Water is your best bet for everyday hydration, since it is free of sugar, calories, and caffeine. All of your daily food and beverages contribute to your daily fluid needs.
The researchers found that while water — both still and sparkling — does a pretty good job of quickly hydrating the body, beverages with a little bit of sugar, fat or protein do an even better job of keeping us hydrated for longer.
The fastest way to hydrate is with an oral rehydration solution. These products are packed with electrolytes which are minerals found in your body that balance fluid levels and maintain optimal hydration. While you can hydrate fast with regular water, focus on electrolytes.
Scientists say milk is the most hydrating drink
While the team found water — both still and sparkling — does a great job of hydrating people, they also found that it's missing a few key ingredients to really make it work efficiently in the human body. Namely, plain water is missing just a touch of fat, salt, and sugar.
It hydrates you
This myth comes from a study funded by Gatorade that found people who drank their product were better hydrated than if they drank water—but only because they drank more fluids. If you drank the same volume of water versus Gatorade, you'd be equally hydrated.
Best Overall: Gatorade
The levels of electrolytes (sodium and potassium) are moderate and sensible with 160 mg of sodium and 45mg of potassium per 12 fluid ounce serving. You can also find Gatorade varieties with higher sodium, zero sugar or no calories depending on your needs.
Gatorade, because of its electrolyte content, helps to restore the lost electrolytes and keep a person hydrated, during intense activity. It can also replace electrolytes, during times of illness, such as stomach viruses.
Use an oral rehydration solution (ORS)
In the 1960s, physiologists found that glucose (or sugar) helps increase the body's absorption of water and sodium. This is known as the “sodium-glucose cotransport system.” In 1964, this type of salt-sugar solution was successfully used to treat patients with cholera.
Drinking beverages that contain electrolytes can both rehydrate you quicker than plain water and it can keep you feeling hydrated longer than plain water.
Gatorade contains 160 milligrams of sodium and 45 milligrams of potassium per serving, whereas Powerade contains150 milligrams of sodium and 35 milligrams of potassium per serving. In comparison, Gatorade is slightly better at replacing lost electrolytes.
While plain water is best for staying hydrated, other drinks and foods can help, too. Fruit and vegetable juices, milk, and herbal teas add to the amount of water you get each day. Just make sure to limit sugary drinks that are high in calories.
In general, however, it usually takes about two hours for your body to rehydrate fully after drinking a significant amount of water. As for how you should rehydrate, water is the best choice. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, can be helpful for athletes who need to replenish electrolytes.
You'll feel less hungry and may even lose weight. You'll probably experience more comfortable digestion (less heartburn). Bowel movements might be easier and more regular. Your teeth and gums will be healthier and more resilient.
Feeling dehydrated could be a sign that you're missing out on electrolytes which include sodium, chloride, magnesium and potassium and are necessary to deliver fluids to your cells. Excessive sweating after a workout can result in a loss of electrolytes for example.
Staying hydrated is so important on a daily basis, but even more so when it's hot and kids are so active! I've written a post about hydration here before because it's just so important. Anyway, moving on, Hydralyte have released a whole bunch of Electrolyte products for rehydration that you can use everyday.
After drinking milk, the study volunteers produced less urine (and therefore retained more fluid) than with water or a sports drink (Powerade). Therefore, milk was considered to provide better hydration.