I have two absolute favourite nutrition products which are Maurten and Lucho Dillitos. As they are very different and I also use them for different purposes, I will talk about each one individually.  

Lucho Dillitos

I’ve been using Lucho Dillitos since around 2017 mainly for long rides, or indoor rides on Zwift. Lucho Dillitos is a solid block of guava paste and for the ones who are not familiar, guava is a tropical fruit from Central America rich in Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin A and Flavonoids like beta-carotene. 

The thing I like the most about Lucho Dillitos blocks is the practicality of the individual portions. The blocks are individually packed and don’t melt under high temperatures so you won’t get messy sticky bits while fuelling on the go. I usually carry them on my jersey and I’ve done it on super hot days and they stay great. The biodegradable pack (which are actual dried leaves) is also very good to have on the go and super easy to open in case you’re eating while you’re riding. 

I particularly love the raspberry flavour as it balances out the sweetness with a little bit of sharp raspberry taste. I’d rate Lucho Dillitos 5/5: a good amount of carbs + sugar per portion (34g), and excellent cost-benefit. 

Maurten

I first came across Maurten in 2019 after searching for a long time for reliable race nutrition, preferably liquid, that could be both of easy digestion and that would make me feel satisfied enough/ not so hungry during a full ironman race (a hard task to be fulfilled). 

I’ve been diagnosed as gluten and lactose intolerant in 2016 and since then I’ve tried a lot of different sports nutrition products. After lots of bad experiences especially during races, I’ve learnt that my stomach usually doesn’t tolerate well solid food during long races/marathons. Maurten drink mix is rich in carbohydrates (the drink mix 320 mixed with 500 ml of water contains 80 grams of carbohydrates), 

You can get both your energy and hydration in one go. The gels are also great and I find their neutral flavour very pleasant. The consistency is also very pleasant to digest, thanks to the alginate that has a gelatin consistency. I am a big fan of the gel 100 CAF as they have a high concentration of caffeine (it contains 100 mg of caffeine and 25g of carbohydrates per gel). 

I like to use Maurten during my Ironman races. I usually have 1 drink mix 320 per hour during the bike course, alternating non-caffeinated with caffeinated, and 1 gel every 30/40min of the marathon also alternating caff and non-caff, always topping up with additional hydration (I usually aim for around 700ml hydration per hour).  

I’d rate Maurten 4/5 because although Maurten is an exceptional product, unfortunately, it is quite expensive to use all year round and all training sessions so I tend to save for race days, key training sessions.