We all know that drinking plain water is the most effective way to hydrate our bodies every single day. Most experts recommend that adults consume at least six cups of water every day. But, of course, you’ll need more than that if you work out vigorously or if it’s hot and you’re sweating profusely.
But sometimes, water alone doesn’t provide adequate hydration, especially if you’re dealing with the loss of electrolytes through sweat and other bodily fluids. This is because regular tap water doesn’t have a lot of electrolytes in it. So if you try to drink too much water to get sufficient electrolytes from it, you’ll actually dilute the electrolytes in your body even more. This can cause your electrolyte imbalance to get even worse.
If your goal is hydration and electrolyte balance, you’re better off consuming an electrolyte drink, such as a sports drink, coconut water, fruit juice, or homemade electrolyte drink. But some of these drinks are better for your overall health than others. So first, let’s talk about popular rehydration drink options in greater detail.
Popular sports drinks such as Gatorade are packed full of sugar, which is a turn-off for people who want to boost their electrolyte levels without also causing their blood sugar to skyrocket. So if you want to avoid sugary drinks, you may want to stay away from most commercial electrolyte drinks.
Consuming too much sugar while you’re in a dehydrated state can be counterproductive. As your body tries to flush out the excess sugar, it tends to produce more urine than usual. This means that liquids you need throughout your body are diverted to your kidneys to help get rid of the large amounts of sugar you just consumed.
To avoid this unpleasant side effect of excess sugar consumption, opt for an oral rehydration solution or hydration tablets that contain little or no cane sugar. Your body will thank you!
Fruit juice also has a high sugar content, though juices such as orange juice also contain high levels of vitamin C, which are important for overall health. But you can always get your vitamin C content from whole fruits, which contain less sugar and more beneficial fiber than fruit juices.
Coconut water has a lot of essential nutrients and electrolytes in it, such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It’s also full of antioxidants, which are good for overall health and help you look and feel younger.
The one drawback of coconut water is that it doesn’t have very much sodium. Since sodium is essential for rehydration, you’ll want to either add it to your coconut water or take coconut water in combination with an electrolyte mix that has sodium. Mixhers has just such a product, called Herhydration. It is an optimally balanced electrolyte drink containing healthy carbohydrates (instead of the simple sugars found in most sports drinks and even in Pedialyte).
If you want the best hydration drink available, give Herhydration a try. Unlike sports drinks, Herhydration doesn’t have any added sugar. It also is free from artificial ingredients such as artificial dyes, artificial flavorings, and artificial sweeteners.
But despite its lack of sugar and chemical flavorings, Herhydration tastes surprisingly good! Each powder packet is flavored with stevia and organic fruit. It’s hydration as Mother Nature intended it, without all the junk that’s so commonly found in commercial products.