What's in your Sports Drink?

We all know that when we work out, it's important to stay hydrated. Something we may not be so clear on is what exactly we should drink when we exercise.

Ordinary water, of course, is the classic choice. But with store shelves everywhere full of sports drinks, energy drinks, and various flavored, fortified waters, and let’s face it, sometimes water is just boring! What's an exerciser to do?

Experts say it all depends on your taste -- as well as the length and intensity of your workouts. Here's a quick note of what and why to drink…

Sports Drinks and Exercise

Basically, a sports drink offers your body four things it might need before, during, or after vigorous exercise:

Hydration. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people drink about 17 ounces of fluid about two hours before exercise, to promote adequate hydration and allow time for the body to excrete any excess water. During exercise, they recommend that athletes start drinking early and at regular intervals in order to take in fluids at the rate they're losing them through sweating. Some athletes often take salt tablets (as does recent blog testimonial customer Kevin) to keep hydrated during strenuous work out periods. I would not as I do not do workout for the crazy long hours as he would.

Fuel The energy boost we all need to get the long ride, run, swim or workout done. I recommend the EnergyBoost from DrinkRealAloe.com with all natural ingredients, AloeBoost’s AloeVera provides a comprehensive source of vitamins and minerals to your body, containing more than 75 nutritional compounds on its own! In addition Aloe Vera enhances your body’s ability to absorb the blend of rich, smooth premium juices & supplements packed into every shot of AloeBoost™.

Reload & Recover The carbohydrates found in sweetened sports drinks provide energy to help delay fatigue. The Gatorade Co. says lab tests have shown that 6% carbohydrate (14 grams of carbohydrate per 8 ounces of water) is the optimal percentage of carbs for speeding fluid and energy back into the body. This is ideal for the average exerciser like you and me. J

Electrolytes or Minerals. These are things like sodium, potassium, and chloride that athletes lose through sweat. When water goes out of the body, so do electrolytes. And when the body is losing lots of water (as during exercise), it makes sense that you need to replace electrolytes. When considering this article, I asked my athlete of the day, Kevin G and he said along with his AloeBoost before his workout, he takes gels or gu to replenish his calorie usage during runs longer than 1 hour.

So why choose AloeBoost over your normal energy drink?

What's in Your Exercise Drink?

Below is some nutritional information, as available on labels, about some of the common sports and energy drinks available. And here's one more tip for staying hydrated when you work out: Whatever you choose to drink when you exercise, drink it well-chilled for faster absorption by the body.

Sports drinks (8 ounces):

Gatorade: 50 calories, 14 grams sugar (from sucrose syrup and high-fructose corn syrup), 110 mg sodium, caffeine-free. Other ingredients: potassium (30 mg). Vitamins (percentage of recommended Daily Value): None

Propel Fitness Water: 10 calories, 2 grams sugar (from sucrose syrup; also sweetened with sucralose or Splenda), 35 mg sodium, caffeine-free. Other ingredients: None. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 10% vitamin C; 10% vitamin E; 25% B3 and B6; 4% B12, 25% pantothenic acid.

Energy drinks (8 ounces):

Red Bull: 110 calories, 27 grams sugar (from sucrose and glucose), 200 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: taurine, glucuronolactone. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 100% B3, 250% B6, 80% B12, 50% pantothenic acid. Note: Red Bull is also available in a sugar-free option with acesulfame K, aspartame, and inositol as sweeteners. This version contains 10 calories and 0 grams sugar.

Rock Star: 140 calories, 31 grams sugar (from sucrose and glucose), 125 mg sodium, 80 mg caffeine. Other ingredients: taurine (1,000 mg), ginkgo biloba leaf extract (150 mg), guarana seed extract (25 mg), inositol (25 mg), L-carnitine (25 mg), Panex ginseng extract (25 mg), milk thistle extract (20 mg). Note: Rock Start is available in a sugar-free option sweetened with acesulfame potassium and sucralose or Splenda. This version has 10 calories and 0 grams sugar

Sobe, Energy Citrus Flavor. 120 calories, 31 grams sugar (mainly from high-fructose corn syrup and orange juice concentrate), 15 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana (50 mg), panax ginseng (50 mg), taurine (16.5 mg). Vitamins (% Daily Value): 100% vitamin C

Amp Energy Overdrive (Mountain Dew): 110 calories, 29 grams sugar (from high-fructose corn syrup and orange juice concentrate), 65 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana extract (150 mg), Panax ginseng extract (10 mg), taurine (10 mg). Vitamins (% Daily Value): 20% B2, 10% B3, 10% B6, 10% B12, 10% pantothenic acid.

