One of the most popular options in the sports drink market, Powerade claims to "replenish four electrolytes lost in sweat." The producers of Powerade also state that their drink gives a helping hand to your muscles when they're working their hardest, while also boosting metabolism. However, you should know what is in each Powerade to determine if and when to drink one.
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If you grab a Powerade and expect to drink it all to regain your energy and strength, think again. According to the packaging on a 32-oz. Powerade, a single serving of Powerade is 8 fluid oz. Therefore, if you drink an entire 32-oz Powerade, you're getting four servings and four times as much of everything in the recommended 8 oz. serving. Also note that the nutrition facts below are for Mountain Berry Blast flavor and a 2,000-calorie diet.
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A healthy individual should consume no more than 7 percent of his daily calories through saturated fat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. A 32-oz. Powerade does not contain any fat. Because of this, you can drink an entire Powerade without worrying about adding to your saturated, trans- or total fat consumption.
While a 32-oz. Mountain Berry Blast Powerade doesn't have any fat, it does contain 50 calories per 8-oz. serving. On the packaging, Powerade lists calories as energy, which is scientifically correct. The National Institutes of Health state that calories that are not used as energy to fuel the body are converted into fat. Therefore, you should be careful not to consume more calories than you plan to burn through exercise.
There are 14 g of carbohydrates in every 8 oz. of Powerade. In a 32-oz. Powerade, this adds up to 56 g of carbohydrates. While this is not an excessive amount, all of the carbohydrates are sugar-based. As the United States Department of Agriculture states that you ought to avoid sugar-based carbohydrates and instead choose fiber-based carbohydrates, you should limit your consumption of Powerade and other food and drinks with sugar-based carbohydrates.
