Purdue Nutrition Science senior creates a buzz with natural pre-workout

Sarah Molander, a senior in the Purdue University Department of Nutrition Science, ran the 2026 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis fueled by her new pre-workout product, BEE’s N SEA’S.(Photo provided)

Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu

Two of Earth’s most ancient ingredients collide for athletic performance enhancement today.

Salt was first cultivated around 6,000 B.C. Honey harvested by organized beekeeping goes back to 3,000 B.C. in Egypt, but recent evidence found early humans in what is now Spain sought the sweet stuff thousands of years before that.

Flash-forward to Indiana in 2026 where Sarah Molander, a senior majoring in dietetics/nutrition, fitness, and health in the Purdue University Department of Nutrition Science, has combined raw, local honey with Norwegian sea salt to create BEE’S N SEAS’s, a new pre-workout product promoting natural carbohydrates, electrolytes and fast energy in one packet. The sweet-and-salty concoction is usually ingested before exercise for more energy and stamina. Molander said her product promotes natural energy sustainability without spikes and crashes found in products with caffeine and other chemicals.

Molander consumed a BEE’S N SEA’S packet during May’s 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis, Molander’s hometown.

“I ran a half marathon, which I never thought I could do, and (BEE’S N SEA’S) helped a lot,” Molander said. “Honey doesn’t spike your blood glucose levels, and it keeps them stable for a longer period of time, and so it gradually increases and then gradually decreases.”

BEE’S N SEA’S is available online and occasionally at farmers’ markets in Indianapolis and West Lafayette.

Salty in the morning

Molander grew her passion for nutrition at the start of high school, which is also when she played club volleyball in Muncie, Indiana. Practices, games and 6 a.m. workouts were taking their toll physically. She started taking pre-workouts, multi-ingredient dietary supplements designed to boost energy, focus and athletic performance. But the many ingredients in the products worried the young athlete.

BEE’S N SEA’S is made with Norwegian sea salt and raw honey sourced from farmers. That’s it.(Photo provided)

“I learned that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not regulate pre-workouts, so you can kind of claim whatever you want on them,” Molander explained.

Natural ingredients were much more appealing, which included the honey that Grandma Molander sent from the old family farm in North Dakota.

“North Dakota is actually the No. 1 honey-producing state, which is kind of fun because there’s not even a million people there. So, I started taking tablespoons of (honey) in the afternoon when I would need a burst of energy for studies, or just if I was going out to see friends and I didn’t want coffee or caffeine.”

Molander’s interest in natural, locally grown honey grew when she transitioned to Purdue. She also began experimenting with the addition of salt to the honey after reading about an old African religious custom where people consumed honey and salt and the physical benefits of the combination. After starting with Celtic sea salt, she found Norwegian sea salt flakes. The Molander side of the family is from Sweden and Norway, and the latter’s sea salt is known for its ability to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat, which helps keep muscles from cramping. The salt has natural traces of potassium and magnesium.

“The salt just melts into the honey,” Molander said. “The trace minerals that are naturally occurring don’t need to be added like in other pre-workouts. The magnesium and potassium are usually not naturally derived in those. I didn’t want (my product) to be like that. I think a lot of people are trying to get into the more holistic kind of thing and just using what was naturally derived, already grown on our earth.”

Sweeter performances

Molander officially launched BEE’S N SEA’S in February after years of perfecting the recipe in her apartment kitchen. She found the salt flakes — not grains — “melt away” in the mouth and each BEE’S N SEA’S batch tastes a little different. Molander’s sweet palate is advanced. She can taste the differences between Indiana honey versus grandma’s North Dakotan honey. Honey cultivated around West Lafayette tastes different than honey found in southern Indiana.

“I think the honeys I’ve tried just within the state of Indiana taste so different. Honey harvested in a rural area tastes different than hives within a city,” Molander said. “I think it honestly depends on one’s taste for honey. I think honey can be overused and people can get sick of it. But I think that happens with anything when you eat it. The taste also depends on your electrolyte balance as well.”

Molander purchases the honey from farmers in its rawest form — unprocessed, unpasteurized and still enzyme-rich. The honey’s natural carbs are slow-released to provide more energy and fuel during a workout or run.

Molander fills each packet herself, heat-sealing it before the user rips it off and gulps the pre-workout honey and salt mix. The package is like a smaller version of a child’s on-the-go applesauce pouch product. This work was enhanced by her involvement in programs at 16 Tech, a non-profit organization in Indianapolis that helps aspiring entrepreneurs with elevating their ventures to potential investors and connections.

While BEE’S N SEA’S kept Molander fueled for her first half-marathon, customers from all over the United States have given positive feedback: A cyclist in Texas; a high school lacrosse player in Indianapolis; a football coach from Carmel, Indiana; and a former basketball player at University of Michigan all gave enthusiastic approval of the product. Some other customers have put BEE’S N SEE’S on their breakfast bananas, toast or yogurt for an energy-rich start to their days.

“I’m just slowly trying to introduce it to a bunch of different (fitness) fields,” said Molander, who is about to earn a Purdue Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation to further strengthen her business savvy.

What’s next?

Molander will be entering graduate school in 2027 to become a registered dietitian, but she plans on keeping BEE’S N SEA’S momentum buzzing and active throughout her studies. She wants to help people reach their fitness goals through her natural pre-workout.

Molander credited her first three years at Purdue for cultivating her interest in nutrition entrepreneurship.

“I found out how much Purdue offers regarding not only nutrition but innovation too. I had so many people be there for me during these years,” Molander said. “I find it quite incredible.”