Best sports drinks according to redditors

Just got my box in, here's my review:

1. Love the chewiness. If you're doing a mostly liquid diet, having something to chew (Soylent Square, Vite-Ramen, etc.) is surprisingly nice.
   
2. I'm with you on the oil; you have to pinch the wrapper as you eat it not to get on your hands. It's like that cheap dollar-store hand lotion that never comes off, haha.
   
3. The caramel was my favorite flavor. Someone said the chocolate one has hints of Tootsie Roll, I can see that. The citrus one is like, vaguely Starburst-ish, like that artificial sweetness is there in the background, like when you drink water after eating Skittles.
   
4. The yellow color on the citrus threw me off a little, lol.
   
5. I thought the citrus one was a little too salty, but I also ate all 3 of them together, so I'll have to try them separately to check haha
   
6. Price vs. performance...I mean, they're small, but they're really chewy, so you feel like you're getting something out of them. For 99 cents a pop or whatever, they're not bad. They can live in my desk drawer when I need a snack hit, and are chewy enough to work on for a minute to get rid of the urge to eat, I guess. They're probably better for you than a 100-calorie Snickers, at any rate, especially with the probiotics!
   
   Will I order another box? Maybe...to be determined. Pretty much, I tried them just to try them. I have 90 packets right now (one 30-pack box of each flavor, minus what I've eaten so far), so I guess I'll see in a month or so how I feel about them. I mean, the enriched-snack market is getting pretty saturated. Just a few picks off Amazon: (prices are sometimes vastly cheaper locally at B&M stores, FYI)
   
   

• "That's It!" probitioc fruit bars
  
• Prebiotic & Protein vegan gummies
  
• Snickers Protein bars
  
• Epic bison & bacon meat bar
  
• Fairlife protein chocolate milk
  
• Shrewd protein cheese puffs
  
  Also, at 100 calories, it's not hard to make your own bite-size snack bars. With a DIY 'lent, it's a little more work because you have to get a lot of ingredients, but for a 100-calorie snack with a bit of protein & some probiotics, there are a variety of options for quickly & easily making a large, inexpensive batch of macro & micronutrient-laced snacks in your kitchen at home. For example, I make a new recipe off ProteinPOW on just about a weekly basis, which are dessert & snack recipes based off protein powder. I also make a variety of energy-bites, bliss-balls, and fat-bombs, which you can do in everything from a classic granola bar flavor to a pumpkin-pie flavor, as well as different kinds of energy & snack bars (knockoff Clif's bars, Lara bars, homemade granola bars, etc.). The Soylent Squares seem to have 4 primary benefits:
  
  

1. 99 cents a pop
   
2. Designed for healthy snacking (probiotics & protein)
   
3. Probably a long shelf life
   
4. Really chewy, which is nice if you're on a majority-liquid diet & want something to work your jaw

G2 is currently 40cents/bottle on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Thirst-Quencher-Glacier-Bottles/dp/B01KQLV2EK/

Your recommended BCAA is 82cents/serving on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Scivation-Ripped-Branched-Watermelon-Serving/dp/B075RGGZ7Z

So yeah, I'd consider something that is half the price and addresses OP's issue:

• not "much more expensive" because it's cheaper
  
• more effective because it actual goes to the root issue and not some tangential non-sense

Hell yes I am

​

https://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Cucumber-Lime-Wide-Mouth/dp/B009SRTA0M

Oh no I forgot to take the spoke reflectors off. And they aren't uniform. Noooooo

Anyway I'm pretty slow but I've seen some improvement. Todays stats: 2h 43m. 40.3 miles. Avg Speed 14.8 mph. I live in a very hilly city I might add but I still feel like 14.8 is slow.

I would love some input on my diet before/during todays ride.

Breakfast was a packet of instant oatmeal. Lunch was a caesar salad with 4-5ish ounces of cubed ham. Then probably 300 calories of just random snacks.

During the ride:

• 24oz bottle of water
  
  
• 24oz bottle of Gatorade Zero Berry (4/5 stars in regards to taste)
  
  
• 30 min: 100 calorie GU tri-berry (2.5/5 stars)
  
  
• 1 hour: 220 calorie Clif bar Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter (5/5 stars)
  
  
• 1h 40m: 100 calorie Honey Stinger Gold Gel (1/5 stars but it was unseasonably hot and I let this one warm up too much.)
  
