Salty Fact - Sports Drinks

For decades, we’ve chugged Gatorade and its competitors when sweaty or hungover (or both) in an effort to “replenish” our elusive electrolytes. When we exercise, we sweat, and these minerals leave the body in droves, leaving us dehydrated and susceptible to cramps and exhaustion. You should absolutely be hydrating and looking to replenish electrolytes after a long period of intense physical activity.

But Gatorade’s role and other competitive sports drinks out there in that process are dubious.Sports drinks consist mainly of two ingredients, sugar and salt. While you can opt for Gatorade Zero to ensure you have ZERO sugar, the salt content for a 32 fl oz. bottle can throw you back 430mg of sodium or 19% of your daily allowance.

Next time you need to replenish your body after a long workout think twice about chugging a sports drink and maybe opt for water.