Gatorade Versus PowerAde: Which is the Better Sports Drink?

Gatorade was the first of the sports drinks designed to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat during heavy exercise. It was developed at the University of Florida by Dr. Robert Cade for the Florida Gators football team. The heat and humidity of Florida summers can make even a spectator sweat buckets. There was a need for something more than just water and salt tablets. Gatorade became "the" sports drink for decades. Now there is a wide variety of sports drinks to choose from, which makes Florida State fans happy.

While far from athletic, I know the need for electrolytes from fishing all day in the Florida sun. Staying hydrated with water alone helps flush electrolytes from your body and cramping is very common. Sports drinks provide the quickest relief from cramping. How the new sports drinks compare to the original is often debated. So let us compare Gatorade, king in the Gator Nation to PowerAde the favorite in Seminole Territory.

Salt, sodium citrate and mono-potassium phosphate are the main ingredients in Gatorade for replenishing electrolytes to prevent or relieve cramping. PowerAde uses salt, potassium phosphate and potassium citrate. Minor differences but both do the job. This makes for a tie.

Now for the nutritional information:

PowerAde: serving size 8 fl oz; calories 70; fat 0g; sodium 55mg; potassium 30mg; total carbs 19g; sugars 15g; protein 0g; vitamin b6 10%; vitamin b12 10%; niacin 10%

Gatorade: 8 fl oz; calories 50; total fat 0g; sodium 110mg; potassium 30mg; total carbs 14g; sugars 14g

PowerAde has half the salt (sodium) and more calories from carbohydrates than Gatorade. For some one on a low sodium diet, PowerAde is a better choice. For serious athletes, Gatorade has a slight advantage especially in hot climates. The average person working or working out in the heat should see no difference in the electrolyte effects of either product, but may enjoy the flavor of PowerAde more due to the extra sugars. This is a tough call.

PowerAde has added vitamins. Vitamin supplements are generally not required in a healthy diet but what the heck, a little extra b6, b12 and niacin isn't a bad idea. So PowerAde gets a little plus in the vitamin department. Gatorade has fewer calories which is a plus. Another tie it seems.

The sugars in both products help maintain energy levels. Gatorade contains sucrose and glucose-fructose for simple sugars. PowerAde contains High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and maltodextrin (glucose polymers) for not as simple sugars. Given the controversy of high fructose corn syrup, Gatorade takes a big lead in the health department.

Flavor wise both have so many choices it is getting ridiculous. In most taste tests, PowerAde tends to win but due to that dang HFCS. So while PowerAde should win this battle I have to throw a flag on the HFCS and call this a tie.

Sports drinks are designed to replenish electrolytes and maintain energy levels during exercise or other periods of heavy sweating. Both Gatorade and PowerAde are effective sports drinks. Due to the use of high fructose corn syrup in PowerAde, the winner of this product comparison is Gatorade. I can hear the Seminoles screaming foul but this is a sports drink comparison. Sports, implies healthy and sugar from HFCS is not a healthy thing to be sucking down all day.

Remember that sports drinks contain salts and sugars that can add up quickly during the day. They are not a substitute for water. To stay properly hydrated, drink plenty of water and enough of your favorite sports drink to replenish electrolytes.

Nutritional Information provided by Bevnet.com