Sport drinks vs good old plain H2O. Many parents may be misinformed about sport drinks. Advertising on TV is a major cause of the misinformation for parents. Here are some real facts about both.
For the average child believe it or not, water and a healthy routine of eating vegetables or fruit is more than enough to keep your child hydrated and healthy. Vegetables have natural sources of many essential vitamins and minerals that help keep your body and mind growing.
Some facts about sport drinks might surprise you. Here is a comparison between a can of Coke and Gatorade Cool Blue.
Gatorade 710ml Coke 355ml
Calories 180 140
Sugar 42g (8.52 tsp) 39g (7.91 tsp)
Sodium 300mg 45mg
Carbohydrate 45g 39g
Potassium 80mg 0mg
Caffine 0mg approx. 40mg (=half cup coffee)
If you look at the above data you will see that the only difference between Coke and Gatorade is the amount of sodium and potassium. Those are 2 minerals that can be lost due to sweat during vigorous activity. Its recommended children only consume sport drinks after at minimum one hour of activity such as sporting games, biking, hiking, running, cycling, swimming, etc. The amount of sugar for the average child is very un healthy in both products. Sugar in that amount can lead to weight gain which can cause health problems for children and adults alike. Please choose your child's hydration methods wisely!
