Sports drinks might contain more than you really need

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Sports drinks might contain more than you really need

JoAnn Guest

Mar 26, 2005 19:29 PST

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LAURIE SCHAETZEL-HILL

 

http://www.theolympian.com/home/specialsections/HealthandFitness/20040725/105415\

..shtml

 

 

People seem to be drinking sports drinks a lot lately. Some adults drink

them instead of soda, juice or water. Kids take them to school and camps

with their lunches.

 

 

However, sports drinks have no nutritional benefits for normal

consumption and unless you make a living from your sport, you won't need

the athletic performance advantage at your job.

 

Sports drinks were originally made as a fluid replacement for athletes

because good hydration is important for optimal athletic performance.

Sports drinks replace fluids lost through sweat and provide a small

amount of sugar to use as immediate fuel since muscles rely on

carbohydrates for 50 percent of energy needs during moderate to hard

endurance workouts.

 

A good sports drink will have 40 to 80 calories from sugar and 120-170

milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces (one cup).

 

The sugar concentration is kept low to maximize fluid absorption.

Fructose is not recommended since it can cause stomach cramping.

 

Unless you are an ultra endurance athlete and run marathons, triathlons

or distance bike races (go Lance Armstrong!) then your body loses only a

small amount of salt. You can get adequate salt and sodium at your

meals.

 

The sodium in a sports drink is to improve fluid absorption, not to

replace lost sodium. Sodium improves the taste so an athlete is likely

to drink more than if he or she had plain water.

 

The sodium also improves fluid absorption and therefore helps replace

lost fluids.

 

What about using a sports drink anytime of day?

 

Let's look at the facts. A 16-ounce bottle of Gatorade, for example, has

100 calories and 220 mg sodium but no vitamins or other minerals. Two

cups (16 ounces) of orange juice has 240 calories, exceeds the RDA for

vitamin C, and has lots of potassium as well as a myriad other vitamins

and minerals in smaller, but important, amounts. What is better for your

health? Juice is better. If you are watching your calories, cut back to

8 ounces of juice or drink water.

 

I don't recommend a sports drink for children to drink during the day.

True, it has fewer calories than an equal amount of juice, but many

children do not get enough fruit. Instead, give them an 8-ounce box of

100 percent juice with their lunch or snack. Even when playing sports,

kids -- and adults too -- can use juice diluted by half as their sports

drink. This will provide sugars in a more dilute concentration (similar

to the sports drinks), which promotes better fluid absorption.

 

Last, don't fall prey to the tricks of the marketers who like to think

consumers do not think. Forget about the " Energy Fuel " drink marketed to

women with " No Calories, No Fat, No Carbs and No Sugar. " Purely a

gimmick, this drink is water with sugar substitute and offers no fuel

for energy whatsoever. In this case, drink water and save your money.

 

Laurie Schaetzel-Hill is a registered dietitian and nutritionist in

private practice in Olympia.

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

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AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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