FitSugar

Forget Gatorade, Beer Is the Next Big Sports Drink

Michele Foley — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:30:38 PST

Forget Gatorade; some fitness enthusiasts are turning to beer to rehydrate. Erdinger Alkoholfrei, a nonalcoholic Bavarian brew, is becoming a favorite amongst European athletes. The beer even has a team of reputable athletes that it sponsors consisting of triathletes, biathletes, and championship skiers.

Positioning itself at many of Europe's top sporting events, the company claims that unlike sports drinks, the carb-rich beer is free of additives and unnatural ingredients. And because it's nonalcoholic, there's no chance of getting wasted after running a 26.2-mile course. The company is now setting its sights on the American market. While there's nothing satisfying like a good beer after a long run or bike ride, my experience with nonalcoholic brews is less than noteworthy. Although, it might be better than one of the alternative sports drink offerings: pickle juice.

Source: Flickr User paul-simpson.org

Make This: Maple Syrup Sports Drink

Michele Foley — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:15:05 PST

After complaining about muscle soreness to my yoga teacher, he suggested that I start concocting my own all-natural recovery drink. It's a simple recipe, too: one to two tablespoons of maple syrup and water. My teacher informed me that the sweet syrup not only provides the body with a little shot of carbs, but, more importantly, it helps with muscle recovery. Real maple syrup is an excellent source of manganese, which helps repair muscle and cell damage; it also keeps bones strong and blood sugar levels normal. Besides this important nutrient, maple syrup also contains zinc, iron, calcium, and potassium. And while it's definitely not a post-workout snack replacement, it's become my go-to drink after yoga.

Source: Flickr user little blue hen

Food Review: Code Blue Recovery Drink

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:30:47 PST

I must admit I'm not big on special fitness drinks, especially recovery drinks. They're often full of extra calories, and I usually opt for water since most exercise physiologists believe you don't need to worry about replacing electrolytes, carbs, and protein unless you have been working out and sweating for more than an hour. I often think a lot of these drinks have added coloring and chemicals, so when I saw Code Blue marketed as an all natural post-workout drink I was curious to try it. I must admit, I liked its tropical flavor, and although it only has 40 calories per eight-ounce serving (the can contains 12 ounces, equal to one and a half servings) Code Blue does not have that artificial sweetener taste of many low-cal beverages.

To see how this drink is sweetened and if it is an unnatural color, just

read more.
Looking at the ingredient list on the back of the Code Blue can, I can't say I felt like I was drinking something "natural." After water, the next three ingredients are: crystalline fructose, agave nectar, and malic acid, which adds tartness more than sweetness. Further down the list I found stevia leaf extract listed as well, which is a bit more natural. Code Blue contains the electrolytes potassium and sodium, but also contains the supplement milk thistle to help detox the liver (trainer Bob Harper believes in the treatment), and prickly pear extract to reduce inflammation.
The first time I tried Code Blue, I drank it straight from the can. You can imagine my surprise when I poured it into a glass and found the liquid to be a vibrant unnatural blue. Which prompts the question, what natural ingredient was used to color this drink and why even bother coloring it?
Ingredients: Filtered Purified Water, Crystalline Fructose, Agave Nectar, Malic Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, D-Ribose, Fruit Juice (for color), Sustamine™ (L-Alanine L-Glutamine), Pectin, Inositol, Ascorbic Acid, Prickly Pear Extract (Opunitia ficus-indica), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Extract, N-Acetyl Cysteine, Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana) Leaf Extractives, Soy Protein and Rice Flour, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), DL-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Selenium Complexed with Amino Acids and Polypeptides, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
I'm not really sold on the drink, but I'm not completely opposed to it either. I would certainly drink this over other recovery drinks, but more likely I will sip some water instead. Have you tried it? This just in: The color comes from blueberries.

Review: NUUN Hydration Tablets

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:00:00 PST

Staying well hydrated no longer needs to be a tasteless chore. NUUN hydration tablets make your water more palatable while loading it with electrolytes - and all this with only six calories (read "no added sugar") per 16-ounce serving.

NUUN tablets dissolve in water, similar to Alka Seltzer, but NUUN tastes much better, and once the tablet has dissolved the bubbles disappear. The ratio is one tablet for 16 ounces of water, which just so happens to be the size of many cycling water bottles. The tablets come in five flavors: lemon-lime, tri-berry, orange ginger, kona cola, and citrus fruit, and all are made with no artificial colors. A sports drink doesn't need to be neon-colored to quench your thirst.

To see how I think NUUN tastes,

read more. In general, I am not a big fan of sports drinks; they either taste too sugary or taste too much like artificial sweeteners. I like NUUN because it doesn't taste like either. The NUUN flavors are mild, which I like - especially when I am working hard. My favorite flavor is tri-berry, with citrus fruit in a close second. Unless you like sipping on flat Coke, I wouldn't bother with the kona cola, although I hear it blends nicely with the orange ginger. You can halve the tablets and become your own NUUN mixologist. NUUN is sweetened with sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, and acesulfame potassium, an FDA-approved artificial sweetener. I like that the drink is made in my reusable water bottle, so I don't feel like I am adding too much to landfills since the tube (but not the stopper) is recyclable. I also appreciate that this is an electrolyte drink fortified with the sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium I need to not become dehydrated, and that it is not a recovery drink with carbs, sugar, and protein. I like to eat these after I workout, not drink them. All in all, I am a fan of NUUN. A single tube, with 12 tablets (makes 12 16-ounce drinks), retails at REI for $6.50. You can also buy the tubes in bulk - four tubes for $22 from REI, or packs of nine from the online NUUN store for just under $50. If you're already a fan of NUUN, tell me why below.

