Comparing Gatorade and Water

The question of whether Gatorade or water is better has seemed to swirl endlessly for the last forty years, fueled by those with strong opinions on either side. After all, we all know that hydration is important, but is it even possible that there is a better method of hydration than plain old water?

The history of Gatorade itself helps us to understand a bit more about the history of the comparison between the effectiveness of Gatorade and the effectiveness of water. Researchers at the University of Florida first created Gatorade when the Florida Gators' head football coach asked them if there was a way for his players to be less sluggish during long, hot practices. The Gators defeated Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl not long after that - in 1967 - and when the Tech coach was asked why his team lost, he said it was because they did not have Gatorade on their side.

You probably already know that Gatorade is intended to replenish elements in the body that water alone cannot replenish. And in answering the question of whether Gatorade or water is better, this understanding is the basic foundation that leads to a conclusion.

When you sweat, your body loses more than just water; Gatorade is scientifically designed to replenish these elements in addition to replenishing water, which makes it extremely valuable to athletes. Some athletes choose to stick to a certain diet that will keep them from losing so many of these elements when they sweat, but it is a lot easier (and more straightforward) to just replenish with a Gatorade!

Mix Your Own Gatorade At Home!

On the other hand, when the body is at rest, it does not especially need all the sugars and other elements that Gatorade provides. After all, someone sitting on a couch, watching a movie, does not especially need to replenish any great loss from their body, and so, they do not especially need to crack open a bottle of Gatorade!

Athletes should take the following approach to Gatorade: drink lots and lots of water before an event, and then, during the event, drink lots and lots of Gatorade! And if you are not an athlete, try to drink Gatorade as sparingly as you drink soda or other sugar-filled drinks; after all, if you are not losing buckets of sweat, there is no need to replenish!