The Truth About ‘Sports’ and ‘Energy’ Drinks.

These must be one of the biggest marketing success stories of the last decade.

 We have been convinced that, in order to function, just eating food and drinking water is no longer enough.  We have to supplement our diet with whatever sports/energy drink is being peddled on TV at the time.

 I’ve lost track of the number of people I’ve seen in the gym with a sports/energy drink whilst plodding away on a treadmill trying to lose weight.  Sadly, all of those calories that they are burning will be replaced as they gradually drink that sugary, flavoured muck that’s contained within the bottle of ‘Something-or-other-ade’.

 If weight loss is not an issue for you and you’re training for a marathon, for example, then energy drinks are a good way of pushing out that extra few miles.

 If you are trying to lose weight, however, the last thing that you need is to replace the calories that you’re burning.  If you burn 200 calories on the treadmill, but drink 200 calories in a sports drink while you’re doing it, you’ve just cancelled out all of that hard work!

 There are actually three types of ‘sports’ drink; Hypotonic, Isotonic and Hypertonic.  Unfortunately, the sports drink industry makes the most of the fact that most people, understandably, don’t know the difference between the three.

 Fortunately, after reading this, this will not include you!

 

Hypotonic:  Contain fluids, electrolytes and a low level of sugar.

 

Isotonic:  Contain fluids, electrolytes and 6 – 8% of sugar.

 

Hypertonic:  Contain fluids, little or no electrolytes and high levels of sugar.

 

 As I have mentioned, if you’re running a marathon or doing a weight training session, you may find that a hypertonic drink helps to maintain your energy levels.  For those people trying to lose body fat, however, the last thing that we want is to ingest nutritionally dead calories.

 A ‘dead calorie’ is one that provided energy, but has no nutritional value.  A medium sized banana, for example, contains about 97 calories.  However, it also contains vital vitamins, minerals and fibre.  A typical 380ml can of ‘Lucozade Energy’ contains 266 calories, with no vitamins, minerals or fibre whatsoever; the very definition of ‘dead calories’.

 In fact, you may as well drink a can of full sugar Cola.  There really is no difference.

In fairness, Hypotonic drinks can be useful.  They contain essential electrolytes that our body needs in order to re-hydrate itself during and after exercise and only a small amount of sugar. Some of the main electrolytes are: sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate, phosphate, sulphates.

They are used by our body to ensure proper cellular functioning. They regulate water levels and play vital roles for muscle, nerve, and brain function. Basically, they make sure that the water is where it is supposed to be and doing what it is supposed to do.

That said, there are far more natural and healthy ways of replacing the electrolytes that are lost when we sweat.

Good, old fashioned MILK contains electrolytes, natural sugars, protein, calcium and a huge variety of other minerals and vitamins. Don’t be worried about the fat content.  Even full-fat milk is a ‘low fat’ food as it contains 3.5% fat. A low fat food is classed as having between 3% and 5% fat.  Semi-skimmed only contains 1.7% fat.

 In fact, milk is the perfect post-workout drink….and it’s natural!

 If you’d like to know more about exercise, wellbeing and nutrition, take a look at my website; www.apmoore.co.uk