Sports Drinks-Composition

[Alligator]

I was having a discussion with a friend about working in the heat. He mentioned that he buys an electrolyte powder from the health store, no flavorings, just the essentials. He didn't remember the brand name. I tried to find it but did not. Instead, I started looking for homemade sports drinks. Since I dislike carrying the powder because of the sugar (weight, bottle funk), I was interested in simulating the composition w/o sugar. The following link gives the composition of Gatorade, along with several homemade recipes for sports drinks:
http://www.cptips.com/hmdesnk.htm [about half-way down page]

What I thought was most interesting was that the sodium and potassium equivalents to Gatorade were achieved by simply adding 1/4 tsp each of Morton's regular and lite salt per liter.

Most hikers likely achieve the salt, but maybe not the potassium.

[MOWGLI]

I use Emer'gen-C which is lightweight and contains Potassium, C, and a host of other stuff. Each packet weights 8 grams. I know that's a little heavy for some folks but I seem to manage with it.

I'll look over this homemade page. Thanks for sharing.

[Lone Wolf]

Try this stuff. I love it.
www.extremeultrarunning.com/conquest.htm

[Alligator]

Did I mention I was cheap too.

Actually, I never see the Emer'gen-C in the store, but then again, I never look too hard. I just froogled it, ~$6.00 for 36 packets. That's decent. The Conquest is also pretty close, $7.95 for 32 servings.

I was thinking I might add the lite salt to my dehydrated meals. I didn't use to add any salt to them, 'til I went for a long hot week in Glacier.

[orangebug]

Conquest is an excellent drink, if you can find it. I think you most likely will have to contact the owner if that website doesn't do it for you.

If you eat any sort of snack while walking, you are likely to take care of the sugar and electrolyte needs. Dried fruit will provide potassium; most everything has some sodium. Cheese is a good source of calcium. YMMV. It is actually pretty easy to carry Gatorade or Conquest powder and make the drink. You don't have to worry about creating your own tasty concoction. Water remains the most important part of rehydration, with supplementation pretty easy to accomplish thru several strategies.

[Alligator]

...

It is actually pretty easy to carry Gatorade or Conquest powder and make the drink. You don't have to worry about creating your own tasty concoction. Water remains the most important part of rehydration, with supplementation pretty easy to accomplish thru several strategies.

Actually, I don't like carrying Gatorade. Basically it's a sticky mess. Besides, some of us like to create our own tasty concoctions.

I know several folks that will pass on the dried fruit. And lots of people get sick of raisins and peanuts in short order.

But, here are some potassium sources:
bananas, raisins, apricots, oranges, avacadoes, dates, cantaloupe, watermelon, prunes, broccoli, spinach, carrots, potato, sweet potato, winter squash, mushrooms, peas, lentils, dried beans, peanuts, milk, yogurt, lean meats.

It's good to have alternatives. Especially inexpensive ones.

[orangebug]

I wonder how you pack the hydration drink powder to get a sticky mess? I use small Nalgene screw top bottles, measured to make three liters of drink. On my sections, I haven't had the experience of caking or "sticky mess."

I wouldn't plan on carrying a bunch of non-dehydrated melons and other fruit as a supplementation strategy. Of course, I'm willing to share your watermelon.

The trick to any snack is to provide enough variety to keep it interesting. I like to add dehydrated mangoes, pineapple, coconut and such to GORP. I don't know that I'd use dry beans as a snack. Powdered milk can be helpful, but is more likely to cake and get fouled. The "Just ____" brand of freeze dried fruits and veggies are excellent supplements and snacks. My favorite is Just Corn.

[Ford Prefect]

Dried beans? How in the world do you eat dried beans?

[Footslogger]

Dried beans? How in the world do you eat dried beans?

==========================
Very small mouthfulls and a lot of water ??

'Slogger

[Alligator]

I wonder how you pack the hydration drink powder to get a sticky mess? I use small Nalgene screw top bottles, measured to make three liters of drink. On my sections, I haven't had the experience of caking or "sticky mess."

Do you pack your toothpaste and tp for each day individually too? I bet loading the small containers goes completely smooth too. In the field, all the Gatorade powder surely makes it into the water bottle every time when filling, while the insides of the bottle and/or drip lines never get sticky.

Powdered milk can be helpful, but is more likely to cake and get fouled.

Maybe someone wanting to carry powdered milk could use small Nalgene screw top bottles?

I wouldn't plan on carrying a bunch of non-dehydrated melons and other fruit as a supplementation strategy. Of course, I'm willing to share your watermelon.

Never said anything like this OB, you're job is to listen to people? There are plenty of light weight forms to carry many of those items. I'd be happy to suggest creative ways for you to carry any of them, especially the melons.

But, the topic was composition of sports drinks. I found it interesting that the equivalent sodium and potassium per liter could be found in 1/2 tsp of a 50/50 blend of lite/regular salt as that found in one single serve pack of Gatorade. This is a lightweight, extremely cheap alternative for anyone concerned about their electrolytes. In addition, this alternative allows for a broader selection of "sport drinks", as any favorite flavored mix could be supplemented by the 50/50 salt, or simply the lite salt.

[Alligator]

Dried beans? How in the world do you eat dried beans?

The list of other postassium sources was not presented as a snack list, just as other sources. But since you asked, Greeks eat roasted chick peas. Or, a lunch I sometimes have is corn chips with dehydrated refried beans. I add the water in the morning. Or humus with party mix.

On the other hand, that list might be constraining for some. There are alternatives.

[orangebug]

Do you pack your toothpaste and tp for each day individually too? I bet loading the small containers goes completely smooth too. In the field, all the Gatorade powder surely makes it into the water bottle every time when filling, while the insides of the bottle and/or drip lines never get sticky.

Oh, you just want to be argumentative.

Have a good time finding reasons why anything suggested won't work for you. I am certain that you can carry multiple melons where your head was previously occupied.

[Alligator]

Me argumentative? Surely you jest.

Actually OB, it was you who jumped in with the old "sports drinks are unnecessary" argument (Post #5).

Being a melonhead though, I can't figure out why you carry Gatorade in the first place.