Why swap it
Sports drinks are marketed to people who exercise, which gives them a healthy image. But a typical 20-ounce bottle carries more than 30 grams of sugar, roughly what you'd get in a can of soda, plus artificial colors like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1. You can easily drink back the calories you just burned, and then some. The "zero sugar" versions swap the sugar for artificial sweeteners, which is no better.
Best choices
These fit the Weigh to Stay approach: real food, with refined carbs and added sugar kept low.
- Plain water. For most workouts under an hour, water is all your body actually needs.
- An electrolyte mix without sugar, dyes, or artificial sweeteners. For long, hot, or very sweaty sessions, it replaces the sodium, potassium, and magnesium you lose in sweat. Check the label.
- Homemade electrolyte water. Water, a small pinch of salt, and a good squeeze of lemon or lime. Simple, cheap, and it works.
In moderation
Natural, but it has sugar, so keep it to a glass.
- Unsweetened coconut water. Naturally rich in potassium, with a moderate amount of natural sugar. Stick to one cup.
Skip these
Traditional sports drinks and their "zero" versions. The regular ones are sugar and food dye. The zero-sugar ones are artificial sweeteners and food dye. Neither belongs in a healthy maintenance plan. Read why I quit artificial sweeteners →
My electrolyte and BCAA drink
This one is amazing and so delicious. It's what I reach for when I'm working out and sweating a lot. It replaces the electrolytes I lose in sweat and adds branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), building blocks of protein, without the sugar and dye of a typical sports drink.
Shopping tip
Flip the container over before you buy. If sugar, dextrose, or maltodextrin is near the top of the ingredient list, or you see sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or a number like "Red 40," put it back.
← All Healthy Food Alternatives
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