Key points
- It’s important for athletes to follow a healthy diet, and drinking certain beverages may help you speed up muscle repair and reach the desired results faster. Athletes should opt for nutrient-rich drinks high in electrolytes, proteins, and carbohydrates.
- FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks are an excellent bottled beverage option for athletes. These drinks deliver all the benefits of spirulina and have a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effect on the body. These bottled drinks are rich in vital vitamins and minerals that help to refuel your body and fight exercise-induced free radicals.
- Athletes should also consume protein-rich drinks such as protein shakes and chocolate milk. These help to build muscle and provide you with tons of essential nutrients. You can also try drinking cherry and beetroot juices, as those promote muscle repair and may even improve athletic performance.
- When making smoothies, try to use coconut water or orange juice instead of plain water. These beverages will enrich your smoothies with nutrients. Plus, coconut water is an excellent natural source of electrolytes, while orange juice contains a lot of vitamin C, which is a vital antioxidant.
If you want to get real results in any type of sport, you should remember that the way you fuel your body day-to-day is sometimes even more important than the workout itself. By consuming the right foods and beverages, you will be able to make the most out of your workouts as well as keep your body healthy. Athletes are recommended to follow a nutrient-dense diet and consume hydrating, refuelling, and energy-boosting drinks, but what are the best options to try if you want to find beverages that are natural and free of chemicals, sugars, and flavourings? Well, we are here to help! In this article, we’ll talk about the best drinks for athletes that will help you recover and refuel with essential nutrients.
Best Beverages For Athletes
FUL® Sparkling Spirulina Drinks
Our bodies are often dehydrated and depleted of electrolytes after we work out. Electrolytes are essential minerals that help the body function properly, and it’s crucial for athletes to focus on restoring electrolyte and hydration levels as quickly as possible after a workout. Spirulina is one of the best natural electrolyte sources you can find, as it’s rich in sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate. This miracle supplement is also a good source of protein and antioxidants, which is a plus if you exercise a lot. FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks are made from all-natural ingredients and don’t contain any additives. They are packed with natural spirulina extract, which contains all the nutrients found in the unprocessed algae but doesn’t have its unpleasant taste. These beverages are conveniently packaged in individual bottles, so you can just grab one on your way to the gym. They come in different flavours too, so the only dilemma is what flavour to choose!
Chocolate Milk
Chocolate milk is not only a delicious beverage to enjoy but also an excellent drink for athletes. Chocolate milk combines both protein and carbohydrates, which you need to restore your energy and build muscles. One glass of chocolate milk contains about 8 grams of protein which won’t fulfil your entire daily need for protein but will still help you reach your protein consumption goals. It’s important to note that chocolate milk contains twice as many carbohydrates as plain milk. Plus, chocolate milk is an excellent source of nutrients and electrolytes, including potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium.
A study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science in 2010 suggests that chocolate milk may be beneficial for runners, endurance athletes, and cyclists. It found that chocolate milk promotes recovery and may even improve subsequent performance in cyclists.
Water
Water is the most important beverage that humans should consume daily. For athletes, it’s especially important to monitor how much water you consume since it keeps you hydrated and promotes your general well-being. While plain water usually contains some minerals, mineral water may be a better option to replenish electrolyte levels after a workout. However, you should make sure to avoid drinking distilled water because this water has had all minerals removed from it.
But of course, if you’re doing high-intensity workouts, regular water won’t be enough for you. That is why experts recommend consuming beverages that will fuel your body and help the muscles repair themselves.
Beetroot Juice
Vegetables are an essential part of the diet for everyone, and especially for athletes. Beets are well-known for promoting cardiovascular health, but they are also rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, calcium, as well as vitamin C. Researchers have found that regular consumption of beetroot juice increases plasma nitrate levels and improves physical performance. But just like coconut water, beetroot juice doesn’t provide any protein, which is why you should ensure that you get as much protein as your body requires after a workout.
Protein Shake
It may seem like a no-brainer, but protein shakes may be exactly what your body needs if you exercise regularly. You need to make sure that your protein shake contains all the necessary nutrients, including protein, fats, and carbs. If you make a protein shake after a workout, you may want to add a little more protein, depending on your size and workout goals. It’s also best to avoid prepared protein shakes, as they contain a lot of sugar and artificial additives.
