# Gatorade vs. home made sports drinks **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522 "2004-09-07T19:29:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JimMacMillan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7bcc69/32.png) [@JimMacMillan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimMacMillan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522/21 "2004-09-09T04:18:10Z")
A week or two ago the local news had a story about what is best to drink when replenishing body fluids. Chocolate Milk came in way ahead of Gatorade. I don’t remember who did the study but I found the following doing a Lyco’s search. Jim By Leslie Carson RD, Sports Nutritionist and 2001 National Marathon Team Member Whether you are gearing up for competition, or enjoy ACTIVE living, your body needs the right fuel after exercise to replenish energy stores and speed recovery. You may be surprised to hear that CHOCOLATE MILK is one of the best recovery drinks for active individuals. Chocolate milk is carbohydrate rich (26 grams/1 cup), moderate in protein (9 grams/1 cup), and low in fat (2 grams/1 cup). Research suggests that carbohydrate beverages that contain amino acids from protein help promote rebuilding of muscle after exercise (J Appl Physiol, 2000). Another research study suggests that liquid calories tend not to “fill us up” as much as food calories (J. Obesity, 2000). This is good news for athletes who often lose their appetites after exercise, but need 40-60 grams of carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes after exercise to facilitate recovery. Although there are many sports drinks on the market that are carbohydrate rich, and moderate in protein, nothing beats great tasting chocolate milk - both accessible and affordable to most athletes. Chocolate milk is recommended BEFORE and AFTER exercise, not DURING exercise as beverages containing more than 8grams of carbohydrates/ 100ml may cause gastric distress and interfere with hydration. Did you know that chocolate milk contains less simple sugar than equal amounts of apple juice . . . Until next time, be bright and drink right . . . for optimal recovery! ---
**Author:** ![micco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@micco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522/22 "2004-09-09T04:21:52Z")
> [@CC](#): > > We may be talking past one another on this side trip. I grant that if you want water, and there is no water around, and you don’t mind spending your money on water, buy a bottle of water. My point is that there’s no good reason to do so aside from that, and that, yes, your educational system failed you because it let you get through it without putting your mental brakes on prior to making a fatuous statement such as: If you can make such a blanket statement about both carbonation and sugar, you have not gained much from your training. Please, tell us where in your educational background you learned such “facts.” I won’t push the issue except to say that a good education would impart a healthy skepticism, caution about generalizations that may over-reach, and a more sophisticated view of what is “good” or “bad” for you, when it comes to many things, including food. I couldn’t have said it better myself regarding your hyperbole about people buying bottled water being evidence of a failed education system. Perhaps we are both guilty of exaggerating to make our points? Of course, it’s fairly obvious that my point is relatively true (soda is not good for you, especially compared to alternatives like water) and yours is blatantly false (as I’ve presented good reasons for buying bottled water with which you’ve agreed). You don’t bother to back up your claim about bottled water sales being the result of failed education and instead seize on my comment about soda being unhealthy. Whatever the failures of my education, it was just good enough to spot a red herring when I see one. ---
**Author:** ![CastleAnthrax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@CastleAnthrax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastleAnthrax)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522/23 "2004-09-09T13:06:41Z")
The ancient Romans drank honeyed vinegar, sometimes with salt, and it worked great for them. This was late improved on by the Perisans, who made stuff called sekanjabins. Basically, you make a simple syrup of sugar and water, then boil in a fruit or spice or herb flavoring, then add vinegar. In the final drinkiong, you don’t taste the vinegar as such. You just get a refreshing sense of coolness as you drink. MInt is a very common flavor, but I’ve made strawberry, vanilla-cardamom, rose, and even blueberry with great success. You can also make sharbats, which are done with an acidic flavor so they don’t require the vinegar. Lime and pomegranate are great sharbats. The syrup will keep indefinitely and requires no refrigeration. To drink it, mix it with plain water to taste, usually about one cup per gallon of water. For sports use, add salt to the final mix. You end up with a drink that is cheap, tasty, effective, and contains no artificial flavors or colors. If anyone wants more info on these, feel free to write me directly for a more detailed recipe. They’re super easy to make. HennaDancer info at hennadancer dot com ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522/24 "2004-09-09T20:59:16Z")
[Athletes should use sports drinks.](http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/667/sse_92.cfm?pid=38) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522/25 "2004-09-09T21:05:47Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > So, the eternal question: is the orange juice/salt combination as effective as Gatorade for replenishing those lost “things” after exercise? If it’s not as effective, is it good enough? > > I keep hearing about how losing electrolytes and having potassium deficiencies after exercising will cause you to die after drinking water, but seriously. Thousands of years of people working hard and then drinking water and the only time I’ve ever heard of this is after a marathon and then only one or two cases. Now, I work hard, but it’s nowhere near marathon hard. > > Obviously, this isn’t worth worrying about for dying, but I’ve noticed that after prolonged exertion (4 mile bike ride, 1.5 hours of karate and another 4 mile bike ride), I’ve noticed that if I drink about 16 oz of Gatorade mixed into 34 oz of water really keeps me from feeling overheated and tired for the rest of the day (only water, on the other hand, leaves me feeling dehydrated and achey, even if I drink the same 50 ozs). However, Gatorade is expensive and I’m cheap. > > While we’re at it, I’ve heard that drinking the liquid Gatorade undiluted is bad. Howver, I can’t find a reason why it’s bad. Anyone know if it is and why? > > OK, last one, how about post-workout powdered mixes. I know there are thousands on the market, but on the balance are they worthwhile? Any one in particular? I’m not necessarily talking about taking Creatine or MetRx for muscle building, but just for making sure that whatever vitamins &c get used are replenished accordingly. Try this formula for Oral Rehydration Salts [http://www.rehydrate.org/ors/](http://www.rehydrate.org/ors/) ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522/26 "2004-09-09T21:15:23Z")
The role of protein in the athlete’s diet: [http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/668/sse\_93.cfm?pid=38](http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/668/sse_93.cfm?pid=38) [http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/692/sports\_science\_news\_protein.cfm](http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/692/sports_science_news_protein.cfm) [http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/665/letter\_jeffz.cfm?pid=38](http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/665/letter_jeffz.cfm?pid=38) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gatorade-vs-home-made-sports-drinks/263522.md?page=1)