For athletes who need hydration during or after a long workout, a traditional sports drink is the best choice to ensure proper hydration for maximum performance and recovery.
Electrolytes are minerals found in the body that help regulate fluids and muscle contractions. If you lose too many electrolytes through illness or sweat, you might need to look into a beneficial electrolyte replacement drink. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter.
Related Articles. The Health Benefits of Coconut Water. How to Recover After a Cycling Race. Trending Topics. Plus, Gatorade does have an option with less calories and sugar called G2 for those watching their sugar intake. With the right ingredients, you can whip up your own electrolyte-infused drink. The key is including sugar, salt, and plenty of water. This delicious lemon-ginger electrolyte drink recipe calls for ginger, lemon, lime juice, agave, sea salt, and mineral water.
Any time you eat watermelon, you're getting water and a hefty dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, and electrolytes. Coconut water is nature's version of a sports drink.
It contains five main electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and sodium. Like a sports drink, coconut water also has sugar. What's the difference, then? A store-bought sports drink has up to four times as much sodium as coconut water, but it also contans high-fructose corn syrup instead of natural glucose and fructose.
On the other end of the spectrum you'll find drinks that can actually make you more dehydrated. Sugary sports drinks like Gatorade probably come to mind when you think about electrolyte drinks. But do you need sugar in an electrolyte drink? Actually, yes. Sugar helps increase water absorption, thereby speeding up how quickly you're rehydrated. Sugar is a carbohydrate and sports drinks with carbohydrates also help replenish glycogen stores—the storage form of glucose that runs out during prolonged endurance exercise e.
But, research shows excessive amounts of sugar are not needed by your body. Too much sugar can make it hard to consume the drink and can slow absorption of water. Learn more about what happens to your body when you eat too much sugar.
Sodium, potassium, and chloride are the most commonly added electrolytes. All of these are lost through sweat. Sodium also makes you thirsty so having sodium in an electrolyte drink can help increase the amount you drink, thereby helping you take in more water to rehydrate.
Protein is not traditionally added to electrolyte drinks but is sometimes added to sports drinks to aid in rebuilding muscles. However, milk protein may help the body retain water post-exercise, according to a small study in the British Journal of Nutrition. Find out how much protein you should eat every day. Although tap water has some added minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, it doesn't have sugar and may not have enough sodium to replenish stores.
Mineral water comes from underground reservoirs and springs and is bottled at the source. It naturally contains more electrolytes than tap water but no sugar. It's not your best option for electrolytes. Learn more about mineral water and if it's healthier than regular water here. Studies have shown that coconut water rehydrates better than plain water and the same as traditional sport drinks, only with less sugar.
Learn more about the health benefits of coconut water here. Maple water is a newer water on the market that claims to have naturally occurring electrolytes and be naturally hydrating.
Maple water may be more hydrating than plain water before, during, and after exercise and might boost exercise performance, but more studies are needed. Learn more about maple water and what the benefits are here.
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