Fall sports are in full swing again! I have been seeing athletes consuming Gatorade and Powerade thinking it will rehydrate them! Think again! They are loaded with sugar, artificial colors, chemicals, not to mention, they contain minimal electrolytes!!
Here is an ingredient label on Gatorade-
Let me break it down for you.
Sucrose Syrup, Glucose Fructose Syrup- Here is how it is made. (highly processed) Sugar is combined with water and heat. Equal amounts of sucrose and water, along with a pinch of cream of tartar, are boiled until the sucrose is dissolved. The cream of tartar is an acetic acid which acts as a catalyst in the division of sucrose into glucose and fructose. The resulting syrup contains 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. Sucrose syrup is an invert syrup because it is broken down into its simple components. Sucrose is sweeter than glucose and less sweet than fructose. When sucrose is turned into an invert syrup, the end product is sweeter than the sucrose before cooking. Beets are one of the top GMO foods and sugar is made from beets and sugarcane.
Did you know 4 grams of sugar listed on a food label is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar? One gatorade contains 14 grams per serving and there are 4 servings per bottle! That is a whopping 56 grams of sugar, so 14 teaspoons of sugar!! Sugar is more addictive than cocaine, feeds cancer cells, contributes to diabetes, and creates an acidic body where disease can develop.
Artificial Colors (Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5 and so on)-These are made from chemicals derived from PETROLEUM, which is also used to make gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar! Artificial dyes have been linked to brain cancer, nerve-cell deterioration, and hyperactivity, just to name a few.Where it’s banned: Norway, Finland, Austria, France, and the United Kingdom.
Monopotassium Phosphate- A soluble salt which is used as a fertilizer, a food additive and a fungicide. It is a source of phosphorus and potassium and a buffering agent. When used in fertilizer mixtures with urea and ammonium phosphates, it minimizes escape of ammonia by keeping the pH at a relatively low level. It is also used as an additive in cigarettes.
Brominated Vegetable Oil- used to keep carpets from catching on fire! (this has recently been removed from Gatorade thank gosh!!)
One of my clients told me her doctor has been recommending these sports drink for dehydration. Please be aware of what you are putting in your body!
Better option: COCONUT WATER!!
Contains natural electrolytes, high in potassium, and refreshing!
And here are a few foods that are high in potassium that would be beneficial to consume:
Dulse, kelp, sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, garlic, yams, peanuts, broccoli, Brazil nuts, raisins, kale, cooked beans.
Copyright, 2013, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.www.optimumwellnessmn.com
