Sports Drinks
Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Sports Drinks
The consumption of sports drinks is on the rise, but how necessary or effective have these beverages proven to be? Actually, they can be quite effective when utilized properly.
During energy expenditure, the body begins to sweat. If this occurs for a prolonged period of time, fluid and electrolytes such as calcium, sodium, and potassium are lost. These electrolytes help maintain balance for normal cell activity. When out of balance, exhaustion, dehydration, hallucinations, and circulatory collapse can occur.
The purpose of sports drinks is to replenish the body of fluids and electrolytes during or after strenuous activity. The three primary types of sports drinks are isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic. Knowing the benefits of each will enable the consumer to make an informed decision.
Isotonic drinks replenish lost fluids and provide carbohydrates for additional energy. These are the sports drinks average athletes participating in moderate activity might require. Hypotonic drinks are formulated for gymnasts, jockeys, or others who participate in low-sweat activities. These drinks are primarily fluid replacers and contain fewer carbohydrates than isotonic drinks.
Hypertonic drinks are higher in carbohydrates and primarily benefit endurance athletes such as long-distance runners, or other athletes engaged in strenuous activity for 60 minutes or more.
Businesses that provide sports drinks to their customers are wise to educate themselves on their benefits and applications. For additional resources, please reference Business.com.
Sports Drinks
Find the right sports beverages for your office water cooler areaBy Sharisa Lewis
If energy drinks are in demand at your office, do your homework to find the right suppliers. The energy and sports beverages available on the market vary widely in vitamin content, calories, ingredients and cost.
While the sale of energy and sports beverages has spiked in recent years, take caution in encouraging their consumption. Even though they do have less calories than soda, they usually have too much sodium, caffeine and sugar. However, if your business involves employees exerting energy, working out or taking physical fitness breaks, sports drinks may be worthwhile. When looking for a sports beverage, consider the following:
- Take a poll of your employees to find out favorite brands or flavors of energy drinks.
- Ask employees if there are ingredients in sports or energy drinks to limit or avoid.
- Ask sport drink manufactures for samples before you commit to a big order.
Compare popular brands for suppliers of sports drinks and energy drinks
The most popular brands of sports drinks are Gatorade and Powerade. Both companies offer information of how they can help the body. When you think of an energy drink, Red Bull usually comes to mind.
Try:
Gatorade offers a look at how the product helps the body. Powerade lists the vitamins in their drinks. Medioncorp has a comparison chart of popular sports drinks, including the carbohydrate and sodium information. Red Bull lists the benefits of their drink on its web site.
Compare ingredients of popular energy drinks and sports drinks
The amount of certain ingredients, such as sodium and caffiene, varies widely among sports and energy drinks. Take time to compare what they are made of and how it will benefit or hurt the body. Suppliers of sports drinks may be willing to send you nutrition charts and samples before placing an order.
Try:
USDA allows you to search on a type of beverage to get nutritional information on sport drinks. Active.com lists what to look for in a good sports drink. Accelerade lists the science behind their drinks and where you can buy it.
Encourage healthier options to energy drinks
Your employees may love energy drinks, but offer alternatives too. They will get a quick caffeine or sugar rush and then crash. So, if you don't want employees asleep at their desks, provide options that keep them energetic longer. Consider incentives to drinking water.
Try:
WebMD points out the dangers of getting hooked on energy drinks. Healthnewsdigest.com offers some healthy alternatives to energy drinks, such as water and tea.
- Know the difference between sports and energy drinks. Sports drinks are aimed at hydration after an athletic event. Energy drinks are more of a stimulant, popular among young people, with large amounts of caffeine and sugar.
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