  
• 2 hours: 160 calorie Honey Stinger Fruit Smoothie Energy Chew (5/5 stars)
  
  After I got home I still had legs enough to chase my little ones around for a good 15 minutes but that's pretty much just a cool down. I never felt hungry but I have been made very afraid of the bonk just from trying to learn. Is this too much? Too little? Is this a good pace of calories to get to 100 miles? I don't really have a goal time.... so I'll just throw out 7 hours.
  
  Also does anyone have any good recipies for food to eat during the ride? I hate cooking so it has to be dead simple for me to cook, but I would appreciate reading fancy recipes if someone would like to share.
  
  Thanks!
  
  Edit: Also congrats to Greg LeMond.

All internet usage redirects to this page

Imagine replacing a bottle of Gatorade Ice Punch with this and then reaching for it unknowingly at the end of a 5k on a 100 degree, 80pct humidity day.

If you want liquid carbs and sugars, there's existing options:

http://www.hammernutrition.com/heed-sports-drink/

https://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Thirst-Quencher-Powder-Glacier/dp/B0052HV6EU

https://www.amazon.com/Foods-Dextrose-Powder-Pounds-Packaging/dp/B002JNM8YM/

The advantages of gels and standalone carbs is:

• More total water stored on the bike because the bottles volume isn't being taken up by 3 scoops of powder
  
  
• Easier to shift the ratio of water to carbs as the ambient temp changes. Maybe the clouds disappear and now its hotter and you want more water per unit of carbs, if everything is pre-mixed, you don't get that adaptability.
  
  
• Refills are not as simple because you have to have a way to carry extra powder, then pour in the powder without spilling it, then put in the water.
  
  That said, it's not black and white. Liquid carbs might work better for you, I recommend trying it out.

Peanut Butter is a big one, there is nothing that will make you feel more at home. I was never a big peanut butter eater, but after 6 months I was craving it.

I made sure to bring Sriracha and peanut butter in my bag. I had a lot of stuff (seasoning salt, ranch dressing mix, curry pastes, and good coffee) sent in a care package. PST is a crazy time - I never once thought about pulling out the food I brought, I just ate whatever was put in front of me. But it's nice to share some American snacks with your host family.

Edit: Gatorade packets are also great. I was able to get them from the PC office, but something like this would have been awesome.

Same advice as others - you probably won't need to snack in the middle of practice unless you've been starving yourself or are going for more than a couple hours. I always keep a Clif bar or trail mix with my gear for snackmergencies, and usually end up giving them to someone else who hasn't eaten all day.

On a related note, my league practices in central Texas throughout the summer (read: 100+ degree days and 90 degree nights) in a warehouse without air conditioning - we keep our freezer stocked with freezy pops (you can even get them with electrolytes!) and it has been a literal life-saver. Easy treats between drills/bouting that cool you down and give you a little burst of sugar energy.

You need some of this to wash your waffles down, seriously, one of the best hangover cures known to man...

I've learned the vessel for my beverage influences a lot about its perceived drinkability, if that makes any sense - particularly the lid/drinking edge. It's subtle, seems irrational, and highly individual -- but something to think about.

I like drinking Vitamin Water Zero but I have this sneaky suspicion it isn't as effective on the electrolyte front; my wildly ignorant armchair broscience thought is that the water soluble vitamins (C, etc) have a diuretic effect that counteracts the benefits of drinking it. (That's not really a great endorsement, I guess?)

I've bought a Roar Organics a couple times at the store on sale, but that's going the opposite direction of your affordability question. They are excellent, though -- delicious -and- helpful, and not full of junk.

Have you experimented with coconut water-based drinks?

Just wanted to say I looked into House's tax plan and compared it (water-wise, since we don't have an electricity cost to compare to) to the cost of water in game. (Putting this here so it's easier to compare, and just so it can be referenced).

• Normal Price of Purified Water without barter influence: 20 caps for what looks to be about 12 Fluid Ounces, comparing to powerade bottles
  
• House's Water Price to the NCR: 5 caps per gallon
  
  Again to repeat:
  
  
• Normal: 20 caps for 12 fluid ounces
  
• House: 5 caps for 1 gallon
  
  There are 128 fluid ounces in a single gallon, meaning House is selling 10x the amount of water for 1/4 of the price to the NCR. Seems to be a VERY generous offer.

