Sports Drinks...Are You Sure??

Most of our kids and grandkids are bombarded daily with cool commercials and amazing ads for the 'Sports Drink of the Moment.'
Questions we should be asking:
Are sports drinks really better for us than water? Do they really 'hydrate' us better than water? Can they have negative effects on us or our children?

First, let's check out the sweeteners used in the majority of sports drinks: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a commonly used. The reason it is so popular is that it's cheaper and sweeter than sugar and extends the shelf life of foods. Many experts blame increased consumption of HFCS for the growing obesity problem and adverse health effects such as diabetes. A report from the University of California-Berkeley found that students who drink one 20-ounce sports drink every day for a year could gain about 13 pounds. The typical sweet-tart taste of sports drinks doesn't quench thirst, so a person is more likely to keep drinking sports drinks long after water has lost its appeal, which can lead to increased calorie consumption.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener, originally sold under the trade name Splenda. It is about 600 times sweeter than household sugar and when metabolized does not produce any energy (or calories). Now why would you want to have something in your sports drink that makes it sweet and does not give you energy? In addition, recent studies suggest that artificial sweeteners have been clearly linked to the rise in obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Next, a quick discussion re: sodium. A 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade contains about 27 milligrams of sodium, almost 12% of the recommended daily allowance for kids ages 14 to 18. The Institute of Medicine reports that over 75% of children consume more than the recommended daily allowance of sodium each day (due in large part to processed foods). Endurance and high intensity athletes may benefit from the extra sodium---the average person does not!

Another interesting finding: A study done at the University of Iowa showed that the common sports drink, Gatorade, eroded teeth faster than Coke---Yikes!

Now for the BIG question: Do our kids really need sports drinks? After all, they are in sports...sometimes...so don't they need the extra electrolytes? Not Exactly! Studies have shown that the loss of electrolytes is not extremely prevalent unless a person is sweating profusely for over 60 minutes. Until that time, water is able to replenish what the body loses in sweat. Sports drinks are only necessary in the context of serious sports...endurance and high intensity sports(like marathons & the Arizona Cardinals' preseason training camp).

What to do??
Honestly, the answer is water. Water hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during exercise. Water tends to be less expensive and more available than any other drink. Juice may be nutritious, but it isn't the best choice for hydration. The fructose, or fruit sugar, reduces the rate of water absorption so cells don't get hydrated as quickly. Sports drinks are fancy sugar/ sucralose water. These 'cool-looking' drinks are becoming a popular beverage of choice, even when sports are not involved. Kids having them with their pizza at lunch is not a healthy scenario!

What to do with kids who don't like to drink water??
Big problem, I know! Explaining why you're not going the route of sports drinks any more is the first step (you don't want your child gaining extra weight, or being at increased risk for diseases like diabetes--as well as dental cavities). Offer the best quality water you can---most tap water tastes BAD (and is BAD for us! *). Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge for a cold drink, which usually goes down better than room temp water. Add a few slices of lemon, lime, orange, strawberry, etc. to the pitcher of water for flavor--it's so good! Just a few slices---cut them in quarters for more taste in the water---experiment with combinations. You may want to start out with alternating sports drinks with the fruit-flavored water. Going from drinking at least one sports drink a day to 3 in a week is great progress! And set a good example for your kids by drinking adequate amounts of water yourself (while avoiding sports drinks!)

One last recommendation: Invest in 'BPA-free' hard plastic water bottles for you & your family---to keep this 'good water' (filtered--flavored with fruit of your choice) in for school & on the road. They're easy to find--I got ours at Target. It's very 'green'---no plastic bottle recycling and much more cost-efficient.

*Several of my June blog entries focus on quality water, pH of water, water filtration & more--please refer to them for further information.

I look forward to your comments and feedback!
Be Well...
Sana