For the last forty years, the question of whether Gatorade or water is better has swirled, endlessly fueled by staunch supporters of either side. And while everyone knows that hydration is important, it can seem silly to believe that there is actually a better method of hydration than plain old water.

In order to understand the argument between water and Gatorade, it helps to understand a little about the history of Gatorade. Gatorade was first created by researchers at the University of Florida, when the head football coach asked them if there was a way for the team to be less sluggish after hot practices. Gatorade was immortalized not long afterward, when the Florida Gators defeated Georgia Tech in the 1967 Orange Bowl, and the Tech coach claimed his team had lost because they did not have Gatorade on their side.

If you know anything about Gatorade, you know that it is designed to replenish those things in your body that water alone cannot replenish. And in answering the question of whether Gatorade or water is better, this understanding is the basic foundation that leads to a conclusion.

Gatorade truly is valuable to athletes, as it was specially, scientifically formulated to replenish all those elements lost through sweating during intense physical exertion that water alone cannot replenish. It is true that there are certain diets that can be followed in conjunction with water that can mimic the effects achieved by Gatorade, but it is much easier to just drink a Gatorade!

Mix Your Own Gatorade At Home!

On the other hand, when the body is at rest, it does not especially need all the sugars and other elements that Gatorade provides. After all, someone sitting on a couch, watching a movie, does not especially need to replenish any great loss from their body, and so, they do not especially need to crack open a bottle of Gatorade!

The best approach to take with Gatorade is for athletes to drink plenty of water leading up to an event, and to drink Gatorade during the event. And if you are not an athlete, try to drink Gatorade as sparingly as you drink soda or other sugar-filled drinks; after all, if you are not losing buckets of sweat, there is no need to replenish!