Should We Stop Drinking Water & Only Drink Gatorade?
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Gatorade is Not Necessary for Most People
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"Who in the world is saying to replace water with Gatorade," asks Stephanie Norris, a licensed dietitian and nutritionist in Orlando, Florida. "Rotten teeth dentists?" Gatorade consists of sugar, sodium, potassium and chloride, and new U.S. Dietary Guidelines show Americans consume way too much salt already. If you are trying to beat the heat by staying inside or exercising in the gym, you don't need the extra sugar or salt. Water is fine, Norris said.
Gatorade is Designed for Athletes
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Gatorade is good for those with exercise regimens far from what the average leisure or fitness exerciser usually does, said Nour El-Zibdeh, a registered dietitian in Virginia. There are several Gatorade drinks on the market, he notes, each one targeted for a specific time throughout the training or performance period.
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Bottom Line
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"Gatorade is really not necessary unless you are undergoing at least 90 minutes of exercise," says Tricia Streit Perez, MS, ATC, LAT, Founder of One Fit Mama in Pennsylvania. "Otherwise, you are taking in more calories than you are burning, and there really isn't a need for electrolyte replacement for shorter bursts of activity."
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References
- Photo Credit Young woman drinking water. Woman With Water Glass. image by Monika 3 Steps Ahead from Fotolia.com mother and daughter exercising image by Galina Barskaya from Fotolia.com
