Maple syrup isn't just for your pancake breakfast – it's the perfect adventure fuel for the whole family! This antioxidant-rich superfood is produced naturally from tree sap and it's become a go-to energy source for athletes that prefer whole, natural foods. The world of sports nutrition can feel like an arms race at times, with countless new lab-developed products claiming to be the most innovative and best performing. Standing in contrast to this trend of engineered nutrition is UnTapped.
UnTapped began on a bike and a pair of skis. A shared love of organic, simple maple syrup brought together Ted King (professional cyclist) and the Cochran's, a Vermont-based family that has produced three generations of Olympic alpine skiers. This collection of New England athletes wanted something natural that would meet their energy needs in training and competition.
Standing in contrast to the trend of engineered sports nutrition is UnTapped.
When it comes to consuming snacks on the saddle, Ted King (UnTapped's co-founder) has dedicated a good chunk of his life to it. Ted was introduced to the sport of cycling during his Freshman year at Middlebury College and put the hand-me-down racing bikes from his older brother, Robbie, to good use. Fast forward to the conclusion of his successful collegiate career and Ted was ready to pursue cycling on the largest stage.
Ted spent ten years (2006 - 2016) cycling professionally, lining up shoulder to shoulder with the world's best riders – Peter Sagan, Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Alberto Contador. During his professional days, he raced the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and some of the most iconic single day events. While racing, Ted was the only New Englander on the pro circuit and he took advocating for his homegrown cycling fuel – maple syrup – very seriously! Tired of traditional energy gels, he wanted to fuel with maple syrup on the saddle. Ted returned to North America in search of a maple syrup farmer that would put their liquid gold in gel packets. Most farmers slammed the door shut with "no, we sell bottles of syrup not small packets." But luckily, Ted stumbled across one operation that shared his enthusiasm for sports and syrup – Slopeside Syrup – and now we have All Natural Athletic Fuel from UnTapped.
Maple Syrup as Athletic Fuel
As far as sugar goes, maple syrup is an all-natural, minimally processed source of simple carbs that’s basically evaporated maple sap. This means antioxidant compounds and minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, manganese and potassium remain intact and don't get stripped away. You get significantly more zinc and manganese than other sugars, and this plays a critical role in muscle recovery and tissue repair. Maple syrup's low viscosity (compared to honey) makes it thinner, easier to mix, and easier to consume on-the-go.
As a source of energy, maple syrup is made of sucrose, which means that it fuels your system with a blend of glucose and fructose. This blended energy system during exercise can help athletes absorb and use more grams of glycogen-restoring fuel per hour. Additionally, athletes rave about the reduction in GI distress that is common with energy gels during long activities.
Maple syrup is also low on the glycemic index, which means it’s a great source of prolonged energy. With a glycemic index of 55, 11 points lower than table sugar, maple syrup is able to rapidly refuel your muscles and provide slow-burning, sustainable energy. The lower the glycemic index of a food, the less impact it will have on your blood sugar. By maintaining a steady level of blood sugar during your activity, you can avoid the dreaded sugar spike and crash.
Two of Our Favorites
Maple Waffle: the storied Dutch stroopwafel and real, organic maple syrup is a match made in heaven! This waffle is sweetened and flavored with real maple syrup to bring you clean energy for any occasion. As it should be, the ingredient list for this waffle is short, which allows you to enjoy the health benefits and taste of this 100% organic snack. There are very few USDA Certified Organic waffles out there, but UnTapped is one of them!
Pure Maple Syrup - Salted Raspberry: all-natural energy that is clean, simple and tastes incredible! This syrup packet is the perfect source of energy when you want an alternative to traditional energy gels. UnTapped is made by simply boiling sap from maple trees so that you get all the naturally occurring electrolytes, amino acids and antioxidants. The Salted Raspberry flavor is perfectly sweet 'n salty, and with the added salt you get 60mg of Sodium to help replenish electrolytes lost from sweating.
