise courageous writers reveal their deepest, darkest fears in our homage to the creepy, crawly, menacing world of phobias. Prepare to squirm.
After being forced to stomach snake-blood cocktails and rooster-head soup, one afflicted traveler discovers that revenge is a dish best served by Norwegians