I make my own Gatorade for cramps. In the spices section of your grocery store, there should be a salt alternative for people trying to lower their sodium intake called Salt Lite. It's a mixture of salt and potassium which also tastes salty. It's supposed to trick you into thinking that you've added more salt to your food than you actually have, but it's a mixture of the same two ingredients in sports drinks. I put 1/4th a teaspoon of that in a water bottle, add a squirt of the store brand (Kroger) Crystal Lite to make it taste good. They make some with B vitamins in it and one with caffeine and B vitamins. I have some of each. I top it off with water and shake it up. I will also add a 1/2 teaspoon of creatine in there if it's the drink I'm going to take with me after breakfast.

For an Oly, if you'd rather skip the aid station, you'll probably be fine with two water bottles in your cages. For an HIM, as tri_it_again said, they'll have bottles you can grab as you go by. This varies by event, so it's generally something that will fit in your water bottle cages. For Ironman-branded events, they have Gatorade Endurance and, I believe, Arrowhead water, both in 24 oz bottles that fit standard cages. The first aid station is likely to be 10-15 miles out, so you'll probably want somethin for the start. For my most recent HIM, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to snag a bottle beforehand, so I had a standard bike bottle with gatorade on my bike. Once I finished that, I stuck it in my second bottle cage, and picked up a Gatorade at the first aid station, then I just tossed the empty bottle and picked up a new one at each aid station. If you have a disposable bottle you can leave with your bike in transition, that's even better.

That's a pretty standard way of doing things anyway. For an HIM, nutrition becomes more important, so you'll want to tweak your plan based on what they offer. I really like Gatorade Endurance and one bottle per aid station is about the right amount of fluid, carbs, and electrolytes for me personally if the weather is mild.

Powerade Zero

Yep - it’s a thing!

I really dislike the flavor of regular pork rinds. I like these ones alot though:

http://www.amazon.com/Baken-Ets-Fried-Skins-Spicy-Ounce/dp/B00E3A1DE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422133174&sr=8-1&keywords=baken+ets

This is the only brand that I really find in my area a lot so I go with it, I've tried local store offbrand as well and they all have a similar taste but I prefer this brand over others. They have some other flavors too but none of them really appeal to me. Crazily enough, I would be interested in a ranch flavor, but I have never seen one.

I have never tried microwaveable ones but that just sounds gross to me.

These ones taste kinda like a spicy chip, and the overwhelming, almost dogfood-like pork quality is muted by the spiciness. They work for me on those occasions when I want something salty to snack on and don't want nuts.

Cucumber lemonade is delicious. There's even a gatorade flavor with cucumber in it. Cucumber has a very refreshing flavor it it.

https://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Cucumber-Lime-Wide-Mouth/dp/B009SRTA0M

So for both whey and casein, I prefer Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard or Dymatize Elite / Iso 100. My favorite flavors are:

Whey:

• Optimum's Cake Batter -- 5lb tub for under $60.
  
  
• Dymatize Iso 100's Birthday Cake -- 5lbs for under $65 more expensive than Optimum because it is Iso 100
  
  Casein:
  
  
• Dymatize Elite's Cinnamon Bun -- looks like Amazon is out of the 4lb tub, but I can usually get a 4lb tub for less than $50 and it is tasty AF.
  
  
• Optimum's Chocolate Peanut Butter -- slightly more expensive than Dymatize, but still a 4lb tub for $55.
  
  One thing to keep in mind with respect to whey and casein protein powder tubs is that although $45-65 seems like a lot of money, gram for gram it is still generally a way cheaper protein source than even chicken breast. It is just a larger cost up front.
  
  With respect to pre-made protein shakes, I love Core Power and Muscle Milk:
  
  
• Core Power with 26g protein and 26g carbs -- I like this mostly for when I am drinking only this as a pre or post-workout thing.
  
  
• Core Power with 42g protein and 13g carbs -- I prefer this as a pre- or post-workout when I am mixing with another carb source (like pouring it over sugary cereal).
  
  
• Muscle Milk Protein Smoothie -- I love the creamy texture of this, and macros are pretty good at 25g protein and 25g carbs for 230 cals.
  
  Premade protein shakes are definitely more expensive gram for gram than chicken breast, etc. But you pay for the convenience.