Full Throttle Energy Drink (from Coca-Cola): 110 calories, 29 grams sugar (from high fructose corn syrup), 85 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana extract (.70 mg), ginseng extract (90 mg), taurine. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 20% B3. 20% B6, 10% B12.

Sugar-Free Tab Energy: 5 calories, 0 grams sugar (contains sucralose or Splenda), 110 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: ginseng extract, guarana extract. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 25% B3, 25% B6, 15% B12.

Glaceau Vitamin Water -- Energy. 50 calories, 13 grams sugar (from crystalline fructose), 0 mg sodium, 50 mg caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana (25 mg). Vitamins (% Daily Value): 40% vitamin C, 20% B3, 20% B6, 20% B12.

AloeBoost (DrinkRealAloe) less than 25 calories a serving (no added sugars) 

Green Tea: Used for centuries, now recognized for an ever growing list of health benefits, including a valuable antioxidant. Pomegranate: A powerful antioxidant, rich in Vitamins A, C, E and Folic Acid. Acai: A natural energy booster, high content of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Plum: Good source of Vitamins C, E and Potassium, as well as an added antioxidant effect. Pear: Good source of Vitamins B2, C, E, and potassium - And they taste great! B-Vitamins: Essential for every cell in the human body, boosts energy, eases stress and so much more!All told, this provides you with an immediate yet long-lasting boost of energy borne from your body and delivered with less than 25 calories a serving, more than 100 nutritional compounds, and no added sugars. 

So what does this all mean? Well easey, basically what you feed your body will effect the way it performs for you. If you want a great work out without all the chemicals, sugars, unknown ingredients that even google can not make sense of, then I suggest you go with a more natural approach. Try a FREE sample of AloeBoost today. If it works for a top athlete like Kevin G of Carlsbad and works for the average exerciser like me, then it will definitely give you that boost you need any time of the day.

SOURCES: American College of Sports Medicine, January 1996, vol 28: No. 1. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, December 2000, 100:12, pp 1543-1556. WEBMD site.

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8 Shockingly Bad things to eat while dinning out!

So summer is right around the corner. How’s your beach body coming along? Still sluggish and hanging on to those last 10? Yeah me too. So what should we do? Easy, cut your calorie intake and do a little more outside/in the gym! But foremost, get on a program! Try our AloeControl Weight Management along with a diet plan of your choosing. The key will be, drop 500 cals from your diet and workout! Shed those pounds.. you can find them again in the winter if you must. J

Along with dropping the calorie intake and working out (hey just get your sweat on!) try to really watch what you eat when going out. You will be SHOCKED at the amount of calories in the foods that otherwise seem, somewhat healthy..Suddenly, a healthy home-cooked meal sounds very appetizing.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest handed out its dubious 2010 Xtreme Eating honors this week to nine fast-food chain restaurants. Before you head out for that quick on-the-go meal, read this list!!

1. California Pizza Kitchen Tostada Pizza

The individual-size Tostada Pizza has 1,440 calories and more than a day's saturated fat (27 grams) and sodium (2,630 milligrams). Unless you're munching on nothing but carrots and celery sticks for the rest of the day, this one isn't for you.

2. Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger

Dig into 920 calories and 30 g saturated fat (one and a half days' worth) without toppings.

3. P.F. Chang's Double Pan-Fried Noodles Combo

Noodles seem innocent enough, right? Wrong. This dish has 1,820 calories and 7,690 mg sodium (a five-day supply).

4. The Cheesecake Factory Pasta Carbonara with Chicken

You know better than to order this one. It may be creamy and comforting, but this pasta treat has 2,500 calories and 85 g saturated fat (more than a four-day supply).

5. The Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake

Thinking about splurging on a piece of cake? Think again. The Chocolate Tower has 1,670 calories and two and a half days' worth of saturated fat (48 g).

6. Outback Steakhouse New Zealand Rack of Lamb

So much for lean meat...the lamb alone has 1,300 calories and 60 g saturated fat.

7. California Pizza Kitchen Pesto Cream Penne

1,350 calories, 49 g saturated fat and 1,920 mg sodium...and that's before you add chicken or shrimp.

8. Chevy's Crab & Shrimp Quesadilla

This "appetizer" has 1,790 calories and 63 g saturated fat, plus 3,440 mg sodium.

Foods and Nutrition Data collected from Article Published on Self.com