Your Opinion on Gatorade?

Options
hush7hush
hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys!

I'm just wondering everyone's opinion on gatorade.

Is it good to drink? Is it nutritional? Is it good enough to put into a healthy body? Does it fit into "clean eating"?

Thanks!

Kailee <3
«1

Replies

  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
    Options
    It has a ton of sugar. I drink "powerade zero" I think gatorade also has a "zero calorie" version.
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    Options
    Is the zero calorie version actually good for you, though?
  • justavoice1989
    justavoice1989 Posts: 132 Member
    Options
    i think gatorade is fine, but would take it in moderation. definitely dont replace water with gatorade, but once in a while i think it is okay for your body. i wouldnt consider it as part of a clean diet, but it does have some nutrients.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Options
    The only time I drink Gatorade is right after I leave the gym and I only drink the recovery one. I don't think it's bad per se, but it does have quite a bit of sugar in it.
  • CuteAndCurvy83
    CuteAndCurvy83 Posts: 570 Member
    Options
    I think plain old water is best. Gatorade was made for people doing long intense workouts in which they would lose sodium and potassium. I'm fairly sure that any more the average person get enough sodium from their daily diet. I think Gatorade is great if you are dehydrated, and need that boost of the minerals, but not as a workout drink.
  • corsayre8
    corsayre8 Posts: 551 Member
    Options
    Seriously high levels of sugar. When I went through Bikram Yoga teacher training, (four to six hours of yoga a day in a 106+ degree room), we were advised toot drink it. The sugar, while providing energy, actually acts as a diuretic, causing your body to excrete fluids. There are lots of healthier and more efficient ways to hydrate your body.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
    Options
    I think of it as a sugary treat, ie. empty calories.

    If you have been working out and want a sugar hit, go for it, but don't forget to count the calories.
    I guess there must be sugar free versions but they are probably sweetened with artificial sweeteners, so you can decide for yourself if they work for you!

    It wouldn't fit into any definition of "clean eating" that I know - it's basically sugary flavoured water. The clean version would probably be to drink water and eat an apple :)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Options
    It's just like fruit punch or soda. It's just flavored sugar water with some extra minerals and chemicals you probably don't need anyway. It's not a clean food by any standard I can think of. But you might want to drink it if you like the taste. Nothing wrong with that once in a while. Make sure you count it in your calories. Sugar water adds up. :drinker:
  • Charger440
    Charger440 Posts: 1,474 Member
    Options
    I tastes NASTY!!!
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    Options
    Hey guys!

    I'm just wondering everyone's opinion on gatorade.

    Is it good to drink? Is it nutritional? Is it good enough to put into a healthy body? Does it fit into "clean eating"?

    Thanks!

    Kailee <3

    It's useless outside of carbohydrate replacement during training (or, perhaps, illness). It has many times more sodium than potassium, making it a bit of hypertension generator. However, a great deal of research has pointed to it being superior for rehydrating during training (you will tend to drink more gatorade than water, water may quench thirst before full hydration has occured), and it has a good mix of sugars (drinks with single sugars, particularly those with just fructose tend to saturate gut transporters and slow transit of carbs, which is not ideal when trying to fuel during a run). I use it exclusively for running, I don't drink it as a casual soft drink.
  • chizzledfrmstone
    chizzledfrmstone Posts: 58
    Options
    I personally would only use it after a workout or cardio for more than 1.5 hour.

    - It's acidic just like soda which can cause cavities. I think the pH is 2-3 which is lower than orange juice!
    (http://biology.clc.uc.edu/scripts/pHResl.pl)

    - Doesn't really have enough electrolytes to "replenish" the body.

    - Off the top of my head I think it has Dextrose/Malto Dextrose?? Nothing wrong with that but if I'm getting carbs through out the day I'll choose a different source.

    I don't know anything about the new Gatorade versions but I'm sure I could make a better drink for myself.
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    Options
    Is the zero calorie version actually good for you, though?

    I think that one makes no sense. At least with the carb mix, you can use it to replete lost glycogen stores. The zero versions are just salt water! I admit, just as we use isotonic solutions for volume resuscitation in the hospital, an oral fluid with sald or sugar is better absorbed across the gut, so there is that, but the mix of sodium to potassium is just a nightmare for general use.
  • bloodstar
    bloodstar Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    One Suggestion, try the G2 brands, while they contain a little Sucralose, also contain a bit of sucrose. I've found the taste to be less cloying and "thick" as the regular Gatorades, And with the fewer calories (20 per 8 oz versus 50 per in regular Gatorade).

    I am not a nutritionist, but you could theorize that having a little bit of regular sugar with the Sucralose would counteract the body cravings you see with a lot of the zero calorie sweeteners. But that's just a thought and I don't think there have been any studies to suggest this actually happens.

    As an aside, unless you're hammering out monster workouts, you would probably be perfectly fine with some sort of water or flavored water of some sort. Gatorade was created at the University of Florida with the idea of rehydration for football players doing crazy 2 a day workouts in the summer. Us mere mortals usually don't reach that level of intensity. :)
  • chizzledfrmstone
    chizzledfrmstone Posts: 58
    Options
    Hey guys!

    I'm just wondering everyone's opinion on gatorade.

