Kids and Sports Drinks

Sugar-laden sports drinks have gotten a bad rap in the media lately. With the intense summer heat fast approaching, is it OK to offer these drinks to our kids? Le Bonheur Director of Clinical Nutrition Amanda Helton, RD, LDN, weighs in on the topic of sports drinks and provides her insight on making smart drink choices for your kids.

Where did sports drinks get their start? One of the popular brands, Gatorade, started at a University of Florida football training camp to help players stay hydrated during hours of training in the Florida heat. But not all children are college football players. For the average parents who are concerned about preventing dehydration, water or skim milk are usually their best options.

When making the choice of what beverages to pack on the go, parents need to think about what activities they'll be participating in throughout the day. Starting with water is always a good option, especially for a sport or outside play lasting only a couple of hours. If you are anticipating several hours of outside activity, especially in extreme heat, sports drinks are actually a good choice. These drinks can help replace needed carbohydrates, sugars and electrolytes that are sweated out during intense exercise.

However, your child can have too much. You might want to intervene if your child is reaching for a sports drink instead of water on a regular basis. Sports drinks have excess sugar and sodium, as well as calories. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 20-ounce bottle can have up to 165 calories. Drinking sports drinks regularly can lead to weight gain.