Health - Wellness
Is Powerade Actually Good For You?
By ANNE TAYLOR
Powerade is a popular drink for rehydrating after a workout, but like many sports drinks, each bottle is packed with sugar and sodium. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since sugar makes for quick fuel, while salt and other electrolytes replenish your system post-workout, but you should still be careful about consuming too much Powerade.
A 20-ounce bottle of Powerade contains about 10% of the daily recommended amount of sodium, as well as 34 grams of added sugar, which is 2 grams less than the RDA for men and 9 grams more than the RDA for women. Still, one bottle of Powerade is fine to drink, as long as you avoid extra sugar and salt for the rest of the day.
Alternative ways to hydrate post-workout include water mixed with fresh fruit or herbs, seltzer water with a splash of juice, or coconut water, which is naturally full of electrolytes. Also, orange juice contains vitamins and minerals that can help replenish the body, and chocolate milk has protein and carbs to assist with muscle recovery.