The Runner's World Sports Nutrition Awards 2024

Score: 9.5/10

With a creamy texture and chocolate flavour, ON’s whey powder went down a treat with our testers, who thought it tasted like a milkshake. Alongside 24g of protein, each scoop delivers 5.5g of naturally occurring BCAAs to aid recovery. Blend with some peanut butter and a banana to up the carbs and fats.

Per 75ml serving: 128 cals, 30g carbs, 13.3g sugar, 0g salt

Score: 9.5/10

If glugging a thick shake after a tough session doesn’t appeal, try whey isolate. It has a water-like consistency that’s easy to get down when you can’t stomach anything heavier. Our testers loved the sherbet flavour and said it was like drinking fruit squash. The ingredients list is free from artificial flavours, too.

Per 30g serving: 111 cals, 26g protein, 1.6g carbs, 0.5g fat

Score: 9.4/10

This spicy biscuit-inspired blend hit the sweet spot. Our testers enjoyed the caramelised biscuit flavour and the addition of crunchy pieces for texture. It provides a big hit of protein along with a whole host of recovery-boosting vitamins and minerals – B12, D3, calcium and L-glutamine.

Best for flavour

Score: 9.6/10

If you’ve written off vegan protein as chalky, Form’s blend may change your mind. Our testers rated its velvety-smooth texture and natural chocolate-hazelnut flavour. Aside from a huge hit of protein and a full spectrum of amino acids, each scoop dishes up 5g of BCAAs for recovery and digestive enzymes to prevent bloating.

Per 40g serving: 145 cals, 30g protein, 1.7g carbs, 2.4g fat

Score: 9.5/10

Designed to ‘taste and feel just like a dairy shake’ – this didn’t disappoint. Our panel heaped praise on the creamy consistency (even when mixed with water) and subtly sweet banana flavour. The pea, pumpkin, brown rice and soya blend also ticks the nutrition boxes, providing all nine essential amino acids.

Per 50g bar: 220 cals, 10g protein, 25g carbs, 9g fat

Score: 8/10

Looking for an all-round- good-for-you post-run recovery option? This is made with just a handful of natural ingredients: pea, rice and sunflower protein, coconut sugar, raw cacao and banana – that’s zero additives, artificial flavours or sweeteners. It’s also a complete protein source and each serving also packs a good hit of carbs to replenish glycogen post-run.

Per 62g bar: 225 cals, 20g protein, 20g carbs, 8.1g fat

Score: 9.4/10

Loaded with 21g of muscle- building protein, plus a sufficient smattering of carbs, our winner will help your battered body to rebuild and repair post- run. It triumphs on the flavour front, with a gooey caramel layer, crunchy pieces and a sweet white chocolate casing. The texture isn’t dry and there’s no dusty aftertaste. Not the biggest fan of white chocolate? There are 13 other flavours, including fudge brownie and banoffee pie.

Per 64g bar: 239 cals, 20g protein, 24g carbs, 11g fat

Score: 9.2/10

This hefty bar – twice the size and calories of your average protein snack – packs a big hit of recovery- boosting protein and carbs to replenish your fuel stores. It comes split into two handy 50g portions so you can ration as desired and, as with all 33Fuel products, it’s made with natural ingredients – almonds, candied peel, egg white, brown rice protein, coconut sugar and spices.

Per 100g pack, 409 cals, 20g protein, 43g carbs, 17g fat

Score: 9.1/10

This salted caramel bar satisfies your sweet cravings. Think malty chocolate, chewy salted caramel and butterscotch pieces – a ‘heavenly combination’ in our testers’ opinion. The soft, squidgy texture also proved popular as a refreshing change to other bars. It offers 20g of protein to kick-start your post-run recovery, it’s low in sugar, but delivers 6g of fibre to keep you going until your next meal.

Best sweet treat

Score: 9.5/10

This plant-based offering wowed our testers with its ‘indulgent’ chocolate bar taste and texture. Combining sweet milk chocolate and crunchy, salty peanuts, the taste was likened to a Snickers, with testers admitting they would happily chomp on it as a treat. It packs 15g of plant protein – a soya, rice and pea blend that constitutes a complete protein – to aid muscle recovery and a hefty 21g of carbs to replenish your glycogen stores.

Per 55g bar: 211 cals, 15g protein, 21g carbs, 9.3g fat

Score: 9.1/10

By mixing soya, pea and wheat protein, this pocket- sized bar offers all the essential amino acids to optimise protein synthesis in the body. It also contains tapioca fibre to support a healthy gut. Alongside its healthy credentials, the flavour is hard to fault – our testers loved the dark chocolate coating and fruity, jammy layer. There are alternative chocolate flavours available, too.

Per 50g bar: 150 cals, 15.3g protein, 14.6g carbs, 4.2g fat

Score: 8.9/10

With 20g of protein, this is the biggest hitter in our plant-based category. Along with the protein, its relatively high (healthy) fat count and dense texture mean it will help keep you fuller for longer. The salted caramel flavour, with hints of tiramisu, is subtle and not overly sweet, and it ticks the ‘complete protein’ box with its soya, pea and pumpkin blend. As with all SiS products, it’s Informed Sport-approved and suitable for drug-tested athletes.

