运动饮料比水有益吗？

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.
运动饮料比水有益吗？饮料工业会让你觉得是的。根据《饮料文摘》，百事可乐公司，可口可乐公司和其他公司2010年花了约70亿美元推销这一理念：为了预防脱水和发挥专长，你必须狂饮他们的产品。

However, unless you are a high-intensity athlete, water is still the best option, without the cost or calories.
然而，除非你是个高强度运动员，不然水还是你的最佳选择，无须成本或热量。

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.
尽管运动饮料出售给普通人群，但是他们不但不会给久坐的成人或中度运动者提供额外的健康好处，反而给他们提供不必要的糖分，钠，人造香料和防腐剂。

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大约含有150卡路里和38克糖。作为美国肥胖流行病的回应，疾病控制中心要求反对饮用为了水解而含多余糖分的饮料。

With children, use sports drinks with caution
对于孩子，要谨慎饮用运动饮料

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日在发表《美国儿科学会》的一个临床报道劝告儿童，除非参加了长久的运动比赛，不然不要喝运动饮料，并建议即使在那种情况下，也要认真控制运动饮料的摄入量。

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.
根据报道，运动饮料的流行削弱了人们对更加健康的饮料摄入量，导致儿童超重和肥胖。这些饮料中所含的柠檬酸也会导致牙酸蚀病。

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.
研究人员指出的另一个问题是，大部分儿童和青少年并没有意识到运动饮料和能量饮料之间的区别，并交替饮用。能量饮料不受FDA的监管，高含咖啡因和会引起不确定健康危害的氨基酸和香草，并且小孩不能吸收。

For endurance athletes, sports drinks may help
对于耐力运动员，运动饮料会有帮助

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.
许多运动饮料将水，以蔗糖或高果糖谷物糖浆形式出现的碳水化合物和如钠，钾，镁这些电解质结合在一起。

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.
根据美国运动医学会报道，进行超过60—90分钟高强度和耐力性运动的运动员，尤其在夏天，喝运动饮料后会表现得更好。

Carbohydrates can help prevent fatigue by boosting blood sugar levels and replacing glycogen stores in muscles.
碳水化合物可以通过提高血糖浓度预防疲劳和补充储存在肌肉中的糖原。

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.
电解质使电脉冲通过身体的组织，而且对维持适当液面和肌肉功能很重要。一般人通过日常饮食摄入所需的电解质，然而一些电解质可能在过度出汗时丢失。

Try healthy sports drink alternatives
尝试健康运动饮料替代品

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.
水是你口渴或进行轻中度运动后的最佳选择，当你想尝试一点额外的味道时，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.
草药冰茶：浸泡的草药冰茶比白开水更成为人们喜爱的一种选择。避免利尿的咖啡因和香草。薄荷和马鞭草比较安全，可口的东西不需要含有大量的甜味剂。

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%或脱脂牛奶含有适当的蛋白质和碳水化合物帮助剧烈运动后的肌肉重建。

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：稚嫩椰子里的汁富含钾，抗氧化剂和其他矿物质，而且是一种提神的零脂饮料。它所含的热量大约是一般广告中运动饮料的一半。

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：美国运动医学会要求运动后要吃水果来补充能量。四分之一杯果脯或2-3片水果，如苹果或橙子能补充糖原存储。

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，李子这些核果类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.
香蕉富含钾——一种主要的电解质，而且是碳水化合物的主要来源。