Busting Nutrition Myths - Sports Drinks or Plain Old Water?

I choose a glass of plain old water any day.

One does not need 12 12-ounce glasses of water per day. But one does need water. Water is essential for every single function in our bodies.

I’m guessing I drink 1-2 liters of water a day, more on a hot day or if I’m working or playing outdoors. Tea and coffee- mild diuretics- aren’t really all that diuretic. They actually aren’t bad for fluid replacement provided one doesn’t rely solely upon coffee or tea.

(I’m a big fan of iced tea, especially sun tea. Sometimes I add a little molasses or raw sugar to my jar of sun tea, sometimes not. Nothing beats a tall glass of iced tea on a sweltering summer’s day.)

I’m not saying sports drinks don’t have their place, and of course the choice is yours. What I am saying is that sports drinks contain plenty of sugar (and artificial coloring). One can buy sugar-free sports drinks but I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners.

Gatorade, for example, contains sugar, sodium and potassium and it can help to provide quick energy and restore some electrolytes lost during strenuous exercise. But most of us aren’t playing professional football or basketball or soccer or running a marathon. Plain old water is fine to replace the fluid lost during regular exercise- a hike, a bike ride, a five mile run…

I’ve come to enjoy the taste of fresh coconut water as well. Coconut water is really interesting. It contains a unique mix of water and easily absorbed sugar and electrolytes. It’s used to treat infant diarrhea in Third World countries- to replace the electrolytes lost, especially potassium. It can even be filtered and given IV because coconut water straight from the coconut is sterile.

I drink coconut water out of a coconut a couple times a week. A good coconut provides enough liquid to share with 1-2 people. If you try a fresh coconut definitely open it outdoors because the process is messy. I set the coconut on the ground, sit on a step, and whack away at the top with a butcher knife. Try to cut a square as above. I never hold onto the coconut. If I did I’d lose every single finger. And keep your feet out of the way. Oh, and when you’re buying a fresh coconut make sure the outside is creamy white in color. Shake it. You should hear plenty of water inside.

Fresh coconut water is sort of an acquired taste. My husband gagged the first time he tasted it. Now he loves it. You can buy cans of coconut water but they don’t taste the same. I’ve searched for a brand that tastes as fresh as the water right out of the coconut. Ero Grove Coconut Water comes pretty darn close.

If you try coconut water, let me know what you think. It’s a healthy alternative to sports drinks, although just plain water is adequate for most of our hydration needs.