Think WHOLE FOODS to rehydrate!!!

After sports games or working out, we choose water and natural whole foods to rehydrate. Some of the major electrolytes the body needs are potassium, magnesium, sodium chloride, and calcium. The whole food eaten before games is celery. Celery provides sodium and consists of 95% water. A great food choice before becoming active. Raisins and bananas are loaded with potassium. I typically hand out either a banana or a box of raisins as a “snack” for the kiddos after games along with an orange or clementine and a water bottle. Oranges, dried figs, dates, apricots and clementines provide calcium. You can mix sunflower seeds or nuts with the raisins to get the electrolyte magnesium. Or just eat a banana. Not to mention these whole foods have nothing but vitamins and minerals in them and are the better choice when it comes to rehydrating. Let’s take a look at what’s in a popular “sports” drink. Some of the nonessential ingredients consist of red dye 40 (awesome), “natural” flavorings, glycerol ester of wood rosin (ester gum is a food additive), and high fructose corn syrup (of course) which is highly controversial. Can you imagine just putting those ingredients together with nothing else in it and drinking it?