Summer is upon us. With the sun shining, the weather warming, the additional hours spent outside, we need to stay hydrated. There are many ways to stay hydrated other than just drinking plain water. It’s important to naturally replenish electrolytes and not dilute them by consuming large quantities of water or fill up on chemical laden sports drinks.
Why mineral hydration is important
I’m sure you have heard that it’s good to drink a gallon of water a day, or that you should take your body weight, divide it by two, and drink that much in ounces. (For example, a person weighing 200 pounds would drink 100 ounces of water.) While I do think it’s important to stay hydrated, especially during exercise or when exposed to the heat, we shouldn’t be drinking that much plain water each day.
Hydration doesn’t just come from the water we drink, but also from the minerals in the water. Drinking a large portion of water at once can actually dilute the electrolytes and minerals in our body and cause us to feel drained. The foods we eat and the water we drink often doesn’t contain the same amount of nutrients that it used to. This means we need to be supplementing in extra minerals that are no longer available from out food and water.
These minerals are also important because they are what allow our bodies to hold onto the water we drink. Without these minerals our bodies cannot efficiently distribute and use the water we drink. Just drinking lots of water after exercise or when dehydrated isn’t going to give your body what it needs and ultimately will not help truly hydrate you. When we sweat, we also lose some of these minerals and electrolytes. This is why sports drinks are recommended for hiking, during and after exercise, and when you are sweating a lot.
Things to avoid in sports drinks
You might be thinking that you can just go to the grocery store and just pick up a case of premade, fruit flavored, sports drinks and call it a day. They all say things like “electrolytes”, “hydrating”, some even say “zero sugar” or “zero calories”! These are meant to replenish minerals and give you energy, right? That’s why they are used by sports teams, athletes, and are often found at the gym.
Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but those attractive looking bottles and cans are almost always filled with chemicals, preservatives, and other ingredients that are bad for your health. Some of these are:
Food coloring:
These are the chemicals that are added to many drinks and foods to make them seem more appetizing or attractive. There are seven dyes which are frequently used, these are red dye 40, red 3, yellow 5, yellow 6, green 3, blue 1, and blue lake 2. These have been linked with health problems such as hyperactivity, chromosomal damage, various types of cancers, asthma, and tumors in the brain, bladder, kidneys, thyroid, and adrenal glands. Its best to avoid these whenever possible, especially when they are in such large quantities in things like drinks.
Sugar:
Let’s face it, we all love sugar. A bit in our tea or coffee, something sweet for dessert, and so on. Its not bad to have sugar from time to time, and in my opinion it’s much better if it’s from a natural source such as honey or maple syrup. However, the average American is consuming 60-70 grams of sugar every day. Thats almost a cup of sugar! That adds up to almost 65 pounds of added sugar every year…
Consuming too much sugar can lead to cavities, kidney disease, heart disease, acne, diabetes, and negatively effect your energy and mood. It can even increase your risk of cancer. There is an average of 21 grams of sugar in the standard sports drink.
Artificial sweeteners:
If the drink has something like “zero sugar” or “zero calories” on the label, but is still sweet, then it contains some form of artificial sweetener. Often these are marketed because they are low in calories and aren’t regular sugar.
Some of the common sweeteners are saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, sodium benzoate, and acesulfame potassium. These have been linked to things such as cancer, tumors, headaches, bowel issues, and a whole list of other health problems.
Corn syrup:
Corn syrup is often used in sports drinks because it is a carbohydrate and is quickly and easily absorbed. It is also cheaper than most other sugar options and it has a longer shelf life. High fructose corn syrup is just higher in fructose than regular corn syrup, but both cause a variety of health problems. They have been linked to hypertension, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. The corn used almost always has been sprayed with pesticides and is genetically modified and these both pose their own list of health concerns.
Brominated vegetable oil:
According to the FDA, this is often used in drinks as an emulsifier to keep things such as citrus flavoring from floating to the surface and separating. They have also classified it as “generally recognized as safe” which means it can be added to food and drink without any need for it to be reviewed for safety. It is often abbreviated as BVO and is made by bonding vegetable oil to bromine. This has been banned from being added to drinks in Europe, but not in the US.
The side effects and risks of BVO and other Brominated substances have been known for years, yet it is still regularly added to our products. These effects are things such as headaches, fatigue, loss of muscle coordination, and irritation of the mucus membranes and skin. Changes to the heart and liver can also occur if high amounts of it are consumed.
Hydrating drink options
There are many natural options to staying hydrated.
You can add things into your water such as:
Baobab powder. This fruit is found in Africa and is full of calcium and antioxidants and has an exotic fruit flavor.
Acai powder. Its high in many nutrients such as iron, calcium, omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9.
Cirus juices such as lemon or lime for a punch of flavor and nutrients. Try this lemonade recipe for a hydrating and nutrient rich drink.
Smoothies are a great option because they have natural nutrients from fruit and the cold can be so refreshing.
Coconut water is extremely naturally hydrating an always a good option to reach for. Get it in bulk here.
Teas are a cozy way to stay hydrated. Things like chai tea, herbal teas, and green tea are some of my favorites.
Soups are high in liquids so consuming a cup of bone broth or a bowl of soup can aid in naturally hydrating and also fuel your body.
Some of my other favorites are raw milk, adrenal cocktails, and even just enjoying a large bowl of fresh fruit. Think about how much juice is in a watermelon or an orange!
If you want to keep it simple try adding trace mineral drops or vitamin D drops to your water.
Do you have any favorite ways to stay hydrated that I missed on my list? Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email!
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