Being active is becoming a part of the every-day life for almost everyone. Running, biking, swimming, hiking, or any combination of those activities are, literally, working their way into thousands of homes.
For people who are this active, they need the best hydration drink by their side to help them reach their full potential. They need to fuel their body with good food and beverage choices in order to perform to their highest levels.
Water is such a key nutrient that cleans, flushes, and hydrates our bodies but even water needs help to keep up with the demands we ask of our bodies. That’s where the best drink for hydration comes in.
They come in many brands, flavors, and uses, some specific to one sport and some more versatile, but they all have the same goal: hydrate the body under the toughest of conditions. The best hydration drink will aid you when you are running low on fuel. Between sets at the gym or on mile 18 of your marathon, it should be quick and easy to get a hold of and should pack enough punch for you to keep chugging along.
This is also a key issue in our everyday lives as well. It’s been proven that as a whole people are not drinking nearly enough water. We are drawn to sugar or caffeine in order to stay alert and awake when water would work the same way if it has a little boost of flavor and vitamins.
Finding ways to stay hydrated the healthy way shouldn’t be this hard. There are plenty of options to choose from but first, you must evaluate the purpose that you are asking of this hydration supplement. Are you going on a strenuous hike or just walking to the store?
Will you be taking this for the last leg of your ultra-marathon or just to keep up with the kids at the park? Each scenario is absolutely a reason to stay hydrated but there are stronger hydration drinks than others and the price tag often correlates with that intensity.
Under The Lid: Qualities of The Best Hydration Drink
Sugars & Carbs
Too many people lose their minds when you talk to them about sugars and carbohydrates (carbs). This is such an important aspect because it is often misunderstood. Sugars and carbs both work together to give you energy.
Too much of either can be a bad thing and that’s why we evaluate this as a point because not everyone needs the same amount of either group. Marathoners or triathletes need more sugars and carbs to get them through their races, while the babysitter staying up late to watch kids might need the energy but without the lasting sugar and carbohydrate effects.
Evaluation your own goals and needs will help you decide what kinds and what amount of carbs and sugars you will need in order to stay alert and hydrated. If you are hydrating and trying gain muscle a higher carb content hydration mix is a good choice. Distance runners who run for leisure may need the sugars during their runs but should eat carbs before the run and don’t necessarily need carbs during the run itself.
Main Ingredients
The ingredients list is also very important. Did you know that the order in which items are listed on the ingredients list is the measure of how much of those ingredients are in that mix? The first ingredient is always the highest that is found in the recipe.
That being said, making sure that the ingredients are good for you and are not cover-ups of “filler” items that won’t actually do you any good. A good rule to go by is that if you cannot read and understand the ingredients on the list, then being cautious is a good idea.
You should be able to identify, or at least look up, what that ingredient is to make sure it really is good for you. There is a lot of science that goes into these formulas and each ingredient should be put there to enhance the drink as a whole.
Multi-Health Attributes
This is something that is becoming more and more important for this day and age. With the many allergies and additional needs of many athletes worldwide it has been necessary for a business to respond and change with the needs of the consumer and the environment.
Gluten free products have had a huge growth spurt in the last 10-15 years due to more research showing the intolerance to gluten, often found in grains and bread. Dairy-free is another group that people have given huge importance to.
Vegan formulas are specialized for people who do not consume animal parts of any sort. Non-GMO is a group which emphasizes that the creation of their products are not made with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) during the process. The more people-friendly and health-friendly you can make your product the more people will accept and appreciate their needs being met.
Calories
Calories are an important part of every human’s life. We need them to keep ourselves sustained and with energy. Calories are not a bad thing! The thing to remember is that often topics that are demonized are only bad when used in excess. We need calories to survive.
Taking calories into consideration when choosing a hydration drink that is right for you is important simply because each of us has different goals. Olympic weightlifters need more calories during their workout to continue to feed their body during exertion.
Some people are using the hydration beverage to stop drinking things like pop or other sugary drinks and need to watch the caloric intake in order to lose weight. For the different goals of many consumers, there has to be a variance of calories per scoop of each hydration drink.
Flavors
Flavor is an important factor only in the sense of personal preference. The point of using favors as a defining factor is whether the company is reaching for multiple flavors to bring in more consumers. You are much more willing to try that hydration drink again, even if you didn’t like the flavor you first chose because it has ten other flavors.
If you try it once and dislike it and it’s the only flavor produced then there is no way they are getting any more of your money.
