How Often Should I Eat Energy Chews for Optimal Performance?

October 25, 2025 •

4 min read

For endurance activities lasting longer than an hour, your body's stored glycogen becomes depleted, leading to fatigue. Understanding how often should I eat energy chews is key to maintaining a steady fuel supply, preventing a crash, and maximizing your performance. A proper strategy involves consistent intake rather than waiting until you feel exhausted.

Quick Summary

Optimizing energy chew intake for endurance sports is about timing and consistency. For activities over 60 minutes, a fueling strategy of small, frequent doses of chews is most effective. The ideal frequency is typically every 20–45 minutes, with the goal of consuming 30–60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, adjusted for intensity and duration.

Key Points

Start Early: Begin consuming energy chews 5-15 minutes before endurance activities lasting over 60 minutes to pre-load your energy stores.
Consume Consistently: For exercise over an hour, aim to take a serving of chews every 20–45 minutes to maintain steady blood glucose levels and prevent a crash.
Drink Water: Always consume chews with water to aid digestion and absorption, helping to prevent potential gastrointestinal issues.
Personalize Intake: Adjust your frequency based on the intensity and duration of your activity, aiming for 30–90 grams of carbohydrates per hour.
Train Your Gut: Never try a new fueling strategy on race day; practice your intake schedule during training runs or rides to ensure your body tolerates it well.
Be Mindful of Caffeine: If using chews with caffeine, be aware of your sensitivity and test them during training, especially for late-day workouts.
Mix Your Fuel: Combine chews with other fuel sources like gels or sports drinks to combat flavor fatigue and vary your carbohydrate intake.

The Science Behind Energy Chews

Energy chews are a popular form of sports nutrition, providing easily digestible carbohydrates to fuel muscles during prolonged exercise. They typically consist of simple sugars like glucose and fructose, which are absorbed quickly to provide a rapid energy boost. This is crucial during endurance events like marathons, long-distance cycling, or triathlons, where your body's primary energy stores are rapidly used. Chews also often contain electrolytes, such as sodium, to help replace what is lost through sweat and maintain fluid balance.

The advantage of chews over other fuel sources, like gels or bars, is their convenience and portability. They offer a more solid texture, which can combat "flavor fatigue"—the common boredom of gels during long events. However, because they are solid, they require a bit more chewing and should be consumed with water to aid digestion and absorption, preventing potential stomach upset.

Establishing Your Fueling Schedule

Determining the right frequency for consuming energy chews is a personal process that requires practice. It depends on several factors, including the duration and intensity of your activity, your body's tolerance, and the specific carbohydrate content of your chews. A crucial rule of thumb is to start fueling early and consistently. Waiting until you feel fatigued is often too late to catch up on lost energy.

For Activities Under 60 Minutes

For shorter, high-intensity workouts or races lasting less than an hour, supplemental fueling might not be necessary. Your body's natural glycogen stores are typically sufficient to power you through. However, some athletes prefer a preemptive approach:

Before: Consume one serving (typically half a packet) of energy chews 5 to 15 minutes before your workout to top off your glycogen stores and provide an immediate energy boost.

For Endurance Activities (60–90 Minutes)

When your exercise extends past the 60-minute mark, your glycogen stores begin to deplete significantly. This is when strategic refueling becomes important.

During: Start taking one serving of energy chews every 20 to 30 minutes, or a full packet every 45 minutes, along with water. This consistent intake helps to prevent energy dips and sustain performance levels.

For Ultra-Endurance Activities (Over 90 Minutes)

For efforts lasting 90 minutes or more, your fueling needs increase substantially. Athletes typically aim for a higher carbohydrate intake to sustain performance.

During: Consume one full packet of energy chews every 45 to 60 minutes, with the goal of taking in 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour. For very long events, this might need to be increased to 80–120g of carbs per hour, using a combination of chews and other fuel sources. Consider using a mix of energy drinks, gels, and chews to combat flavor fatigue.

