Mango Kiwi Amino Switch Ice Blocks

Two ingredients, one shaker, and a freezer. These amino acid ice blocks take about three minutes of actual work and keep for months.

They are a good option for a hot afternoon or straight after a summer session, and they are close to calorie-free.

Ingredients

• 1 serve Amino Switch in Mango Kiwi
• 250 ml coconut milk
• Optional: finely chopped mango and kiwifruit
• Ice block moulds

Method

1. Combine the Amino Switch and coconut milk in a shaker and shake well.
2. Pour into ice block moulds, adding the chopped fruit if you are using it. Leave a little space at the top for expansion.
3. Freeze until solid, at least four hours, or overnight for a firmer set.
4. To release, run the mould under warm water for a few seconds.

Which coconut milk should I use?

This changes the result more than anything else in the recipe.

• Tinned coconut milk gives a creamy, almost ice-cream texture. Higher in calories and fat.
• Carton coconut milk gives a lighter, icier block. Much lower in calories.
• Water works too, and gives you a clear ice block rather than a creamy one.

If they are freezing too hard to bite, that is the carton version or water. A splash of tinned coconut milk softens the set.

Are amino acid ice blocks a good pre-workout snack?

Not really, and it depends what you want from a pre-workout snack.

These are almost calorie-free, so they will not fuel a session. If you want something before training that actually provides energy, you want carbohydrate: a banana, a slice of toast, some oats.

Where these work is after a hot session, or as a cold treat when you want something sweet without much in it. That is a fair job for them and it is what they are good at.

What should I eat 30 minutes before the gym?

Something mostly carbohydrate, easy to digest, and not too large.

• A banana. The default for a reason.
• A slice of toast with honey or jam. Fast and light.
• A small bowl of oats, if you have closer to an hour.
• A piece of fruit and a coffee, if you train early and cannot face food.

Keep fat and fibre low that close to training, since both slow digestion and are the usual cause of feeling heavy mid-session.

Can you eat mango before the gym?

Yes. Mango is a good pre-workout fruit: mostly carbohydrate, easy to digest, and high in water.

Whether it beats a banana comes down to convenience more than nutrition. A banana has slightly more carbohydrate per serve, needs no preparation and travels better. Mango is higher in vitamin C and, for most people, more enjoyable. Either is fine.

Neither is doing anything special for your training beyond providing fuel, which is the whole job.

Should I train on an empty stomach?

You can, and for many people it is genuinely fine.

Training fasted does not burn meaningfully more fat over a day, despite the persistent claim that it does. Total energy balance still decides that. What fasted training does affect is how you feel: some people prefer it and train perfectly well, others get lightheaded or lose intensity, especially on longer or harder sessions.

The practical rule is that it matters more the longer and harder the session. A 45-minute weights session fasted is usually fine. A long ride or a heavy squat session usually is not.

Try both and use whichever lets you train better. That is the only test that matters.

How long do they keep?

Up to three months in the freezer in a sealed bag or container. They are best in the first month, after which ice crystals start to change the texture.

If they stick in the mould, a few seconds under warm water is all it takes. Pulling harder usually snaps the stick.

Can I make them without the amino powder?

Yes, though you lose the flavour that carries the whole recipe, since coconut milk on its own is fairly plain.

Blend in half a cup of mango and a kiwifruit instead, plus a little honey if you want them sweeter. You will get a fruit ice block rather than a flavoured one, and slightly more calories.

For more ideas, browse the full recipe collection, or the amino acid range for other flavours.