GU Stroopwafel review summary: At 30g, it provides 140 calories and 21 g of carbohydrates, of which 10 g are from sugars. It also contains a generous dose of electrolytes with 75 mg of sodium, 20 mg of potassium, and 10 g of calcium. GU Energy Stroopwafel’s taste and texture are very similar to traditional stroopwafels. If you enjoy this type of dessert snacks, it should be a good sports nutrition option for you.
I still remember the first time I tried GU Energy Labs’ Energy Stroopwafel. It was 2017 at the bib pick-up festivity of the Leadville Trail 100. The company had a booth and was giving it out to race participants. I grabbed one, ate it on the spot, and thought it interesting since the product landscape 6-7 years ago wasn’t nearly as diverse as it’s today.
I may have had GU Energy Stroopwafels a couple more times over the years when a running or cycling buddy had it around. But I have never given this sports nutrition product a proper look.
Upon closer inspection, GU Energy Stroopwafel has more similarities with energy chews than energy bars. Although it provides many nutrients the body needs for exercise, you should probably only consume it for exercise purposes. I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily snack since its nutritional profile, from a healthy diet perspective, is no better than a candy bar.
Below is our GU Energy Stroopwafel Review.
As long-time fans of GU, we have reviewed several other products from the brand. Have a read to learn more about the company’s product portfolio.
Marketing claims – what is GU Energy Stroopwafel?
Stroopwafel is a Dutch-style dessert treat that looks like a smaller and thinner waffle. Here are a few points underscored on the product website and package:
- A pre-workout or during-activity snack
- 450 mg of BCAA
- 75 mg of sodium
- 97% organic ingredients
- Include organic eggs as a binder and add “a bit more protein.” I want to point out that the nutritional label states that the product includes 0 g of protein.
Nutritional facts and ingredients of GU Energy Stroopwafel
I tested the Wild Berries flavor. According to the nutritional label, at 30 g, it delivers 140 calories and 21 g of carbohydrates, of which 10 g are from sugars. Other notables are 6 g of fat, 75 mg of sodium, 20 mg of potassium, 10 mg of calcium, and zero dietary fiber.
Although GU Energy Stroopwafel is made with 97% of organic ingredients and many items listed have the word “organic” in front, please don’t mistake organic for healthy. To be fair, GU never claimed the stroopwafel is healthy, either.
In the introduction, I mentioned this product acts more like energy chews than energy bars. The primary reason is the complete lack of dietary fiber.
Conventional energy bars made with oats, nuts, and seeds contain dietary fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar but also slows the body’s absorption of sugar. Regarding mouth-to-muscle time, GU Energy Stroopwafel should be similar to chews and gels.
The product website explicitly says, “GU Energy Stroopwafel is a dutch-style treat that acts like an energy gel but tastes like breakfast.”
Taste and consistency of GU Energy Stroopwafel
It looks like a stroopwafel and is called a stroopwafel, so it’s no surprise that it tastes and chews like a stroopwafel.
The texture is softer than traditional stroopwafels, most likely to make it easier to consume when you are on the move. And also, just like traditional stroopwafels, it crumbles easily.
If you stuff it in a pack with other gear and fuel supplements, you’ll likely find it broken into multiple pieces when you rip open the wrapper. Not an insignificant amount crumbled and fell to the ground when I tried to eat it while trail running.
The sweetness is a tad too rich for my personal taste. However, if you enjoy sugar cookies and biscuits popular in many European countries, GU Energy Stroopwafel could be the energy treat for you.
GU Energy Stroopwafel has seven flavors, including exotic options like Gingerade and Campfire S’mores. Caramel Coffee is the only caffeinated flavor.
Packaging of GU Energy Stroopwafel
The package of GU Energy Stroopwafel is 9.5 cm x 11 cm, almost like a square. It’s pretty thin, so it doesn’t take up much space in your running belt or hydration vest. The material of the wrapper is easy to tear open.
I want to commend GU’s wrapper recycling program. Save the packaging of sports nutrition products of any brand and bring them to participating retailers or race events to be collected for recycling (unfortunately, I could not find a list of retailers and races on the website). You can also mail the wrappers directly to TerraCycle with a FREE UPS shipping label.
When should you eat GU Energy Stroopwafel?
Although the company advertised the stroopwafel as a pre- and mid-exercise sports nutrition, I found it inconvenient during a run. I’ve tried carrying it in a running belt and also in the front pocket of my hydration vest. Both times, the stroopwafel broke apart. When I tore open the wrapper, bits and pieces fell onto the ground.
GU Energy Stroopwafel is best as a pre-workout snack, in my opinion.
For recovery, since the GU Energy Stroopwafel doesn’t contain protein, please remember to consume other protein-rich sports nutrition products or whole foods.
Conclusion
At 30 g, GU Energy Stroopwafel provides 140 calories and 21 g of carbohydrates, of which 10 g are from sugars. It also contains 6 g of fat and a generous dose of electrolytes with 75 mg of sodium, 20 mg of potassium, and 10 g of calcium.
With zero dietary fiber, GU Energy Stroopwafel should be processed faster than conventional energy bars made with oats, nuts, and seeds. However, this also means that it will likely cause big sugar spikes, making it not ideal for everyday consumption.
GU Energy Stroopwafel’s taste and texture are very similar to traditional stroopwafels. If you enjoy this type of dessert treats, it should be a good sports nutrition option for you. I, personally, found it a bit too sweet.
One major drawback is that it crumbles and breaks apart easily, making consuming on the move inconvenient. Due to this issue, I recommend using GU Energy Stroopwafel as a pre-exercise snack or a recovery option to replenish glycogen and electrolytes.
