The short answer is:
No. An energy gel does not have to contain maltodextrin. Carbohydrates can also come from other sources – for example, from glucose, fructose, sucrose, or food items like honey.
Maltodextrin is not inherently “good” or “bad.” It is simply one of several ways to provide carbohydrates in a sports product.
MelliGEL takes a different approach: The basis of the recipe is organic honey. Maltodextrin is not used. Depending on the flavor, a 32g pouch of MelliGEL provides about 27 to 28 g of carbohydrates.
Let's take a closer look at what lies behind this.
What exactly is maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is made from starch, such as corn, potatoes, rice, or wheat. During production, the long starch molecules are partially broken down.
The result is a mixture of glucose chains of varying lengths.
From a chemical perspective, maltodextrin is therefore classified as a carbohydrate.
In food and sports products, maltodextrin is used because it is easy to process and allows for large amounts of carbohydrates in a relatively compact form.
Therefore, you will frequently find it in:
- Energy gels,
- Sports drinks,
- Carbohydrate powders,
- Bars,
- Recovery products.
To begin with, this is neither a mark of quality nor a disadvantage.
An energy gel is not automatically better just because it does not contain maltodextrin.
The decisive factor is the overall recipe.
Why are athletes looking for energy gels without maltodextrin?
The reasons vary.
Some want a short and easily understandable ingredient list. Others prefer products where the carbohydrate base comes from familiar foods like honey. Others still simply want to try different recipes.
What is important here is distinguishing between personal preference and scientifically proven efficacy.
The statement
“without maltodextrin”
does not automatically imply:
“healthier”,
“better tolerated”,
“more performance-enhancing”
or “better for the stomach”.
Such blanket conclusions would not be scientifically justified.
The factually correct statement is:
There are different ways to provide carbohydrates in an energy gel. Maltodextrin is one of them – but not the only one.
What are the alternatives to maltodextrin?
Various carbohydrate sources can be used in sports products.
1. Glucose
Glucose is also known as grape sugar or dextrose.
It is a monosaccharide, a simple sugar, and can be used directly as a carbohydrate source in food.
Glucose can be an ingredient in sports products either on its own or together with other carbohydrates.
2. Fructose
Fructose is also a simple sugar and occurs naturally in fruits and honey, among other things.
In modern sports nutrition, fructose is often used together with glucose or glucose-based carbohydrates.
This becomes particularly relevant at higher carbohydrate amounts during very long endurance activities: glucose and fructose are absorbed in the gut via different transport mechanisms.
Sports nutrition guidelines therefore take combinations of different carbohydrate sources into account for very long efforts.
However, that does not mean that as much fructose as possible is automatically better. Individual tolerance and the total amount of carbohydrates consumed remain decisive.
3. Sucrose
We know sucrose as classic table sugar.
A sucrose molecule consists of:
one glucose molecule + one fructose molecule.
Sucrose can therefore also be used as a carbohydrate source in sports products.
4. Honey
Honey is a food whose carbohydrates consist predominantly of glucose and fructose. The exact composition naturally varies depending on the origin of the honey.
And this is exactly where the MelliGEL recipe differs from many classic sports gels.
With MelliGEL, organic honey forms the basis of the gel.
The different varieties combine it with, for example, freeze-dried fruits, plant-based ingredients, herbal oils, or Himalayan salt.
Maltodextrin is not used in the recipe.
5. Other syrups and carbohydrate-rich ingredients
Depending on the product concept, manufacturers can also use ingredients such as rice, tapioca, or other carbohydrate-containing syrups.
The decisive factor here is not just the name of the ingredient.
Anyone wishing to evaluate a sports product should therefore always take a look at the nutritional table as well.
Because in the end, what counts is how many carbohydrates a serving actually provides.
How many carbohydrates should an energy gel contain?
For athletes, a more sensible question than “Does it contain maltodextrin?” is often:
How many carbohydrates does one serving actually provide me?
Current sports nutrition guidelines base carbohydrate intake on the duration and intensity of the activity.
As a rough guide, the following are often used:
| Activity duration | Carbohydrate intake during activity |
|---|---|
| under approx. 60 minutes | usually no additional intake required |
| approx. 1–2.5 hours | often approx. 30–60 g per hour |
| over approx. 2.5 hours | with correspondingly high exertion, up to approx. 90 g per hour |
For amounts above approx. 60 g per hour, sports nutrition usually takes into account combinations of different transportable carbohydrates.
These values are guidelines and not individual consumption recommendations. Training status, type of sport, intensity, diet, and individual tolerance also play a role.
Does “without maltodextrin” automatically mean less sugar?
No.
This is an important point.
Maltodextrin and the sugars contained in honey are classified differently in nutritional labeling. A product without maltodextrin can still contain a high proportion of sugar.
At MelliGEL, the carbohydrates come predominantly from organic honey. Depending on the flavor, a 32g pouch contains approximately 27–28 g of carbohydrates, a large portion of which is sugar.
This is not a hidden contradiction for an energy gel: it is a product whose recipe is intentionally carbohydrate-rich.
Is an energy gel without maltodextrin better tolerated?
This question is asked frequently – but it cannot be seriously answered with a blanket “yes.”
The tolerance of an energy gel depends on several factors, for example:
- the total carbohydrate amount,
- the composition of the carbohydrate sources,
- the amount of fluid consumed,
- the exertion intensity,
- individual digestion,
- as well as whether the nutritional strategy has already been tested in training.
Therefore, the rule is:
“Without maltodextrin” is information about the recipe – not a promise of better tolerance.
Anyone wanting to use energy gels during longer activities should therefore first test different products and amounts during training.
Is honey an alternative to maltodextrin in energy gel?
Yes – as an ingredient and carbohydrate source, honey can form the basis of an energy gel.
Honey naturally contains primarily glucose and fructose.
MelliGEL uses this exact principle and, depending on the flavor, is based to a very large extent on organic honey, combined with other selected ingredients.
This distinguishes the recipe from many energy gels that use maltodextrin as their primary carbohydrate source.
But it remains important to note here, too:
The difference lies initially in the composition of the product.
MelliGEL does not claim that maltodextrin is inherently bad. The brand has simply chosen a different recipe concept.
Frequently asked questions about energy gels without maltodextrin
Are there energy gels without maltodextrin?
Yes. Maltodextrin is not a mandatory requirement for an energy gel. Carbohydrates can come from various sources, for example, from glucose, fructose, sucrose, or honey.
MelliGEL uses organic honey as a base and does not contain maltodextrin.
Is maltodextrin sugar?
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate made from starch that consists predominantly of linked glucose units. In EU nutritional labeling, maltodextrin is classified under carbohydrates, but is not automatically fully declared under “of which sugars.”
Is maltodextrin unhealthy?
Such a blanket statement would not be serious.
Maltodextrin is an approved food ingredient and is used in numerous food items and sports products.
Whether a product is suitable for a particular situation should be evaluated based on the overall recipe, the amount consumed, and individual nutritional needs.
Why does MelliGEL not contain maltodextrin?
MelliGEL pursues a different recipe concept: Organic honey forms the carbohydrate base of the gel.
Depending on the flavor, this is combined with fruits, plant-based ingredients, and other selected components.
How many carbohydrates does a MelliGEL contain?
Depending on the flavor, a 32g pouch contains approximately 27 to 28 g of carbohydrates.
The exact values can be found in the nutritional table of the respective product.
Does MelliGEL contain sugar?
Yes.
Organic honey naturally contains sugar, particularly glucose and fructose. Accordingly, the MelliGEL nutritional table also lists sugar.
