The summer heat can be brutal. And when it comes to staying well-hydrated, ordinary sports drinks aren’t always our best answer. Molly has the inside scoop on the best & worst sports drinks on shelves to fuel performance and optimize hydration for athletes and non-athletes alike.
- It’s essential to replenish electrolytes, particularly when losing large amounts of sweat
- Sodium is the main electrolyte lost in sweat,
- Sugar-containing sports drinks are typically only needed when exercise is longer than 60-90 minutes
LOVE IT!
Sports drinks with little or no sugar | good for workouts lasting one hour or less
- The LYTE version is hands down my top pick for a regular grab-and-go sports drink
- Per 16-oz bottle: 20 calories – 18 grams carb – 2 grams sugar – 40 mg sodium – 700 mg potassium
- No artificial sweeteners or colors (sweetened with stevia; colored with natural juice extracts)
nuun hydration electrolyte drink tabs
- Per tablet: 10 calories – 4 gram carb – 1 gram sugar – 300 mg sodium – 150 mg potassium
- No artificial sweeteners or colors (sweetened with stevia; colored with vegetable juice extracts)
- Per scoop: 0 calories – 0 grams carb – 0 grams sugar – 55 mg sodium – small amount potassium
- Ingredients include cane sugar, dextrose, minerals
- The acetic acid in pickle juice can help relieve a cramp within seconds
LIKE IT!
Sports drinks with moderate sugar content | good for workouts > 90 min and/or high sweat losses
- Per scoop: 60 calories – 16 grams carb – 15 grams sugar – 380 mg sodium – 200 mg potassium
- Ingredients include sucrose, dextrose, natural blueberry flavors, beet juice powder, stevia.
MyHy Active [by former LSU QB Matt Flynn]
- Per packet: 60 calories – 12 grams carb – 12 grams sugar – 640 mg sodium – 130 mg potassium
- Ingredients include sugar, minerals, sweetened with stevia
Bolt 24 by Gatorade
- 16.9-oz: 80 calories – 20 grams carbs – 19 grams sugar – 230 mg sodium – 60 mg potassium
- Contains sugar, stevia, natural plant-based colors
HATE IT!
Sports drinks with added sugar and/or artificial sweeteners, plus artificial food dyes
Powerade ULTRA & Gatorade ZERO:
- Per 12 ounces: 0 calories – 0 carb – 0 sugar – approx. 300 mg sodium – approx. 100 mg potassium
- Contains artificial food dyes and artificial sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame potassium)
G2
- Per 12 ounces: 30 calories – 8 grams carb – 7 grams sugar – 160 mg sodium – 45 mg potassium
- Contains artificial food dyes and artificial sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame potassium)
Gatorade & Powerade
- Per 12 ounces: approximately 80 calories – 21 grams carbs – 21 grams sugar – 150-160 mg sodium – 35-45 mg potassium
- Ingredients include sugar/high fructose corn syrup + artificial food dyes
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