Orange Juice
Surprisingly, orange juice is also among the best drinks for athletes. All-natural orange juice provides your body with a significant boost of vitamin C, which is essential for the immune system. It’s also rich in potassium - one of the most vital electrolytes that our body needs after a workout. Plus, orange juice is hydrating and contains quickly digestible carbohydrates. You can sip on this beverage during the day or after a workout or include it in your smoothies and protein shakes.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is one of the most popular drinks among people who are into sports or just follow a healthy lifestyle. It’s a refreshing and hydrating alternative to water, and it contains a lot of antioxidants and electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium. Keep in mind that coconut water is low in sodium, which is not the best if you’re doing high-intensity workouts. Coconut water is also a great alternative to water that you can add to smoothies and protein shakes if you want to enrich the drink you’re making with extra nutrients. Coconut water contains natural sugars, which also will help to restore energy levels after intense workouts.
Cherry Juice
Cherry juice is a great antioxidant beverage that also promotes muscle recovery, which is something both endurance athletes and people who work out every day may benefit from. Regular consumption of cherry juice may also help to reduce muscle damage, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation. A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Sports found that marathon runners who consumed cherry juice before and after their run showed quicker muscle recovery. Another study also suggested that cherry juice can effectively prevent strength loss when compared to a placebo. When choosing cherry juice at a grocery store, make sure to pick unsweetened, 100% natural juice.
Unsweetened Tea
Tea is an excellent soothing drink that also delivers a lot of health benefits. For example, green tea is highly recommended for athletes and the general population as a powerful antioxidant drink. The antioxidants contained in the beverage help to metabolise fat and eliminate exercise-induced free radicals that cause inflammation and muscle soreness. Besides, green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which has been shown to effectively help in treating different chronic inflammatory conditions and dangerous illnesses like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease, as shown by the results of a research study carried out by Qassim University scientists in 2020.
FAQ
What is the best thing for an athlete to drink?
Athletes should consume drinks with a good nutrient profile that combines electrolytes, proteins, and carbohydrates. Some examples of the best beverages for athletes include FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks, protein shakes, smoothies, and chocolate milk. You can also include coconut water and different juices in your workout hydration routine. Some of the best options include cherry juice, orange juice, and beetroot juice.
Which sports drink is best for dehydration?
Coconut water, plain water, and FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks are the best beverages to sip on when you feel dehydrated. But while plain water is great for dehydration, beverages like FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks also provide you with lots of essential vitamins and minerals and help your body replenish electrolytes.
What can I drink instead of Gatorade?
Store-bought sports drinks contain a lot of added sugars and artificial flavourings, so they are not the healthiest options you can choose. Instead, you should look for more natural alternatives that are free of additives like colour agents, sweeteners, and artificial flavourings. Some of the best beverages to have instead of sports drinks are FUL® sparkling spirulina drinks, coconut water, chocolate milk, plain milk, and fruit and vegetable juices.
What do professional athletes drink?
If you want to become a professional athlete one day, you should hydrate like one. People who play sports as a job drink a lot of electrolyte-rich beverages, alkaline water, and protein drinks. These beverages help them to replenish salt levels in the body, provide large amounts of protein for quick muscle building, and give all the necessary nutrients for normal body functioning.
Why can’t athletes drink alcohol?
Alcohol is very bad for people in general, but it’s simply terrible for people who take sports seriously and want to achieve real results as amateurs or professionals. This is because alcohol has a negative impact on your body’s ability to convert nutrients like carbohydrates and fats into energy that fuels the body. Alcohol also dehydrates your body and causes a build-up of lactic acid in it, which has a negative impact on your body’s aerobic performance.
What’s the healthiest alcohol for athletes?
It goes without saying that athletes and all other people who care about their health should do their best to avoid consuming alcohol. However, if you want to have a drink of alcohol and minimise its impact on your health and diet, you should opt for beverages with the lowest calorie content. These include light beer, champagne, red wine, vodka, and whiskey.
