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These 100% vegan natural energy pulp pouches from Mule Bar offer something a little different to the usual sugary, gloopy gels. They're made from real fruit and that means they go down well without any tummy trouble as well as tasting good.

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At first look, these looked like a regular gel, but on further inspection, they are a mix of real fruit, brown rice syrup with proper fruit and vegetables. They have the usual instant energy hit when you are riding, and  I was really impressed with the taste and it felt a lot like eating real, unprocessed food - it actually reminded me of baby food the most - but a really sweet one.

Made from fresh fruit and vegetables, some of the flavours initially sounded a bit odd. Sweet Potato, Carrot and Orange was actually a really good one, and the other flavours of Strawberry, Redcurrant and Beetroot, Pineapple & Coconut, Orange, Carrot & Lemon, Banana, and Apricot all offer a varied choice and some more simple or traditional options. 

The key thing is that the ingredients are all natural and its more akin to eating real food. I found this to be a lot easier on the stomach, and less need to have to drink lots with them. The actual taste and consistency is like a sweet soup - there are actual pieces of fruit or veg in the pouches and, like the name suggests, pulp. They aren't like gels that are honey thick, these are not runny. 

Out riding with them, the handy twist top sachet means you can re-seal them if you just want a half pouch amount, and just make sure you don't drop the lid and take it home - the slight downside is that its easy to accidentally drop it, so I found that I’d usually take the lot, then stash the rubbish to dispose of at home. It's an issue that the pouches can’t be fully recycled, but this isn't just a problem with these, its a standard energy gel issue. You can recycle the plastic lid on these. Mule bar does donate 1% of everything sold to environmental associations.

I found the pulp to be effective in delivering energy when needed, in an easy to digest way, with plenty of flavour choice. Mule Bars aim of these was to make something the was nice to consume and deliver instant energy, and they do exactly that - they are also vegan, and organic, which is a worthy option, but does add a premium to the cost. I think that's worth the extra cost, but that's a personal choice, and at the end of the day, energy bars need to work for you as an individual. I do feel like these are easier to digest and taste a lot better.

• www.2pure.co.uk

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