Sports Drinks
Imagine Coca-Cola running an advertising campaign claiming that the best way to recover from exercise is to drink a can of Coke. The ad is easy to imagine. Kobe Bryant steps off the basketball court to pluck a can from a courtside bucket of ice. He returns to center court and pours a twisting stream of soda into his open mouth. The screen fades to the Coca Cola logo while James Earl Jones reads the voiceover: “For fast recovery, top athletes demand real high-fructose corn syrup.” In the parting shot, Bryant hands an unopened can to a kid in the front row who is sipping unhappily on a bottle of water. “Hey kid,“ Bryant says. “Water’s for losers. Winners drink Coke.”
The health and nutrition industry would explode into a pick-ax and torch-wielding mob. Advocates for low-carb and low-fat diets alike would march on Coca-Cola’s Atlanta headquarters.
A slightly disguised version of this ad runs on a constant rotation on every channel you watch. They are simply promoting a different kind of soda – one without carbonation. The nutritional profile is terrifyingly similar. But because they’re labeled “Sports Drink” and dyed day-glow colors instead of brown, few seem to notice or care.
It is true that ounce for ounce, sports drinks contain just over half the calories of a can of Coca Cola. However, sports drinks are typically sold in 24- and 32-ounce bottles. The nutritional labels divide the liquid into smaller portions, but that does little to help. No one in the history of drinking these sickly-sweet concoctions has ever limited him or herself to one quarter of a bottle. Slam a full bottle and you have consumed roughly the same number of calories as Kobe Bryant in our fictional advertisement.
The health and nutrition industry would explode into a pick-ax and torch-wielding mob. Advocates for low-carb and low-fat diets alike would march on Coca-Cola’s Atlanta headquarters.
A slightly disguised version of this ad runs on a constant rotation on every channel you watch. They are simply promoting a different kind of soda – one without carbonation. The nutritional profile is terrifyingly similar. But because they’re labeled “Sports Drink” and dyed day-glow colors instead of brown, few seem to notice or care.
It is true that ounce for ounce, sports drinks contain just over half the calories of a can of Coca Cola. However, sports drinks are typically sold in 24- and 32-ounce bottles. The nutritional labels divide the liquid into smaller portions, but that does little to help. No one in the history of drinking these sickly-sweet concoctions has ever limited him or herself to one quarter of a bottle. Slam a full bottle and you have consumed roughly the same number of calories as Kobe Bryant in our fictional advertisement.
Fact: Sports drinks are Kool-Aid with salt. While brands do vary, you can safely equate a bottle of sports drink to the calories burned in the first mile and half of running. Unless you are running or biking a seriously long distance, sports drinks are not worth it. You are far better off saving those calories for your post-workout beer.
There is a new trend in sports drinks that is certainly healthier than the high-fructose corn syrup based, fruit-free fruit-flavored concoctions. Over the past few years, coconut water has gone from being available only in Thai restaurants to taking over half an isle in our local supermarket.
Bottled coconut water typically contains more calories, ounce for ounce, than traditional sports drinks. Unlike traditional sports drinks, coconut water is sold in smaller containers, thus limiting the damage.
The can we bought for examination was 16-ounces - small by sports drink standards - and dialed in at 120 calories. Drink the entire can and you are within 20 calories of that can of Coca Cola. No matter how we run the numbers, coconut water is not a good choice for people on Drink Your Carbs.
Bottled coconut water typically contains more calories, ounce for ounce, than traditional sports drinks. Unlike traditional sports drinks, coconut water is sold in smaller containers, thus limiting the damage.
The can we bought for examination was 16-ounces - small by sports drink standards - and dialed in at 120 calories. Drink the entire can and you are within 20 calories of that can of Coca Cola. No matter how we run the numbers, coconut water is not a good choice for people on Drink Your Carbs.
Side note to people who believe with a religious fervency that coconut water is healthy because it is packed with vitamins and minerals: We agree that coconut water is a better choice than consuming a combo of high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavoring and blue dye. This does not, however, make coconut water the best way to get vitamins and minerals into your diet. The best way is to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Coconut water, by contrast, is not food. It’s not in the least bit filling. It adds unnecessary calories without replacing other calories.
There are times when ingesting quick calories in sports drink form makes sense. If you are doing the equivalent of running a half marathon or more you earn enough calories to justify drinking salty Kool-Aid. Otherwise, there are better ways to supplement with electrolytes. Our current favorite is a product called E-Lyte, which is an essentially flavorless concentrate you dump by the capful into your water bottle to create SmartWater at a fraction of the price. There are dozens of similar products. Keep experimenting with them until you find one that works for you.
Fact: So-called energy drinks, such as Monster Energy, often have even more sugar and calories than soda, coupled with a few mysterious uppers that must fall in a FDA/DEA gray area for legality. We mention them here because they are also marketed to sports fans and should also be avoided