As a dietitian, I have the opportunity to help reporters give correct nutrition information when they are creating articles. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes I get mis-quoted or the quote is taken out of context.
Here’s a recent example.
https://www.bestproducts.com/fitness/health/g734/electrolyte-sports-drinks/
The reporter asked my opinion on sports drinks and what to look for when buying one. I gave her some good information, and forgot about it. She didn’t tell me that the article would list a variety of sports drinks recommended for purchase. If she had, I would have been able to tell her that I wouldn’t recommend a lot of them on the list!
For instance, the Body Armor drink is too low in sodium to meaningful replace lost sodium after a workout longer than 90 minutes (or for someone who sweats a lot or is a salty sweater). I’d never recommend Body Armor. Also funny: in my quote, I state that additional vitamins and other additives are usually just marketing ploys and aren’t helpful for re-hydration—yet there’s Body Armor, touting the fact that it has added vitamins! Same with the Propel water and many others listed.
Coconut water is ridiculously low in needed electrolytes–including sodium–and is not an adequate sports drink.
The Emergen-C quality is highly questionable as this company usually has their product made in China. Hello, contaminants.
It just goes to show that even with an article that quotes a dietitian or other quality healthcare provider, you can still get wrong information. What’s the solution? Go straight to the dietitian for help with your nutrition questions! Check out our super useful course on hydration for help on selecting the right sports drink for you. You can also always book an appointment online! 🙂
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