Compare carbohydrate powders, gels and drink mixes on the grams of carbohydrate per serving and the cost per 50g of carbohydrate. Maltodextrin, dextrose and cyclic dextrin are all carbohydrate, so the name on the tub matters less than how much you get for the price.
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What is a carb powder?
A carb powder is a powdered source of carbohydrate that you mix with water, usually to drink before, during or after training. Common ingredients are maltodextrin, dextrose, cyclic (cluster) dextrin and ground rice or oats.
This collection includes cyclic dextrin and other carbohydrate powders, isotonic drink powders, energy gels, cream of rice products and recovery or gainer-style blends. Some contain caffeine or protein as well, so check the label.
What is maltodextrin?
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (often from maize, potato or rice) into shorter chains of glucose. It dissolves easily, has little taste, and is widely used in sports drinks and carb powders.
It counts as one of the "glucose polymers" named in the conditions for the authorised carbohydrate-electrolyte claims below. On a label it's simply carbohydrate: compare grams per serving rather than the name.
What is cluster dextrin (cyclic dextrin)?
Cyclic dextrin, often sold as "cluster dextrin", is a carbohydrate made from starch whose glucose chains are joined into rings. It's typically more expensive per gram than maltodextrin or dextrose.
"Sometimes the premium is justified by formulation, testing or ingredient quality, but sometimes customers are paying mainly for branding," says Andy Arshad, who runs SupplementHQ. Whichever type you choose, a gram of carbohydrate supplies the same energy (about 4kcal), so compare the cost per gram of carbohydrate.
How much carbohydrate do you need during exercise?
For most people training for under an hour, everyday meals cover it. The British Dietetic Association says if exercising hard for longer than an hour, carbohydrate intake during exercise can benefit performance, and gives daily targets from 3 to 5g per kg of body weight for light activity up to 8 to 10g per kg for three to six hours of intense training a day.
For exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes, the ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition) review recommends 30 to 60g of carbohydrate an hour in a 6 to 8% carbohydrate-electrolyte solution. The BDA notes that an 800ml isotonic sports drink and two carbohydrate gels each provide around 50g of carbohydrate.
What claims can carbohydrate drinks make?
Only two authorised claims apply to carbohydrate drinks, and both have strict conditions. Carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions "contribute to the maintenance of endurance performance during prolonged endurance exercise" and "enhance the absorption of water during physical exercise", but only where the drink provides 80 to 350kcal per litre from carbohydrate, at least 75% of that energy comes from high-glycaemic carbohydrates (ones that raise blood sugar quickly) such as glucose, glucose polymers or sucrose, it contains 460 to 1,150mg of sodium per litre, and its osmolality (a measure of how concentrated the drink is) is 200 to 330mOsm/kg water.
So a plain carb powder without added sodium, or one mixed at a different strength, doesn't meet these conditions. Check whether a product says it is a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink and follow its mixing directions.
| Condition (per litre, as drunk) | Required for the claims |
|---|---|
| Energy from carbohydrate | 80–350kcal |
| High-glycaemic carbohydrate | At least 75% of energy |
| Sodium | 460–1,150mg (20–50mmol) |
| Osmolality | 200–330mOsm/kg water |
Do you need carbs after a workout?
Only if you've trained hard or for a long time and need to refuel quickly. The authorised claim is that carbohydrates "contribute to the recovery of normal muscle function (contraction) after highly intensive and/or long-lasting physical exercise leading to muscle fatigue and the depletion of glycogen stores in skeletal muscle".
That claim only applies with a total intake of 4g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight from all sources, within the first four hours and no later than six hours after that kind of exercise, and only for adults. For a 70kg person that's 280g of carbohydrate, most of which would normally come from food. Browse post-workout supplements or mass gainers.
Powder, gel or cream of rice?
Choose the format that suits when you'll use it: drink powders for sipping during training, gels for carrying on a run or ride, and cream of rice as a food-style meal. They all supply carbohydrate; the differences are convenience, added ingredients and cost.
Some gels and drinks contain caffeine. EFSA says healthy adults can have single doses of caffeine up to 200mg, including less than two hours before intense exercise, and up to 400mg a day from all sources. Add up the caffeine across everything you take.
How do you compare carb powder value?
Compare the cost per 50g of carbohydrate, roughly the amount in one 800ml sports drink. That puts powders, drinks and gels on the same footing.
How to compare value (example figures, not real products): a £20 tub of 2kg carb powder at 95g carbohydrate per 100g holds 1,900g of carbohydrate, so 50g costs about 53p. A £1.50 gel with 25g of carbohydrate costs £3 per 50g, nearly six times as much, though you're paying for portability.
"We think customers should compare the actual amount of active ingredients they're getting, rather than just the format or marketing," says Andy. For drinks with electrolytes, see electrolytes & hydration, and for longer events, our endurance supplements. Back to all gym & sports performance supplements.
We sell the products on this page. That's our commercial interest, and it's why we show the evidence alongside them. This page is general information for adults, not personalised medical advice. Food supplements should not replace a varied, balanced diet.
Written by Andy Arshad, SupplementHQ. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.