On the supplement review today we are looking at something that you might not consider as a supplement but when it comes to fitness, exercise and activity it is used by more people than any other product: Gatorade. Listen to the podcast review below or read or do both, I’m good either way.
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What Is Gatorade?
Most everyone in the world is familiar with this “supplement” but here’s a quick history on it:
Gatorade was invented by Robert Cade who created a replenishing beverage for the football players at the University of Florida who are called the Gators. Gatorade dates all the way back to 1965 and was of benefit to athletes in the Florida environment who were being strenuously active in hot and humid conditions for up to 3 hours at a time. Some of these athletes were losing up to 18 pounds over the course of a game.
Severe dehydration like this leads to a loss of water and electrolytes, primarily sodium and potassium. This level of dehydration can lead to low blood pressure, shock, collapse, seizures, comas and even death.
What Is In Gatorade?
Let’s have a look at what USED to be in it:
- water
- sodium
- sugar
- potassium
- phosphate
Pretty simple stuff really, they threw in some lemon flavoring to make it a little more drinkable but honestly something you and I could make at home. Here’s what’s in Gatorade today:
- sugar
- dextrose*
- citric acid
- natural and artificial flavors**
- salt
- sodium citrate
- monopotassium phosphate
- modified food starch
- glycerol ester of rosin
- blue 1
- red 40
* from the 1990’s up until 2011 Gatorade included high fructose corn syrup
** some flavors used brominated vegetable oil as a stabilizer. Protests lead to removal of BVO from Gatorade in the U.S in 2013
What’s It Taste Like?
You’ve no doubt had a Gatorade at some point but the flavors can vary between individuals as far as what it tastes like to them but right now here are the flavors that are available. This is a ranked list done by the Thrillist.com as to the most popular with my own two cents added in..
- Lemon-Lime– can’t beat the classic!
- Orange– I still think it tastes like that old McDonalds orange “drink”
- Lime Cucumber– yep this exists!
- Fruit Punch– one of the original flavors
- Citrus Cooler– Michael Jordon we love you
- Grape– sugar/water/purple that’s all you need for grape..
- Fruit Punch Berry– Isn’t that already part of fruit punch?
- Cool Blue– yep tastes like blue!
- Tropical Mango– if mangos used artificial flavor and dyes..
- Strawberry Watermelon– I actually like this combo
- Glacier Freeze– Kind of a hint of grape, kind of..
- Icy Charge– A charge of ice?
- Arctic Blitz– So many weather related flavors?
- Blue Cherry– do these exist in nature?
- Tangerine– I’ve never actually seen this in person
- Watermelon Citrus– I’d actually like to try this one
- Strawberry lemonade– Is this like a hipster Arnold Palmer (R.I.P)
- Glacier Cherry– ugh..
- Green Apple– I can already taste the sickliness to it
- Melon– Sorry melon you lose this round. Loser.
Final Verdict On Gatorade
Do you need Gatorade? Probably not. Listen to my podcast above as I go more in depth on how drinking Gatorade while at the gym might actually derail any progress you’re making. Gatorade can have a place in extreme heat based activities where sweat is lost at an unnatural level. For the average person being active, water is still probably going to be your best bet and I really don’t see any reason to give it to kids unless of course it’s one of those hot humid active scenarios where quick hydration is needed.
Coconut water is a natural Gatorade that can find a great place in your activity and water is ALWAYS going to be paramount for performance and activity.
Read my blog on the importance of water
So on a scale of 1-10 Bobby Boucher’s I give Gatorade a 3
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