運動飲料比水有益嗎？

Are sports drinks better than water? The beverage industry would like you to think so. According to Beverage Digest, PepsiCo (the maker of Gatorade), the Coca-Cola Company (the maker of Powerade), and others made about 7 billion dollars in 2010 promoting the idea that to prevent dehydration and optimize performance, you need to guzzle their products.
運動飲料比水有益嗎？飲料工業會讓你覺得是的。根據《飲料文摘》，百事可樂公司，可口可樂公司和其他公司2010年花了約70億美元推銷這一理念：爲了預防脫水和發揮專長，你必須狂飲他們的產品。

However, unless you are a high-intensity athlete, water is still the best option, without the cost or calories.
然而，除非你是個高強度運動員，不然水還是你的最佳選擇，無須成本或熱量。

Although sports drinks are marketed to the general population, they do not offer added health benefits to sedentary adults or even moderate exercisers but do provide unnecessary amounts of sugar, sodium, and artificial flavorings and preservatives.
儘管運動飲料出售給普通人羣，但是他們不但不會給久坐的成人或中度運動者提供額外的健康好處，反而給他們提供不必要的糖分，鈉，人造香料和防腐劑。

A 20-ounce bottle of Powerade is about 150 calories and contains 38 grams of sugar. Responding to America's obesity epidemic, the Center for Disease Control recommends against using drinks with added sugar for purposes of hydration.
20盎司的Powerade大約含有150卡路里和38克糖。作爲美國肥胖流行病的迴應，疾病控制中心要求反對飲用爲了水解而含多餘糖分的飲料。

With children, use sports drinks with caution
對於孩子，要謹慎飲用運動飲料

A clinical report published on May 30, 2011, by the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against children drinking sports drinks unless they are participating in prolonged athletic competitions and suggests that even then, the consumption of sports drinks should be carefully managed.
2011年5月30日在發表《美國兒科學會》的一個臨牀報道勸告兒童，除非參加了長久的運動比賽，不然不要喝運動飲料，並建議即使在那種情況下，也要認真控制運動飲料的攝入量。

According to the report, the popularity of sports drinks is chipping away at healthier patterns of beverage consumption (such as drinking water or low fat milk) and contributing to childhood overweight and obesity. The citric acid contained in these beverages also causes dental erosion.
根據報道，運動飲料的流行削弱了人們對更加健康的飲料攝入量，導致兒童超重和肥胖。這些飲料中所含的檸檬酸也會導致牙酸蝕病。

Another issue the researchers point out is that most children and teens do not recognize the difference between sports drinks and energy drinks and use them interchangeably. Energy drinks are unregulated by the FDA and contain high amounts of caffeine as well as amino acids and herbs with uncertain health risks and should never be consumed by kids.
研究人員指出的另一個問題是，大部分兒童和青少年並沒有意識到運動飲料和能量飲料之間的區別，並交替飲用。能量飲料不受FDA的監管，高含咖啡因和會引起不確定健康危害的氨基酸和香草，並且小孩不能吸收。

For endurance athletes, sports drinks may help
對於耐力運動員，運動飲料會有幫助

Most sports drinks contain a combination of water, carbohydrates in the form of sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
許多運動飲料將水，以蔗糖或高果糖穀物糖漿形式出現的碳水化合物和如鈉，鉀，鎂這些電解質結合在一起。

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, athletes who are performing high-intensity, endurance sports for more than 60-90 minutes, especially in hot weather, may experience an improvement in performance after drinking a sports drink.
根據美國運動醫學會報道，進行超過60—90分鐘高強度和耐力性運動的運動員，尤其在夏天，喝運動飲料後會表現得更好。

Carbohydrates can help prevent fatigue by boosting blood sugar levels and replacing glycogen stores in muscles.
碳水化合物可以通過提高血糖濃度預防疲勞和補充儲存在肌肉中的糖原。

Electrolytes carry electrical impulses through the tissues of the body and are important for maintaining proper fluid levels and muscle function. The average person consumes all the electrolytes they need through their daily diet, however some can be lost during excessive sweating.
電解質使電脈衝通過身體的組織，而且對維持適當液麪和肌肉功能很重要。一般人通過日常飲食攝入所需的電解質，然而一些電解質可能在過度出汗時丟失。

Try healthy sports drink alternatives
嘗試健康運動飲料替代品

While water is the best choice when you are thirsty or after light-moderate exercise, when you want something with a little extra flavor, there are some natural alternatives that are healthy and taste delicious.
水是你口渴或進行輕中度運動後的最佳選擇，當你想嘗試一點額外的味道時，也有一些健康和美味的天然替代品。

Herbal iced tea: Steeped herbal iced tea makes a pleasing alternative to plain water. Just avoid caffeine and herbs that are diuretic. Mint and verbena are safe, tasty choices that don't require a lot of sweetener.
草藥冰茶：浸泡的草藥冰茶比白開水更成爲人們喜愛的一種選擇。避免利尿的咖啡因和香草。薄荷和馬鞭草比較安全，可口的東西不需要含有大量的甜味劑。

Low fat milk: 1% or skimmed milk contains the right balance of protein and carbs to help muscles rebuild after vigorous exercise.
低脂牛奶：1%或脫脂牛奶含有適當的蛋白質和碳水化合物幫助劇烈運動後的肌肉重建。

Coconut water: The juice from inside young coconuts is high in potassium, antioxidants, and other minerals and is a refreshing non-fat drink. It contains about half the calories of the average commercial sports drink.
椰子汁：稚嫩椰子裏的汁富含鉀，抗氧化劑和其他礦物質，而且是一種提神的零脂飲料。它所含的熱量大約是一般廣告中運動飲料的一半。

Fruit: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends eating fruit to refuel muscles after exercising. A quarter cup of dried fruit or 2-3 pieces of fruit such as apples or oranges will help replace glycogen stores.
水果：美國運動醫學會要求運動後要吃水果來補充能量。四分之一杯果脯或2-3片水果，如蘋果或橙子能補充糖原存儲。

Watermelon, honeydew melon, and stone fruits such as peaches and plums contain lots of water for hydration as well as healthy, natural fruit sugars for energy.
西瓜，哈密瓜和如桃子，李子這些核果類富含水解所需的水分和能量所需的健康，天然的果糖。

Bananas are high in potassium, a key electrolyte, and a good source of carbohydrates.
香蕉富含鉀——一種主要的電解質，而且是碳水化合物的主要來源。