If you’re dieting and weighing your options in hydration, take a look at the subtle differences between low calorie Gatorade G2 and water. Some athletes tire of drinking as much water as they need and appreciate the flavor of a sports drink. G2 offers six more flavors than regular water plus carbs and sodium and potassium electrolytes that help players stay in the game longer. Water’s low price tag, however, may offset G2’s assets.
History
In the wide world of sports drinks, Gatorade was the pioneer in 1965 and is still the leading manufacturer today. The brand’s series of noncarbonated electrolyte drinks offer hard-working athletes an alternative to hydrating with water, fruit juice or carbonated beverages. PepsiCo introduced low calorie G2 in 2007, and it became the best-selling new beverage on the market in 2008. Water, of course, has been used by athletes for much longer.
Function
If you get hot, sweaty, thirsty and tired during a workout or game, you instinctively feel the need to hydrate. You can replace the body water you lose through sweat by drinking water, but water doesn’t contain the soluble salts in sweat. Water also doesn’t contain sugar, the carbohydrate component in Gatorade G2 sports drinks that imparts energy.
Features
Gatorade G2 is a low-calorie spin-off of the original G Thirst Quencher sports drink. With 110 mg of sodium and 30 mg of potassium in 8 oz, G2 offers as much electrolyte support as G but with half the calories (25). It also has half the sugar, delivering 7 mg of carbohydrates. This light beverage is beefed up with vitamins B, C and E, meant to aid muscle and nerve function. G2 is made with filtered water; some regular water sources may have impurities, and mineral waters may have trace minerals such as calcium.
Effects
Researchers at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute found that athletes who drank Gatorade enjoyed a higher increase in sports performance over those who drank water. The manufacturer claims that the natural flavorings, such as blueberry pomegranate in G2, actually promote hydration with good taste. Water can’t live up to that claim, but it is calorie free.
Considerations
Sports beverage calories do add up, and so do carbs, if you’re counting. Note that the nutritional values are for just 1 (8 oz) cup of Gatorade G2. You could satisfy your thirst between servings of G2 with water. If you drink regular Gatorade and are watching your calories, use G2 as the alternative drink during extended workouts.
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