I’m really excited about this one.

We’ve all heard that chocolate milk is good for recovery.  But what about for fuel?  And what if it’s not milk at all?

After experimenting more with my DIY UCAN recipes, I came up with a brand new flavor that just might be “the one.”

It really does taste like chocolate milk.

Cornstarch is a pretty amazing ingredient.  It takes very little liquid to dissolve so you can pack an entire marathon’s worth of calories in a single 8-ounce bottle!

You will still need to stop at the water stations to get enough hydration, but I’m really happy that I can get away with a single small bottle of fuel and say goodbye to gels forever.

I’m not always in the mood for a citrusy drink and thought that chocolate would be a great addition to my flavor choices.  A little cocoa powder does the trick!

If you make this recipe, experiment with the amount of liquid you add.  I like that I can add very little water so I don’t have to carry so much weight, but you might prefer your fuel on the thinner side.

You absolutely must sweeten this and I prefer NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia.  About 10 drops provides the sweetness of 2 teaspoons of sugar.  I have not tried powdered or granular stevia in this recipe because I’ve never found anything I’ve liked, but I might try some out to keep the ingredients all dry.  (Better for traveling!)  If you try a dry sweetener, let me know how it goes!

For variation, I’ve also added a teaspoon of PB Fit peanut butter powder to make PB Chocolate Milk.  Yum!

Sugar-Free Chocolate Milk Race Fuel

Claire Bartholic
A sugar-free liquid fuel that is an alternative to gels or chews. Recipe can be doubled to fill an 8-ounce water bottle for over 300 calories of fuel in one small bottle! The ingredients will settle to the bottom fairly quickly, so shake before drinking.
Total Time 5 minutes
Cuisine Race fuel

Ingredients
  

  • 40 grams cornstarch about 1/4 cup
  • 2 grams cocoa powder about a teaspoon
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt
  • 1/16 teaspoon Morton's Lite Salt
  • 10 drops vanilla stevia liquid
  • 2 to 4 ounces of water depending on preferred thickness

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients except water together in a small measuring cup with a spout.
  • Slowly add enough water to your desired thickness. Two ounces will be like a runny milkshake and four ounces will be like thin chocolate milk.
  • Stir thoroughly and pour into a small running water bottle.

Notes

153 calories,
38 grams of slow-release carbohydrates,
219 mg sodium,
87 mg potasium,
small amount of magnesium and calcium

 

 

About Claire


Coach Claire has helped hundreds of runners chase their dreams and conquer big goals. Her coaching philosophy combines science-based training, plant-based nutrition, and mindset techniques to unlock every runner's true potential. She's an ASFA certified running coach, sports nutrition specialist, a 2:58 marathoner, mom, and borderline obsessive plant lover.

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