The revenue from the energy and sports drink markets amounts to $204.5 billion in 2024. As more people become aware of the immense benefits of exercise, other phenomena like hydration are becoming more popular.
Fitness and health enthusiasts know they should stay hydrated regularly and that this is especially important during intense workouts. Sports drinks promise to help with this by providing electrolytes and energy in a bottle.
Gatorade and Prime are some of the most popular drinks in the market today and are often compared to each other. Which drink is better? Let’s find out.
Does Gatorade Help With Hydration?
Gatorade contains multiple ingredients, including electrolytes, which are minerals with an electric charge when dissolved in water. Since your body is mostly water, there are electrolytes in almost every cell and fluid, and these electrolytes are essential for processes like muscle and nerve function.
Electrolytes also help to keep you hydrated, and that’s where Gatorade comes in, as it contains electrolytes like potassium and sodium that aid in hydration. It also contains sugar to help regulate blood glucose during exercise.
Pros
- Great source of hydration, especially for intense activity.
- Helps to keep energy high during long workouts.
- Comes in a variety of flavors, making it fun to drink.
Cons
- High sugar content.
- Not suitable for non-athletic use.
Is Prime a Good Option For Athletes?
Prime primarily offers two products – Prime Energy and Prime Hydration. Prime Hydration is the focus of this comparison because it has a similar use case to Gatorade. Prime Energy, on the other hand, is not suitable for people under 18, as per the American Beverage Association.
Since Prime Hydration has a similar use case to Gatorade, it could also improve energy and hydration during a workout or training session. In addition, Prime contains BCAAs, which can help with recovery.
Pros
- Contains B vitamins.
- Contains BCAAs that aid with workout recovery.
Cons
- Contains artificial sweeteners.
- BCAA dose may be too small.
- It may taste artificial.
Is Water Better Than Sports Drinks For Active Kids?
Active sports drinks have their benefits, especially in an athletic setting. However, kids would be better off drinking water.
Active sports drinks are not even recommended for adults who are not engaged in intense physical activity. These drinks are usually sugary, so they’re not great for people trying to lose weight. Other sports drinks that are not sugary may have artificial sweeteners, and there is scientific evidence that these are harmful to the gut.
Moreover, most kids are not involved in prolonged physical activity. When they are, water is the best option for rehydration. One reason for this is that water is much healthier than any active sports drink on the market. It possesses no harmful artificial additives, such as preservatives and food coloring.
The biggest selling point for sports drinks is that they contain electrolytes. Nonetheless, kids can get enough electrolytes from food and water. Fruits and everyday foods have enough electrolytes to sustain children through hours of important activity. And when they feel like they need hydration, water is always enough.
Parents and coaches could help by ensuring kids have access to quality food before, during, and after sports practice, games, or workouts. Normalizing the ingestion of healthy foods would go a long way toward fostering a more natural consumption.