    Is it good to drink? Is it nutritional? Is it good enough to put into a healthy body? Does it fit into "clean eating"?

    Thanks!

    Kailee <3

    It's useless outside of carbohydrate replacement during training (or, perhaps, illness). It has many times more sodium than potassium, making it a bit of hypertension generator. However, a great deal of research has pointed to it being superior for rehydrating during training (you will tend to drink more gatorade than water, water may quench thirst before full hydration has occured), and it has a good mix of sugars (drinks with single sugars, particularly those with just fructose tend to saturate gut transporters and slow transit of carbs, which is not ideal when trying to fuel during a run). I use it exclusively for running, I don't drink it as a casual soft drink.

    I thought Fructose strictly used GLUT 5 receptors?
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    Options
    I personally would only use it after a workout or cardio for more than 1.5 hour.

    - It's acidic just like soda which can cause cavities. I think the pH is 2-3 which is lower than orange juice!
    (http://biology.clc.uc.edu/scripts/pHResl.pl)

    - Doesn't really have enough electrolytes to "replenish" the body.

    - Off the top of my head I think it has Dextrose/Malto Dextrose?? Nothing wrong with that but if I'm getting carbs through out the day I'll choose a different source.

    I don't know anything about the new Gatorade versions but I'm sure I could make a better drink for myself.

    The idea for using a mix of mono, di, and polysaccharides is that different transport proteins have been identified for a variety sugars (GLUT 5 for fructose, for example). These proteins, however, can be saturated if only a single sugar is present. For fastest absorbption (important if you in the that first 30 post exercise, or looking for a rapid infusion during a race), you want to have a well balanced mix that maximizes transport. Clearly pointless for just health purposes, of course.
  • lovejoydavid
    lovejoydavid Posts: 395 Member
    Options
    Hey guys!

    I'm just wondering everyone's opinion on gatorade.

    Is it good to drink? Is it nutritional? Is it good enough to put into a healthy body? Does it fit into "clean eating"?

    Thanks!

    Kailee <3

    It's useless outside of carbohydrate replacement during training (or, perhaps, illness). It has many times more sodium than potassium, making it a bit of hypertension generator. However, a great deal of research has pointed to it being superior for rehydrating during training (you will tend to drink more gatorade than water, water may quench thirst before full hydration has occured), and it has a good mix of sugars (drinks with single sugars, particularly those with just fructose tend to saturate gut transporters and slow transit of carbs, which is not ideal when trying to fuel during a run). I use it exclusively for running, I don't drink it as a casual soft drink.

    I thought Fructose strictly used GLUT 5 receptors?

    Exactly, if fructose is the only one present, than GLUT 5 is rapidly saturated and the rest of the fructose gets to wait in line, which does not make much sense.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
    Options
    Is the zero calorie version actually good for you, though?

    I think that one makes no sense. At least with the carb mix, you can use it to replete lost glycogen stores. The zero versions are just salt water! I admit, just as we use isotonic solutions for volume resuscitation in the hospital, an oral fluid with sald or sugar is better absorbed across the gut, so there is that, but the mix of sodium to potassium is just a nightmare for general use.

    Are you saying the ratio of sodium to balance isn't a good balance? I wouldn't use a liquid to replace glyocgen stores. Another consideration is what type of exercise you just did to replace the glyocgen? Low intensity cardio, no point. Even if glyocgen stores aren't depleted enough to use all the glucose produced, It would have adverse side effects from my understanding.
    As you stated yourself it's better absorbed. The way I use is it is to prevent dehydration, correct me if I am wrong.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
    Options
    Hey guys!

    I'm just wondering everyone's opinion on gatorade.

    Is it good to drink? Is it nutritional? Is it good enough to put into a healthy body? Does it fit into "clean eating"?

    Thanks!

    Kailee <3

    We're all talking about different reasons for it's purpose. The best question to ask is... "why do you want to take gatorade?" Just for calories, or for a workout recovery, or for hydration??
  • chizzledfrmstone
    chizzledfrmstone Posts: 58
    Options
    Is the zero calorie version actually good for you, though?

    I think that one makes no sense. At least with the carb mix, you can use it to replete lost glycogen stores. The zero versions are just salt water! I admit, just as we use isotonic solutions for volume resuscitation in the hospital, an oral fluid with sald or sugar is better absorbed across the gut, so there is that, but the mix of sodium to potassium is just a nightmare for general use.

    Are you saying the ratio of sodium to balance isn't a good balance? I wouldn't use a liquid to replace glyocgen stores. Another consideration is what type of exercise you just did to replace the glyocgen? Low intensity cardio, no point. Even if glyocgen stores aren't depleted enough to use all the glucose produced, It would have adverse side effects from my understanding.
    As you stated yourself it's better absorbed. The way I use is it is to prevent dehydration, correct me if I am wrong.

    I've got a better rehydration technique.

    1.) Get Cholera
    2.) Oral Rehydration Therapy
    3.) ???
    4.) Profit
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    I drink Gatorade G2 when i feel the need for a cold flavored drink. MiO is also a alternative as is Fuze Slenderize but mostly water. It's not an every day thing and most times it's a cup or less when i do drink it.

Categories