Per 30g serving: 94 cals, 20g protein, 1.9g carbs, 0.6g fat

Score: 9.5/10

This is the favoured fuel of elite athletes, including Eliud Kipchoge, so it’s no surprise that it scored highly with our panel. Its unique hydrogel technology helps to speed and increase carbohydrate absorption, while reducing the risk of digestive issues. Our testers noted a tangible difference in performance, boosting energy mid-run – they also felt it was gentle on their stomachs. The consistency is thicker than many of its competitors, but it’s water-based so quickly dissolves on your tongue.

Per 40g serving: 100 cals, 25g carbs, 25g sugar, 0.5g salt

Score: 9.5/10

Struggle with gels? Consider these natural energy chews (made with fruit juices, beet sugar, cinnamon, coconut water and pink Himalayan salt) as your run fuel of choice. Our panel raved about the gooey, melt-in-your-mouth texture – and approved of the moreish fruity flavour. Each pack contains six cubes, each offering 7g of quick-acting carbs to replenish your energy stores and, unlike many gels, they weren’t sticky or messy.

Per 50g pack: 179 cals, 44.4g carbs, 38.3g sugar, 0.3g salt

Score: 9.4/10

Packing 40g of carbs to power you on, this gel slipped down easily and our testers reported a welcome stamina boost. It has a 1:0.8 blend of maltodextrin to fructose to protect against digestive disasters and enable speedy absorption. Sure enough, our panel found it gentle on their stomachs and loved the fruity flavour.

Per 60ml serving: 158 cals, 40g carbs, 19g sugar, 0.3g salt

Score: 9.1/10

This is formulated with a 1:0.8 blend of maltodextrin and fructose to help you absorb more carbs per hour without upsetting your stomach. Plus, it features active ingredients such as L-citrulline and L-arginine to help fight fatigue. The neutral syrupy taste and runny consistency went down well with our testers, who found it easy to knock back on the run. The quick- tear packaging received mixed reviews, but all of our testers appreciated the lack of additives on the ingredients list.

Per 75ml serving: 128 cals, 30g carbs, 13.3g sugar, 0g salt

Score: 9/10

Made with natural ingredients – including brown rice syrup, maple syrup and fruit juices – this delivers 75mg of natural caffeine from guarana extract, along with 110mg of sodium to replenish your sweat losses. Its smooth consistency made it easy to get down, and our panel praised the packaging and pocket-friendly size – it tore open easily and wasn’t bulky in their running belts. Performance-wise, everyone felt a boost and no digestive problems were reported.

Per 33g serving: 89 cals, 22g carbs, 16.8g sugar, 0.3g salt

Score: 8.5/10

A big-hitter with 40g of carbs and 200mg of caffeine, plus nootropic ingredients (linked to brain function) including taurine, citicoline and L-theanine to combat mental fatigue. Research into nootropics is still in its infancy, but our runners felt the gel aided their performance and helped them stay focused. It has that optimal blend of maltodextrin and fructose to avoid digestive issues and our panel enjoyed the smooth texture, but the sharp citrus flavour wasn’t for everyone.

Per 60ml pack: 158 cals, 40g carbs, 19g sugar, 30mg salt, 200mg caffeine

Score: 9.5/10

Our turbocharged champ packs 80g of carbs per serving for a hefty boost. Unlike many energy supps, which provide a 3:1 glucose to fructose ratio, this has the magic 1:0.8 blend of maltodextrin to fructose. This allows your body to process more carbs per hour with less risk of GI issues. The powder dissolved quickly in water, with no lumps, and the subtle orange flavour made it very drinkable for our testers.

Per 82g serving: 32 cals, 80g carbs, 45g sugar

Score: 9.4/10

This plant-powered drink offers a caffeine kick along with 1,500mg of BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) to aid recovery, 165mg of electrolytes for hydration and 16mg of energy-yielding vitamin C. Our experts were impressed with the all- natural ingredients list featuring green tea, green coffee, beetroot sugar and Himalayan rock salt. The level of carbonation was spot on and the pineapple flavour reminded our testers of a tropical cocktail.

PSymptoms of magnesium deficiency

Score: 9/10

Packed with a whopping 90g of carbs per serving and using an optimal combination of dextrin to fructose to get energy to your muscles quickly. The addition of B vitamins, glutamine and electrolytes helps keep you rolling when the wheels start falling off. If you want caffeine, you’ll need to look elsewhere, but the light berry flavour wasn’t too synthetic, according to our testers.

BACX Performance Fuel

Score: 9.5/10

For those missing a sweet tooth, the gentle flavour won’t overwhelm when you’re 20 miles in. Each sachet packs 60g of carbs with a quicker-absorption 1:0.8 maltodextrin to fructose ratio. It delivers electrolytes for hydration and L-glutamine to aid alertness and muscle repair. The powder dissolved well in water, the texture wasn’t too thick and our panel found the neutral flavour was a refreshing change to often sickly energy drinks.

