FitSugar

Food Review: Code Blue Recovery Drink

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:30:47 -0800

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 -0800

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 -0700

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 -0700

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 -0700

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 -0700

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.

Sports Energy Products Explained: Drinks, Powders, and Tablets

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:47:52 -0700

In order to sustain your energy for long workouts, you need to refuel with some kind of sporty energy product. Sport nutrition products are manufactured in so many forms these days - sport drinks, powders, energy bars, goos, and chews - so how do you know which one is right for you? Hopefully I can ease your confusion starting with sport drinks, powders, and tablets.

Popular brands of sport drinks include Gatorade, Accelerade, and Powerade. These pre-made, often neon-colored drinks contain carbs that you need for quick energy, and sodium and water that you need for hydration. A proper sport drink contains about 15 grams of carbs and 110 mg of sodium per eight-ounce serving. You can also buy powders you mix with water to make sport drinks. You only really need these drinks if you are working out for an hour or longer or are sweating profusely during your workout. I wouldn't sip these while running on the treadmill for 30 minutes. The sugar isn't necessary for short workouts, and as long as you hydrate with water before and after exercising, you're good to go.

What about Smartwater? To find out read more.

There are also beverages that contain electrolytes and no sugars, such as Smartwater or Function Water. Or if you want a little flavor but not a ton of sugar, NUUN tablets can be dissolved in your water. Electrolyte-enhanced water will help prevent dehydration but help your energy levels by providing glucose (aka sugar, which is turned into fuel for your muscles).

So here's the bottom line. If your workout is under an hour, drink plain water before and after. If you're working out and sweating a lot, sip electrolyte-enhanced water every 10 to 15 minutes while working out. If you're working out for an extended period of time, and are also sweating out fluids, sip a sports drink every 10 to 15 minutes.

Sports Drinks May Do Kids Good on the Field

LilSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:00:00 -0700

The combination of organized sports and hot weather can provide a dangerous on-field combination. Parents know that water is the best hydrator, but several studies show that kids don't drink enough of it when participating in athletic activities - even if it is readily available.

In one study, when both water and a sports drink such as Gatorade or Powerade were available, kids "eagerly downed 91 percent more than when offered water alone." These statistics are leading researchers to suggest providing lil ones with carbohydrate- and electrolyte-filled drinks, as long as they are on the ball field:

"When kids do intense exercise in the heat for numerous hours, I would encourage the use of sports drinks," says Douglas Casa, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut and the lead researcher for most of the sports camp studies. "They will likely drink more of a flavor they like as compared to water, and will benefit from the carbs and electrolytes."

Once the game is over, stick to water - the high sugar content of sports drinks has been tied to childhood obesity and tooth decay. Do you quench your child's thirst with sports drinks?

Coconut Water: Nature's Sports Drink

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:30:00 -0700

If you find the unnatural color of many sports drinks unappealing, you might be interested in trying coconut water. They don't call it "nature's sports drink" for nothing. A cup of coconut water contains about 600 milligrams of potassium (that's more than a banana), as well as some calcium, magnesium, sodium, and sugar.

The liquid found inside young green coconuts is thin, almost clear, and can have a slight almond flavor. Coconut water should not be confused with coconut milk. Coconut water contains no saturated fat and has only 45 calories per cup to coconut milk's 552.

The coolest thing about coconut water is that it has the same electrolyte balance as blood. Dubbed the "fluid of life," it was used as a substitute for intravenous plasma during World War II.

You can cut the top off a young coconut with a meat cleaver and drink the juice. Or you can find bottled coconut water, but it just might be mixed with sweetener. Drink up!

Source

Is Pickle Juice the New Sport Drink?

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:01 -0700

I feel bad throwing out pickle brine, but I never know what to do with it when I eat the last pickle. My friend saves the juice for her Bloody Mary mix but I'm not a big fan of the brunchy cocktail. But apparently pickle brine has another use - as a sports drink!

You lose electrolytes whenever you have an intense workout or sweat intensely. Even though it sounds weird that pickle juice makes a good electrolyte replacement, it totally makes sense when you consider how much salt is in the juice. Sodium is an essential component in helping the body retain fluids, which is extremely important for long workouts, marathons, or any other endurance activity. Not having enough fluids in your muscles can result in some serious cramping and dehydration.

It's definitely an acquired taste, but if you feel like you want a natural alternative to Gatorade, try adding some pickle juice to water, or make some pickle juice popsicles. I might give it a shot the next time I'm out on a major bike ride or an all-day climb in hot weather.

Source: Flickr User nonelvis