Important Considerations for Chews

Hydration is Key: Always consume chews with water. The fluids help your body digest and absorb the carbohydrates more efficiently, which is critical for preventing gastrointestinal issues like cramping or bloating.
Test Your Fuel: Never try a new fueling strategy on race day. Use training runs and rides to experiment with different brands, flavors, and intake schedules to find what works best for your stomach. Your digestive system can be trained to handle more fuel over time.
Consider Caffeine: Some energy chews include caffeine, which can provide an additional mental and physical boost. Be mindful of your caffeine sensitivity and test caffeinated products during training. Avoid them later in the day if you are sensitive to caffeine or have trouble sleeping.
Listen to Your Body: If you feel your energy levels dropping between scheduled intakes, it’s okay to take a chew slightly earlier. Likewise, if you experience any stomach discomfort, consider adjusting your intake frequency or quantity.

Comparison Table: Chews vs. Gels


Feature	Energy Chews	Energy Gels
Texture	Solid, gummy, requires chewing.	Liquid, syrupy, consumed quickly.
Absorption Speed	Fast, but slightly slower than gels due to chewing.	Very fast, absorbed quickly into the bloodstream.
Consumption	Can be consumed in smaller, controlled portions.	Typically consumed all at once per packet.
Portability	Excellent, easy to carry in pockets or packs.	Excellent, small, and compact packets.
Ease During High Intensity	Requires chewing, which can be difficult during maximal effort.	Easier to consume during high intensity, requires less interruption.
Flavor Fatigue	Offers a satisfying chewable experience, good for combating taste boredom.	Can lead to flavor fatigue during very long events.
Mess Factor	Generally less messy than gels.	Can be sticky if spilled or handled poorly.
Usage	Best for steady efforts or as a supplement to other fuel.	Ideal for quick, rapid fuel uptake during intense efforts.

Adjusting for Intensity and Duration

The optimal frequency for your energy chews will ultimately depend on the specific demands of your activity. A high-intensity tempo run will burn through carbohydrates faster than a low-intensity long run. For a longer, more moderate-intensity event, a steady intake every 30–45 minutes might be perfect. In contrast, a high-intensity race might require more frequent, smaller doses every 20–30 minutes to match the higher energy expenditure.

Finally, remember that chews can also be combined with other fuel sources. Many athletes use a combination of energy chews, gels, and sports drinks to vary their intake and manage their overall carbohydrate consumption. For instance, a cyclist might use chews during a steady-state climb and opt for a quick-absorbing gel before a sprint. By understanding these nuances and practicing your nutrition strategy during training, you can effectively use energy chews to sustain your performance and reach your goals. For more in-depth nutritional guidance, consider consulting an expert from a source like GU Energy Labs..

Conclusion

The frequency at which you eat energy chews depends on your activity's duration and intensity, but for any exercise over 60 minutes, a consistent strategy is essential. Start fueling early with a serving about 5–15 minutes before and continue with a serving every 20–45 minutes during your activity. Always hydrate with water to aid digestion and test your strategy during training to find what works best for your body. By following these guidelines, you can maximize the benefits of energy chews and sustain your performance throughout your endurance efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions

You should start consuming energy chews about 45 to 60 minutes into your race, especially if it's an endurance event. Some athletes also like to have a serving 5-15 minutes before the start to top off their energy stores.

For endurance activities, you should aim for a carbohydrate intake of 30 to 60 grams per hour. For ultra-endurance efforts (over 90 minutes), this can increase to 60 to 90 grams per hour, or even 80–120g depending on individual needs and training.

You should always consume energy chews with water. The fluid helps your body process and absorb the carbohydrates, which is crucial for preventing stomach upset and aiding digestion.

For high-intensity workouts lasting over 60 minutes, energy chews can be effective. However, the chewing required might be difficult during maximal effort. Many athletes prefer gels for high-intensity bursts and chews for more steady-state efforts.

The main difference is consistency; chews are solid and require chewing, while gels are liquid and are consumed quickly. Chews offer more portion control and help with flavor fatigue, while gels are ideal for rapid consumption during high-intensity moments.

The best way is to test different brands and flavors during your training runs or rides. Experimentation will help you find what tastes good and what your stomach can tolerate without discomfort. Don't test new products on race day.

For some people, especially when consumed without enough water or if too much is taken at once, the high sugar content can cause gastrointestinal issues. It’s important to practice proper hydration and find a brand that works for you by testing it during training.

Energy chews are designed for rapid absorption to fuel muscles. A proper fueling strategy involves consistent, smaller intake to prevent significant energy dips. Taking too many at once without balancing it with other fuel sources could lead to a spike and crash, but with correct timing, this is avoidable.