Per 72g serving: 256 cals, 60g carbs, 27g sugar

Score: 8.5/10

This fruity blend is made with just five real-food ingredients – organic pineapple and lemon, baobab, organic cane sugar and pink Himalayan salt. Our testers loved the sweet- yet-sharp pineapple taste and thought the texture was just right, too. Along with a modest 25g of carbs, each serving offers a dose of calcium, potassium and vitamin C. The packaging is recyclable and a portion of all profits made go to One Tree Planted to support reforestation efforts.

Per 30g serving: 94 cals, 20g protein, 1.9g carbs, 0.6g fat

Score: 8.5/10

This is free from the 14 main allergens, including soya, gluten, nuts and sulphates. It also swerves caffeine and maltodextrin, and contains zero artificial sweeteners, flavours or preservatives. Each pouch provides 20g of carbs from sweet potato juice, coconut water, brown rice and agave syrup; 1,200mg of amino acids; and 680mg of electrolytes to help with hydration. The natural berry flavour divided our panel, but everyone loved the portable, recyclable pouches.

Porridge: Is it healthy

Score: 9.5/10

While most energy bars are oat-, flour- or nut- based, rice does the heavy lifting here and, according to our experts, this is great for those prone to gastrointestinal troubles as it can be easier on the stomach. It’s high in carbs for energy, but low in fibre, fats and protein to prevent on-the-run digestive discomfort. The chewy texture and rich chocolate flavour also impressed our taste testers, who described it as just like a delicious rice crispy treat.

Per 72g bar: 273 cals, 2.8g protein, 50.4g carbs, 5.3g fat

Score: 9.2/10

For out-all-day ultrarunners or anyone who prefers solids over gooey gels as the miles pile up. Made with almond butter, date paste, brown rice protein, raisins, seeds, sprouts and agave syrup, the bar’s soft texture goes down well mid-run. The natural, nutty flavour proved popular with testers, while our nutritionists gave the breakdown of carbs, sugars and fat their seal of approval.

Per 50g bar: 220 cals, 10g protein, 25g carbs, 9g fat

Score: 9.1/10

Loaded with 47g of fast- acting carbs, 100mg of caffeine and 2g of beta alanine to boost your focus, prevent lactic acid build-up and fight fatigue. The crumbly texture and zesty flavour earned our panel’s approval. They also rated its portability – it fits into your running belt and you can easily snap it into bite-sized pieces for snacking as you go.

Per 75ml serving: 128 cals, 30g carbs, 13.3g sugar, 0g salt

Score: 9.7/10

Designed to be consumed before, during and after your run, these effervescent tablets provide 300mg of electrolytes (sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium) to keep your salts topped up, as well as B vitamins and green tea extract for an extra push. As they come in a handy tube, they’re easy to transport and use – simply pop one into your water bottle as required. The zingy grapefruit flavour was praised for being ‘refreshing, light and not too sickly’.

Per serving: 8 cals, 0.6g carbs, 0.8g salt

Score: 9.4/10

Delivering a mighty 1,000mg of sodium, these electrolyte tablets is ideal for ‘salty sweaters’ (look for white marks on your kit where your sweat has dried) who lose a lot of sodium and for long distance runs, particularly in hot conditions. Our panel liked the convenient tube and the gentle fruit flavour. There are no nasties on the ingredients list and varying sodium strengths are available for different needs.

Best for flavour.

Per serving: 65 cals, 17g carbs, 1.25g salt

Score: 90.7/100

Each tablet contains a hefty 1,000mg of sodium, plus 100mg of potassium, 25mg of magnesium and 15mg of calcium. If you don’t need such a high dosage, you can drop half a tab into your bottle. Our testers found it dissolved quickly, without any powdery residue, and the citrus flavour wasn’t too sharp. It’s free from artificial flavours and sweeteners and formulated to be gentle on runners’ stomachs.

Per serving: 11 cals, 0.5g carbs, 1.01g salt

Score: 9/10

A blend of key electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) with a healthy dose of vitamin B6 and L-tyrosine (a non-essential amino acid), which are both linked to enhanced mental cognition. Each rapidly dissolving tab is scored across the middle, so you can calibrate much how salt you need. The tangy lemon and lime taste was a hit with our testers, too.

Per 72g bar: 273 cals, 2.8g protein, 50.4g carbs, 5.3g fat

Score: 8.5/10

Not your standard electrolyte drink, Phizz doubles up as a multivitamin, providing four key electrolytes and 18 vitamins (including 375% of your daily dose of vitamin C) for added immune system and energy support. The fresh, fruity mango flavour and ‘perfectly fizzy’ consistency won our testers over. Just make sure not to overdose it if you’re already taking a multivitamin.

Per serving: 10 cals, 1.2g carbs, 0.8g salt