Run Oregon Test Kitchen: Hummingbird Fuels (Discount Code)

20 or even 10 years ago, we really didn’t have a lot of options when it came to sports nutrition, and I’m grateful that we’ve come so far since then. However, there is such a thing as too many options and runners these days feel overwhelmed by all the products out there. It certainly makes my job as a running coach harder, since I’m asked constantly about fueling, and I can’t try everything.

For this reason, I really love a recommendation from a real person rather than a social media influencer, and that’s how I found out about Hummingbird Fuels.

My good friend Maia is pursuing a personal goal to run a half marathon every month (over a year and counting!) so she definitely needs to fuel properly. She discovered Hummingbird Fuels in her research and told me how much she loved their product, so I knew I had to test them out.

It’s a women owned company that makes an electrolyte mix with 5 all natural ingredients (cane sugar, citric acid, sodium citrate, sea salt, natural flavor .. That’s it!) There are no food dyes, no maltodextrin, and no artificial ingredients or fake flavors. I am training for the Kauai Marathon this year and also training a group of women runners, so I was eager to test it.

Check out the bottom of this review for a code to get 20% off!

What Is It?

Hummingbird Fuels, by their own admission, is a drink mix that’s made for the everyday athlete. The company was created by a married couple who are also two athletes (one a former professional chef with a Masters in Food Science, the other a Creative Director in marketing) who wanted a sustainable and clean fuel option for an upcoming 1200 km bike ride in Paris. Hummingbird is an electrolyte with up to 60 grams of carbs for every serving, and it’s meant to literally go the distance.

You can buy a sample package, which includes 2 single serve 2.2 oz sachets of each of the 2 flavors, (60g of carbs and 170 mg of sodium each) or you can go all in for a whole bag of the drink mix, which contains 12 servings. There’s also an option to get single sachets, (ideal for travel!)

What are the flavors?

There are currently two flavors available, named in honor of the places that have been traveled to for the epic races the products were fueled for. Girona Orange (inspired by a popular soda on a riding trip in Spain) and Arctic Berry (a lingonberry and bilberry blend named after the a ride through the Arctic Circle) are both currently available. There are two new flavors coming soon.. Basque Cider, (inspired by riding in Northern Spain and flavored by Asturian Sidra) and Maui Sunrise, which was named after Haleakala, a dormant volcano on Maui.

Why Hummingbird Fuel?

Again, there are so many brands out there. Here are several good reasons why Hummingbird Fuels is worth your business:

• 5 all natural ingredients (cane sugar, citric acid, sodium citrate, sea salt, natural flavor)
• 60 grams of carbs (240 cal) per serving
• Electrolytes (170mg sodium) per serving
• Easy fueling strategy (60 grams every 60 minutes = 1 bottle per hour)
• Two delicious flavors: Girona Orange and Arctic Berry
• No fake ingredients or colors
• Easy on gut. GI happiness
• Gluten-Free.
• Women owned
• Developed by a food scientist
• Made in the USA
• Free shipping over $45

How’d it go?

I tested the Girona Orange first on an 8 mile run. I love that the flavor is light and not overly sweet. I tend to use less product than the suggested serving size, and I feel that this brand is not as overpowering as some of the others out on the market. It didn’t bother my gut, which is huge because as I inch closer and closer to the age of 50, I’m finding my system can tolerate things less and less. It did give me a nice kick of energy that sustained me for the journey, and I think I could easily continue fueling with this mix for my longer runs as the marathon training continues into the year.

Final Take

As athletes, we often consume things during endurance activities that we wouldn’t put into our bodies otherwise. Why? We deserve better, especially when our bodies are working hard to get the job at hand done. I plan to buy a bag of the drink mix and I feel good about supporting a small business that cares about giving me quality ingredients. If you are wanting to give this a try, use the code RUNOREGON20 to save yourself 20% off.