Say What?! + What's In Your Sports Drink?

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It’s mid baseball season Y'all, and I just can’t!  Seeing these kids drink Gatorade and Powerade during every game- is driving me crazy!  Like f’real. It’s hard being “that mom” all the time, but these drinks don’t belong in our bodies.  These “sports” drinks are made up of refined GMO sugar (as much as soda), artificial colors and other terrible ingredients.

One of the worst ingredients- Brominated Vegetable Oil which is added to some flavors to keep the drink from getting cloudy and the artificial flavor suspended in the drink. This substance can cause skin rashes, thyroid disease, and severe acne. Of course, this is perfectly legal in the US, but it is actually banned in Europe and Japan.  Gatorade actually phased this ingredient out- after a successful petition, but Powerade still contains it.  It’s literally a flame retardant- stay away from this drink guys!

Sports Drinks are famously used for treating sick kids, who need to stay hydrated.  When my daughter got sick in 09’ and was in the hospital- they offered her orange Gatorade with every meal.  Sports Drinks do provide electrolytes- I’ll give em’ that. But, you don’t need these sugary drinks to replenish your electrolytes- it can be done naturally!

 

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  • Stir Sea Salt + Baking Soda + Lemon Juice + Maple Syrup into 8 ounces of Water – This is a great natural remedy for serious athletes – We drink baking soda all the time in our casa because it makes the body less acidic and provides an additional source of sodium bicarbonate. Baking soda has been used for centuries to treat many ailments.

  • Shake Raw Coconut Water + Chia Seeds – Raw coconut water is amaze!! It has a ton of electrolytes and potassium that will not only help you stay hydrated but also keep your body from getting any cramps. Plus, it's super low in sugar and completely natural. Chia seeds are an incredible energy food – full of omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fiber. These seeds have the ability to keep you from getting dehydrated because of they can hold 9 times their weight in water!

 

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  • Blend Frozen Banana + Almond Milk + Kale – This smoothie is not only delicious, but is extremely hydrating. The banana provides a good source of potassium and magnesium. Almonds are extremely rich in magnesium and potassium. Kale is a superfood and another excellent source of magnesium and calcium.

  • Juice Celery + Apple + Lemon – This combo is the perfect drink for replacing electrolytes. The celery has a natural source of sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphorus. Lemon contains the highest electrolytes of any citrus fruit. Apples provide additional potassium and natural sweetness.

Check out this insane post from The Atlantic!  They reported that 40 years ago, scientists were paid by sport drink companies to lie to us.  Basically, we were told that we wouldn't be able to hydrate ourselves with just water alone, and we needed these crazy drinks to maintain performance during sporting events.  These companies even developed school outreach programs to access even more children, and try to convince them that they needed these drinks.  Crazy, right?!

Have you fallen for the lie that we need these drinks to feel better and replace electrolytes?  You're not alone!  Know better...do better, right?  Share this info. with friends and family.  This season, let's keep our families well during all of our sporting events and activities. 

xoxo Christina