Drinks designed to replenish your body after exercise are usually referred to as "sports drinks", though they are becoming more and more popular among your average beverage drinker as well. What are sports drinks, and what makes them different from other bottled water drinks on the market?
The fundamental feature of a sports drink is the electrolyte levels. Chemicals like sodium and potassium are called electrolytes and are maintained in our bodies are quite precise levels and concentrations. If we take in too much plain water, we can actually dilute these electrolytes and create an imbalance in our bodies. This can cause light-headedness, nausea and headaches. In severe cases, it can even cause death.
Now, this isn't a problem for your average water drinker, so don't start to worry. But it can be an issue if you are exerting yourself very strenuously and drinking a large volume of plain water.
That's where sports drinks come in. They contain water, but also these electrolytes (and sugar) to help maintain your bodies internal chemical balance. But be warned that there is a high carbohydrate content in these drinks as well, so if you drink sports drinks just for refreshment without the exercise, you may find yourself putting on some extra weight.
Sports drinks are not the same as energy drinks (like Red Bull) which offer up energy based on sugar and caffeine levels.
There are some recipes available to make your own home-made sports drink, that may offer the same extra electrolytes as the store-brand products. I can't offer any claims to that effect, but will provide a basic recipe here for your own experimentation.
Homemade Sports Drink #1
This one is modelled after the popular Gatorade brand sports drink, and uses orange juice.
- 1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid drink powder (any flavour)
- 2 quarts water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup orange juice
Mix together until everything is mixed and dissolved. Chill and drink.
The salt supplies the sodium, and the orange juice supplies the potassium (its not just for taste). I would suggest using a Kool-Aid flavour that goes well with orange. Don't substitute another juice, as it won't have the same chemical makeup.
Homemade Sports Drink #2
You'll need a few more unusual ingredients for this one, but might be a better choice if you don't like orange juice.
- 1 pkg unsweetened Kool-Aid drink powder (any flavour)
- ½ tsp regular table salt (sodium chloride)
- ¼ tsp salt substitute (potassium chloride)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 2 tbs lemon juice (or ½ tsp citric acid)
- 2 quarts water
Mix everything until dissolved. Chill and drink.
In this case, sodium and potassium are supplied by the 2 salts instead of by the orange juice. This makes the recipe a bit more flexible for the taste.
