Water or Sports Drinks?

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Gatorade has been around since the 60's, but the sports drink industry didn't get much buzz until the 90's when Michael Jordan endorsed it. Then everyone wanted to drink it! And now? Well now there's a ton of talk on whether to consume sports drinks or water. And then there are those people who try claiming sports drinks are unhealthy, loaded with sugar, calories, etc. So, are you confused? Are you unsure what you should be drinking? 

You can never go wrong with water. It will always help hydrate you and is great for pre-, intra-, or post-workout. Your body uses water to regulate your temperature, transports nutrients and dispose of waste. When your body doesn't have enough water, you may experience cramps, fatigue, dizziness or even heat exhaustion. 

Where sports drinks come in handy is during long periods of exercise or athletic performance. These drinks are designed to restore your electrolytes and replaces lost energy with carbohydrates. But, don't ever think you can have an energy drink instead...it does NOT provide the same benefits. Nowhere near it even. So definitely skip the Red Bull!

So if you haven't had a sports drink in a while, you may be thinking it's packed with sugar and calories, because that's what I thought up until I started buying it again a year ago. They now make Powerade Zero and Gatorade G2. The Powerade contains 0 calories, using artificial sweetener, and provides restoration of electrolytes. Gatorade's healthier option contains 28 calories, uses corn syrup to sweeten, restores electrolytes and includes carbohydrates to boost energy. 

If you plan to train for longer than an hour at medium to high intensity, it's suggested to find a drink that provides about 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving and about 100 mg sodium to restore electrolytes. But if you're planning to run a marathon, you'd want more than this. 

Just no that no matter what exercise you are performing and regardless of how long, you need to stay hydrated and both water and sports drinks can help in this department. Never let yourself get dehydrated!