Gatorade and Powerade are sports drinks created to help athletes rehydrate and improve performance during practices and competitions. Both brands are made with a mix of water, sugar and salts to help maintain the correct balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes lost due to physical exertion and perspiration.
History
Gatorade was created in 1965 after a University of Florida assistant football coach sat down with team doctors to discuss why so many players were being adversely affected by the heat during practices and games. Gatorade's website states that researchers Dr. Robert Cade, Dr. Dana Shires, Dr. H. James Free and Dr. Alejandro de Quesada "soon discovered two key factors that were causing the Gator players to 'wilt': the fluids and electrolytes the players lost through sweat were not being replaced, and the large amounts of carbohydrates the players' bodies used for energy were not being replenished." The doctors took their findings and created a drink that would replace what the athletes were losing through exertion. Gatorade was named after the University of Florida's mascot, the "Gator." Gatorade is owned by The Quaker Oats Co. and manufactured in some areas by PepsiCo.
Powerade was created in direct competition to Gatorade in the sports drink market. Powerade was introduced in 1988; by the 1990s, with the help of Powerade's ownership by the Coca-Cola Co., it had gained a large enough portion of the market share to be named the official sports drink of the Olympic Games.
Composition
The original Gatorade contained water, sugar, glucose-fructose syrups, citric acid, fish oil, table salt, sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate and ingredients for coloring and flavorings. The composition of Gatorade has continued to evolve and is currently a 6% carbohydrate drink made with high-fructose corn syrup. Gatorade uses natural flavoring ingredients and artificial coloring.
Powerade's listed ingredients include: water, high-fructose corn syrup, salt, potassium citrate, phenylalanine, sucralose, sodium citrate, malic acid, potassium phosphate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B2.
Benefits
Both Gatorade and Powerade help maintain electrolyte and carbohydrate balance through salt and sugar. Gatorade has a higher percentage of sodium and a lower percentage of carbohydrates than Powerade.
Gatorade asserts that a 6% carbohydrate solution is ideal for absorption and energy production and that "sports drinks with lower or higher concentrations than 6% carbohydrate are unlikely to deliver on all these key attributes."
Powerade contains vitamins B6 and B2, both of which are active in the production of energy.
Varieties
The Gatorade line also includes G2--a product that is lower in calories and designed as a non-athletic flavored drink--and several other varieties, such as "Bring It" and "Be Tough," which have additional vitamins included in the formula.
The Coca-Cola Co. also produces, Powerade Zero, which is a zero-calorie flavored drink.
Considerations
Both Gatorade and Powerade originally were produced to enhance athletic performance under extreme conditions such as heat and humidity. Both products do have performance and recovery benefits if you are exercising for a prolonged period of time. However, because of the added salt and the added calories from the sugars, registered dietitian Mitzi Dulan states, "If you are not exercising for at least one hour, then you do not need a sports drink and water is the best source of fluid for you."
Member Comments