WOOD

Cool notebook

Teachers Carry All

Love Math

Chinese jumprope at recess

School Sloth Would Be the Best Mascot

Favorite Lunch Snack

Favorite Picture Book Peanuts Rock!

Cute Cool Backpack

Waiting for Dinner

Bonus 1


In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.

edit: forgot number 3

I get sick of doing it too, I do two weeks worth at a time with individual dosing into these little red silo cups I have. I'd like to bulk mix as well but have the same concerns as you about distribution in the mix. For flavoring I add a 2g scoop of Gatorade powder to my mix, I got this big old thing of it.

Pork rinds are the subcutaneous fat that is fried up until it's crispy. Chicharron(es) is the Spanish word. https://www.amazon.com/Baken-Ets-Fried-Skins-Traditional-Ounce/dp/B00E3A19U8

To answer your question :):

• I'd buy these for just plain pork rinds: https://www.amazon.com/Utz-Pork-Rind-Barrel-Quality/dp/B00PKUG72K/ref=sr_1_14_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1483741070&sr=1-14&keywords=pork+rinds
  
  
• This if I need a breading (fried chicken, etc..): https://www.amazon.com/Pork-Dust-Rind-Breadcrumbs-Pack/dp/B00FWW3UAS/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1483741070&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=pork+rinds&psc=1
  
  
• And these if I want spicy pork rinds: https://www.amazon.com/Baken-Ets-Fried-Skins-Spicy-Ounce/dp/B00E3A1DE0/ref=sr_1_10_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1483741070&sr=1-10&keywords=pork+rinds

I post lots of things I eat on my Instagram along with links to my blog for the recipes - https://www.instagram.com/ketoswitch/

I tried to do a quick search on Loblaws' or Sobeys' web sites but they are utterly useless in looking up products. The link below is the brand of Pork Rinds I get from my local grocery. I've also tried some others. I buy quite a few keto snacks directly from Amazon because it's easier.

https://www.amazon.com/Baken-Ets-Fried-Skins-Traditional-Ounce/dp/B00E3A19U8/

In the U.S., Gatorade Zero has 10 calories per serving: https://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Thirst-Quencher-Glacier-Bottles/dp/B07F33Y72S?th=1

Powerade Zero has zero calories: https://www.amazon.com/POWERADE-Calorie-Electrolyte-Enhanced-Sports/dp/B01BKBWF3W/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=powerade+zero&qid=1558518729&s=pantry&sr=8-3

Somewhat relevant, is there a kind of electrolyte drink that's powdered? I've been looking for something in the price range of powdered Gatorade and it's unfortunate that there is no powdered version of Powerade Zero.

here ya go

Here's a case for $40.

Haha not really pallet. But I buy Powerade on Amazon constantly and the boxes get really heavy. I feel bad for the people who deliver my mail.

I buy at least 2 of these a month. plus some Gatorade zero here and there to change stuff up.

Last time there were two bottles missing in my mini pallet, and when I contacted Amazon about me they just said keep what I had and gave me a full refund in 24hrs. So I just ordered another mini pallet with the refund. I just ran out because I've had a lot of highs the last 2 weeks do I was drinking more of these than my normal amount. Gotta order more.


I can't seem to find anything but the 32oz bottles of Powerade zero here, and no sugar free Gatorade to be found either. Plus i don't do the shopping my partner does because I'm too bad off at the moment to go out and shop.

I wish the Gatorade zero was a little cheaper because it has better flavors. But there's also the propel fitness water which is made by Gatorade and is basically Gatorade without the coloring.

Incidentally, I accidentally found this place to buy Gatorade products at wholesale prices they sell concentrated Gatorade, which is liquid. Looks like that might be something worth checking into.

You can keep a few Gatorade bottles and wash and reuse them. I do that with these mini apple juice bottles I have, I fill them with juice from a larger cheaper bottle. And usually one has a concentrated Gatorade I made with powdered Gatorade so I can drink less and know my blood sugar will be fine.

I've got my issues with lactose as well. Found these at CVS/Walgreens/etc and they've been a (expensive) blessing. Also, I'd recommend keeping a couple snack packs of peanuts on you. I'm particular to Planters honey roasted. A 1oz package is only a few handfuls and a quick 160 calories. Over the course of a day I try to have two or three, plus one or two shakes.

It's like 50 cents per bottle for the 12 oz bottles, i get this multi pack. i love em.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07MQNF2LL?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title