I was exactly 165 miles into the Dirty Kanza 200 three years ago—which, for me that year, turned out to be 213.5 miles—when the refreshing aluminum cans popped into my mind. All I could think about was Coke. If I could just have a Coke, I’d be fine.
The distance is relevant here: I had timed my nutrition and hydration to a T, a T that did not include an 8-mile shank off-course over hot, dusty, windswept gravel. (Figure out how you can ride longer with our Century Training Plan). Kanza is entirely self-supported, so I was pretty much out of everything, including the will to live.
As I slogged along, my mind worried the thought of Coke bare, like a river stone tumbling in tumultuous waters. Then, in the “you can’t make this sh*t up” category of life, I spied a fresh-faced Kansas mom unloading a liter of the bubbly elixir out of her roadside Suburban. The woman, who I’m now sure was a blond-ponytailed angel, filled my bottle with the come-back-to-life juice. I was instantly revived and (this is true) I haven’t had a Coke since. Why? Because I never do. But in that moment, there’s nothing I wanted more.
That, my friends, is not just a superfood, but a stuperfood, a cleverly cloaked, oft-snubbed item of “junk” food that can be stupidly effective in times of need.
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“It’s often a matter of calorie-density,” says professional sport nutrition consultant and researcher Mayur K. Ranchordas, PhD, of Sheffield Hallam University, who recently published a study showing that ultra-endurance athletes can burn through up to 750 calories an hour for hours and hours on end. But these foods also have other qualities that make them irresistible when we’re at our limit.
Here Ranchordas sheds light on some of our favorites, why they taste so amazing in the moment, and the magic energy they provide.
Coke
Coke is it, as they say. And it really is. Tour riders, Ironman competitors, and adventure racers don’t reach for a Mr. Pibbs or a Pepsi. They want Coca-Cola ($4.88 on Amazon). “After riders have guzzled liters of sports drink and water, they gravitate to Coke to help them finish their day,” says Ranchordas. For one, there’s the fizz that helps settle a weary gut. There’s also the carbohydrate/caffeine combination. Coke has about 39 grams of sugar and 34 milligrams of caffeine. “When you have carbs and caffeine together, the combined energy boost of both is greater than when you have either alone,” he says. Finally the phosphoric acid in Coke gives it a tart bite that just hits the spot after so much sweet stuff. “It’s terrible for your teeth, but it gives it that palatable taste athletes crave.”
Nutella
A jar of Nutella and a spoon will bring any rider back from the dead. It’s one of the few stuperfoods that most riders will admit to liking just as much off the bike as on, but they really like it during a ride, especially slathered on some buttery brioche bread, says Ranchordas. “Cyclists love Nutella. It’s obviously very palatable, which you need when you need calories but may not feel like eating. Because of the nuts, Nutella actually falls low on the Glycemic index,” he says. That means it won’t spike your blood sugar as much as other sweet spreads like jam.
Pringles
Pop Tarts
Peanut... Anything
Though certainly any candy will do when you’re on the brink of a bonk, cyclists often gravitate toward Snickers, Peanut M&M’s and other nut-chocolate combinations (see also: Nutella). “Peanuts add some salt and savory taste that balances out the sweetness cyclists can get tired of,” says Ranchordas. As with the case of Nutella, the nuts in these candy bars also help keep the glycemic load in check, so you get a more even hit of energy.
Swedish Fish
When you’re scooping up a handful of Swedish fish, Gummy Bears, or Jelly Beans you want one thing and one thing alone: sugar, says Ranchordas. “Everyone—cyclists, triathletes, and runners—all use these foods to get the glucose they need to keep going,” he says. You just need to be a little careful about overdoing these energy bits. “Your gut can only transport 60 grams of glucose an hour. If you take more than that, your glucose transporters are fully saturated and the sugar just sits there in your gut and can cause upset,” he says. Those little sweet fish deliver about 30 grams of sugar for every 20 you toss back.
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