Why Sports Drinks Aren't Always the Best Choice
By Genevieve Cunningham
Everyone knows that soda is bad for overall health. It’s empty calories, full of sugar, and generally bad for our diets and bodies. For many people, quitting soda simply means turning to another kind of flavored drink … and for many, this means sports drinks. But are these really a better option? While they might beat out soda, turning to sports drinks might not be the best choice after all. If you’re thinking of switching to these delicious flavored drinks, take a look at these reasons to reconsider if your goal is better health.
They’re Calorie Ridden
While they may not contain as many calories as many kinds of soda, they are not calorie-free. You’ll still be drinking your calories, which is never a good idea when you’re trying to watch overall consumption. Anytime that you can eliminate liquid calories, you’ll be closer to your diet and calorie goals, and definitely moving toward better health at a faster pace.
They’re Full of Sugar
You don’t want to hear it, but sports drinks are generally riddled with sugar. While it won’t be as much as soda or juices in most cases, they’re still full of sugars that you shouldn’t want in your diet. Unless you’re really breaking a sweat and losing natural sugars from the body, the extra sugar in the drinks is unnecessary. Cutting these completely from your diet, via water or a similar alternative, will be far better off for your health in the long run.
They’re Made for Athletes
Here’s the thing about sports drinks … they actually have a lot of value. But they’re made for hardcore athletes. They’re made for people who are losing so many calories, sugars, and electrolytes through their workouts that this replacement drink is necessary. If you’re working out like a hardcore athlete, sports drinks are great. Unfortunately, most people aren’t working out to this degree, and therefore the drink simply isn’t needed.
Should you drink sports drinks? If you simply can’t do without flavor, then this option isn’t the worst. But if you can do without them, then your diet will probably be better off. Drink as much water as you can. Eliminate the sodas and sports drinks and juices. If you can make this change, you’ll be closer to meeting your goals and in better health before you know it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Riverdale, Utah.