Sports drinks are essential to keep you hydrated. Whether you prefer bottled sports drinks or want to go all-natural, there are many sports drink options to choose from. Chocolate milk is a surprising entrant into the world of sports drinks. When comparing energy drinks vs. chocolate milk, both are gaining ground depending on the end consumer base.
Whether you are a sportsperson, a bodybuilder, or tend to sweat a lot, sports drinks come in handy. They provide you with the much-needed supply of electrolytes, vitamins, and additional nutrients to keep you going.
Sports drink and its significance
A sports drink provides an instant source of hydration for athletes and sportspersons. Athletes and sportspersons put in a lot of exertion during training and practice sessions, and workouts. This exertion leads to excess sweating, which, in turn, leads to loss of electrolytes and other essential nutrients in the form of sweat.
What goes into making a sports drink:
The basic ingredients in a sports drink must include:
- Water or any liquid base
- Electrolytes to keep you hydrated
- Carbs and calories to replenish you in between workouts or sporting sessions
- Caffeine element to give you the energy punch
- Added nutrients for nutritional support
Sports drinks, due to their ingredient list mentioned above, form an excellent means to replenish your body of lost fluids and electrolytes as well.
How sports drinks help you:
- Sports and energy drinks keep you hydrated and maintain a nutritional balance.
- They help compensate for the loss of fluids and nutrients.
- The best pre-workout energy drinks condition your body for the workout routine.
- These beverages provide post-workout nutrition and help with muscle and injury recovery.
- During workouts, energy drinks ensure enough supply of nutrition
- Energy and sports drinks allow you to get the best performance out of your workout and training sessions.
The first-ever sports drink:
Did you know that the first-ever commercially manufactured drink is called Lucozade? It was, in fact, invented much earlier than the current and widely popular brands.
Lucozade was invented by a chemist, William Owen.
He developed this concoction as a means to provide a palatable energy source for the sick and recovering patients. During the mid-1980s, the company manufacturing this product realized that they could market it as an energy drink. Since then, this drink has gained quite popularity.
Which sports drinks are good for you?
This is a debatable question, and you will get different answers depending on who you pose this question to.
An important point to consider here is that sportspeople and athletes come in different sizes and shapes with varying nutritional requirements.
Most users depend on bottled sports drinks since these are easy to procure, have a long shelf life, and do not take effort to prep.
Also read about 6streams.
The best sports drinks:
Commercial energy drinks are popular among athletes, sportspersons, bodybuilders, and anyone looking for an instant energy source. However, some health experts and fitness gurus are divided on the safety of this product for a few reasons:
- The calorie content
- The sugar content
- Caffeine content
- Addition of synthetic ingredients
- Cost factor and value for money
Instead, many health experts vouch for the use of natural ingredients in their energy drinks.
The best natural energy drinks safely provide complete nutrition without the risk of artificial additives.
The best example of natural energy drinks proponents is swimming legend Michael Phelps. He is often spotted drinking chocolate milk in between laps and during training sessions. Surprised? Well, you needn’t be!!
The composition of chocolate milk is an excellent example of the recently discovered best sports drinks.
Chocolate milk as an energy drink:
Milk is an excellent source of nutrients and is rich in electrolytes, vitamins, and other nutrients. This wholesome meal is easy to digest and is often counted among the best natural energy drinks.
The chocolate and sugar components in chocolate milk provide the much-needed calories and energy source, while milk provides an instant boost of energy and long-term nutrition as well.
The best part about chocolate milk as an energy drink is that it is caffeine-free and is apt for consumption by all age groups.
Kids and young adults are generally advised to stay away from energy drinks due to the caffeine content and unhealthy additives. Natural energy drink beverages such as chocolate milk are ideal for this age group.
Children participating in sporting and athletic activities can depend on chocolate milk for hydration and energy needs.
Bottom Line:
Sports drinks are an excellent source of nutrition for athletes and sportspersons. They ensure that you stay hydrated and get the maximum mileage out of your workout routines and endurance activities.
Chocolate milk is a surprisingly recent discovery as an energy drink, with sporting legends such as Michael Phelps embracing it big time.
Energy drinks and sports drinks are available in many forms and types. You can choose your energy drink depending on your requirements.