Sodium: Fat Free Skim Milk vs. Gatorade

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

I seem to have a couple of new obsessions lately: sodium and sports drinks. I thought this little quiz comparing these two common beverages would be enlightening for you. Take it and see if you know which drink has a higher sodium content.

Take the Quiz

How to Drink a Sports Drink

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:45:00 PDT

You might think that drinking a sports drink is just like drinking any other drink; you open the bottle when you are thirsty and drink up. You would be wrong. If you drink one of these scientifically-engineered drinks when you are already thirsty, you have missed many of its benefits. These drinks are not designed to be guzzled at the end of a long workout, but are meant to be sipped an ounce or two at time every 10 to 15 minutes during a workout. The sodium used in sports beverages are designed to maintain your blood volume during exercise, because it can decrease through loss of fluids, aka sweat. Plus you need to make sure there is enough blood to deliver energy to the working muscles in the periphery. Sports drinks also provide carbs, which help maintain blood sugar levels to keep the brain functioning and happy (the brain is fueled by carbs). Mental fatigue can cause muscle fatigue.

You should drink a sports drink, I mean sip a sports drink every 10 to 15 minutes, if you are sweating and your heart rate is elevated, as in exercise, for over a half an hour. All you need is a sip, which is about an ounce or two - between an 1/8 to a 1/4 of a cup or 30ml to 60ml. Now if you are just walking for 30 minutes on a cool, crisp day, water should do you just fine.

For more on sports drinks, check out Fitness Rocks podcast with Dr. Dan Benardot. It is illuminating.

Source

The Skinny On: Sports Drinks

FitSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Staying hydrated when exercising in hot, humid weather is really important. However, if you are exercising, at a moderate level, for longer than an hour you should probably reach for a sports drink.

Unlike water, sports drinks contain electrolytes and carbohydrates to help your body absorb and retain fluid lost during exercise. Because of this, sports drinks do a better job of preventing dehydration and maintaining proper electrolyte balance, especially in warm, humid conditions when you sweat out more fluid and sodium. Replenishing sodium enhances fluid absorption and retention and prevents hyponatremia, the condition when blood sodium blood levels fall below normal, which in extreme cases can be fatal.

Look for a sports drink that contains at least 500 to 700 milligrams (mg) of sodium per liter. Also select one you don't feel like you need to dilute due to taste, since you'll dilute the electrolyte and carbohydrate concentration as well. To avoid guzzling too much at one time since no one likes to run with a belly full of liquid, drink it in small amounts at regular intervals, every 15 to 20 minutes.

Fit's Tip: To figure out how much you need to drink, weigh yourself naked before and after a typical hour of working out. Then drink the same amount you lost. For example, if you lose two pounds during one hour of running, you need to replace about 32 ounces (two pounds) of fluid during each hour of exercise. This is the equation you should use if you are racing too. If you're consuming more than that, you're probably over-hydrating.

Eating & Drinking While Working Out: Not Needed

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:30:00 PDT

I don't know if you experience this but I typically spot someone eating while working out at least once every few weeks. I get the theory behind it, but for most of us, it's not necessary.

Unless you're working out for longer than two hours per day, you really do not need to supplement with high-energy (aka high calories) bars and drinks during your workout (or at all really). If you're worried about thirst, take along some water or even a sports drink (though keep in mind that most sports drinks are very high in sugar). If you're worried that you're too hungry to workout, then eat something light and easy to digest first or try and hold off until afterwards. If you are so starving you can't imagine going another minute without eating, then chances are you shouldn't be working out at that moment anway. Eating while working out is not only unsanitary for the gym, but it can lead to stomach cramping and discomfort.

Oh, and under no circumstances is it OK to eat a Subway Italian Sandwich while on the bike -- Don't laugh, I've seen it done.

How to Keep Your Run Pain-Free

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:54:30 PST

Sometimes, you start your run with the best intentions, only to be thwarted by recurring cramps and a headache that zaps all your energy. If you've experienced these nagging annoyances when you run, here are some tips for preventing pain and coping with it when it happens during your workout.

Headache: Often, a pounding headache that comes on during a run is due to inadequate water intake. Your body loses a lot of fluids while you're sweating it out on the treadmill, so before you even begin, make sure that you've had enough water throughout the day. During your run, sip water slowly, about five to 12 ounces every 20 minutes (or sip a sports drink with electrolytes if you are running for more than an hour), but don't drink so much that you feel all of it sloshing around in your stomach - that can lead to cramps or nausea.

More tips for pain-free running after the break.

Overdid It on the Chili, Wings, and Beer? How to Get Heartburn Relief

Jenny Sugar — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:12:08 PST

In terms of calories consumed in one day, the Super Bowl Sunday spread is only bested by the Thanksgiving feast. Being that the game comes but once a year, many sports fans go all out, consuming a variety of spicy snacks - chili, buffalo wings, salsa - along with beer, pizza, and dips. All that food can lead to digestive disaster. If you're suffering from heartburn, here's how to get relief.

Let loose: Loosen up your clothing if it's fitted. The compression around your chest and stomach can make heartburn symptoms worse.
Put down the bottle: Stop drinking alcohol, carbonated beverages, and drinks containing caffeine like coffee and Coca-Cola ASAP. Don't reach for a cooling glass of milk either. It's a myth that milk relieves heartburn. It may feel good at first, but can actually worsen symptoms. Sip water instead.
Chuck the wings: Avoid eating any more spicy or greasy foods, foods that contain pepper, and acidic foods such as oranges, tomatoes, and vinegar. Chocolate, mint, ketchup, and mustard are also common heartburn triggers, so avoid eating these as well.
Grab a stick: Of gum, that is. Chew gum to increase saliva production, helping to neutralize stomach acid.

Keep reading for more ways to get immediate heartburn relief.